Domestic Violence Awareness & Prevention

This Domestic Violence Awareness & Prevention curriculum is grounded in evidence-based behavioral intervention models commonly used in court-ordered domestic violence and relationship safety programs

Choose Your Track

Domestic Violence Awareness & Prevention Program Options

All tracks use the same evidence-based curriculum grounded in CBT, the Duluth Model, and behavioral accountability frameworks. Choose the duration that matches your court order or personal goals.

What You’ll Learn Each Week

A progressive, skills-based curriculum grounded in CBT, the Duluth Power and Control Model, and behavioral accountability frameworks.

Week 1

Understanding Domestic Conflict and Relationship Behavior

Definitions of domestic violence, unhealthy relationship patterns, and how harmful behaviors develop over time.

Week 2

Power and Control Dynamics

Recognizing controlling behaviors, emotional manipulation, intimidation, and the Power and Control model.

Week 3

The Cycle of Abuse

Understanding tension building, conflict incidents, reconciliation, and repeating relationship patterns.

Week 4

Emotional Triggers and Escalation

Identifying anger, jealousy, stress, and rejection triggers, and learning emotional regulation strategies.

Week 5

Accountability and Personal Responsibility

Accepting responsibility for behavior, avoiding blame shifting, and understanding consequences of harmful actions.

Week 6

Impact on Partners, Children, and Family Stability

How conflict affects emotional safety, trust, and long-term family relationships.

Week 7

Healthy Communication Skills

Active listening, respectful expression, conflict de-escalation, and assertive but non-aggressive communication.

Week 8

Building Respectful and Healthy Relationships

Developing trust, equality, emotional safety, and long-term relationship stability.

DV Awareness Preview Week 1 of 8

Course Content

DV Awareness Preview — Week 1 Sample You are viewing Units 1–3 of Week 1 only. Enroll to unlock all 8 weeks, knowledge checks, reflections, and your certificate.

DV Awareness Preview · Week 1

Understanding Domestic Violence

CBT Framework · Behavior Patterns · Relationship Awareness Meter

Unit 1 — DV Awareness Preview

Understanding Domestic Violence

Domestic Violence Awareness Illustration

Domestic violence is often misunderstood. Many people believe it only refers to physical violence such as hitting or pushing. While physical violence is one form of abuse, domestic violence can also include emotional harm, intimidation, threats, and controlling behavior.

Domestic violence is defined as a pattern of behavior used to gain or maintain power and control in a relationship.

These behaviors may occur between spouses or partners, people who are dating, former partners, co-parents, or family members living in the same household.

Abuse rarely begins with extreme violence. It often begins with subtle forms of control, criticism, or emotional pressure. Over time these behaviors may escalate. Examples include constant criticism or insults, jealousy that leads to monitoring a partner’s activities, threatening behavior during arguments, controlling finances or decisions, and intimidation or aggressive communication.

Conflict itself is not abuse.All relationships experience disagreements. However, when one person repeatedly uses intimidation, control, or fear to influence the other person, the relationship becomes unsafe. Understanding the difference between healthy conflict and harmful behavior patterns is the first step toward change.

This program is grounded in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) principles. CBT focuses on the relationship between thoughts, emotions, and actions — helping individuals recognize patterns and develop healthier responses to conflict.

Knowledge Check 1 — DV Awareness Preview

1. Domestic violence is best described as:

A) Only physical violence
B) A pattern of behavior used to gain control in a relationship ✓
C) Normal arguments between partners
D) Only behavior that results in police involvement

2. Which of the following behaviors can appear in unhealthy relationships? (Select all that apply)

Constant criticism
Monitoring a partner’s activities
Respectful disagreement
Threats during arguments

3. Abuse typically begins with:

A) Extreme physical violence
B) Subtle forms of control, criticism, or emotional pressure ✓
C) Mutual agreement to escalate conflict
D) A single isolated incident

Unit 2 — DV Awareness Preview

Harmful Patterns vs. Healthy Relationship Behavior

Many harmful relationship behaviors are protected by excuses, minimization, or denial. Recognizing the difference between harmful patterns and healthy alternatives is essential for building accountability and changing behavior.

