Battery, when committed against one’s GLBT intimate partner, will be prosecuted as a California crime of domestic abuse. Intimate partners are those who are or were civilly united, those who have children together, those who are or were living together and those who are or were dating. If charged as a misdemeanor, battery carries a maximum one-year jail sentence and a maximum $1,000 fine, and if it is charged as a felony, the accused faces up to four years in state prison.

In addition to the fine and jail/prison time listed above, an individual convicted of battering his or her intimate partner who is placed on probation will also be required to complete certain requirements. Participation in a batterer’s class is one of those requirements.

Batterer’s classes are held throughout California, are regulated by the state and are designed to teach an individual who has been convicted of battering his or her partner accountability for his or her abusive conduct. The classes are either all male or all female and some are sensitive and specific to same sex relationships. The defendant must attend a minimum of 52 weekly classes that are at least two hours in length.

Batterer’s classes help teach their participants to walk