Harmful Pattern

“I only yelled because they pushed me to it.”

Healthy Alternative

Accountability. Your reaction is your responsibility regardless of what the other person did. Blaming your partner for your behavior is a control tactic.

Harmful Pattern

“I check their phone because I care.”

Healthy Alternative

Trust and respect. Monitoring a partner’s communications, location, or social interactions is controlling behavior, not care. Trust is built through openness, not surveillance.

Harmful Pattern

“It wasn’t that serious — nobody got hurt.”

Healthy Alternative

Impact awareness. Emotional harm, intimidation, and fear cause lasting damage even without physical contact. Minimizing harm prevents accountability.

Harmful Pattern

“I’m the one who makes the decisions here.”

Healthy Alternative

Equality and shared decision-making. Healthy relationships involve mutual input, compromise, and respect for both partners’ perspectives.

Knowledge Check 2 — DV Awareness Preview

1. Blaming a partner for your reaction is a form of accountability.

✕ False

2. Monitoring a partner’s phone and social media is:

A) A sign of healthy concern
B) A controlling behavior ✓
C) Normal in committed relationships
D) Only harmful if the partner objects

3. Emotional harm and intimidation can cause lasting damage even without physical contact.

✓ True

✎ Self-Reflection — DV Awareness Preview

Which harmful pattern do you recognize most in your own past behavior or relationships? How did it affect the other person? What would the healthy alternative have looked like?

25 words min

Unit 3 — DV Awareness Preview

The Relationship Awareness Meter

The Relationship Awareness Meter is a self-assessment tool that helps you recognize where your relationship behaviors fall on a scale from Harmful (controlling, fear-based) to Healthy (respectful, equal, safe).

Harmful

At-Risk

Aware

Healthy

Control & Fear Escalation Patterns Building Accountability Respect & Equality

Harmful behaviors involve using power, control, intimidation, or fear to influence a partner’s actions. At-Risk behaviors include escalation patterns such as raising your voice, making threats during arguments, or using jealousy to justify monitoring. Aware behaviors indicate you are beginning to recognize harmful patterns and are building accountability, but may still fall back on old responses under stress. Healthy behaviors involve mutual respect, shared decision-making, emotional safety, and consistent accountability.

The goal of this program is to move your relationship behaviors from Harmful or At-Risk toward Healthy.By Week 8, you will have the awareness, accountability tools, and communication skills to build respectful and safe relationships.

Knowledge Check 3 — DV Awareness Preview

1. “At-Risk” relationship behavior includes:

A) Mutual respect and open communication
B) Escalation patterns such as raising your voice or making threats during arguments ✓
C) Consistent accountability and emotional safety
D) Shared decision-making

2. The goal of this program is to move your relationship behaviors toward which zone?

A) Harmful
B) At-Risk
C) Aware
D) Healthy ✓

3. True or False: Healthy relationships never have disagreements.

✕ False

✎ Awareness Exercise — DV Awareness Preview

Think about your most recent conflict with a partner, co-parent, or family member. Where would you place your behavior on the Relationship Awareness Meter? Harmful / At-Risk / Aware / Healthy? Explain why.

25 words min

Session 1 Attestation — DV Awareness Preview

I understand this is a structured behavioral education program.
I understand participation and written responses are required for completion.
I understand this program is not a state-certified Batterer’s Intervention Program (BIP).
I understand I am responsible for confirming this course satisfies my specific court or agency requirement.

Upon Completion

Court-Ready Certificate of Completion

Your certificate is issued upon verifiable completion of all program requirements — not upon access alone.

Participant name
Program title
Total instructional hours
Duration track (8, 12, or 16 weeks)
Date range of participation
Completion date
Curriculum summary
Verification statement

Certificate Disclaimer

Verifiable and downloadable
Includes all required documentation
Issued only after full completion

Not a licensed mental health treatment program
Not a substitute for therapy or medical care
Not a state-certified Batterer’s Intervention Program (BIP)
Acceptance determined by the requesting court or agency
Not issued for partial completion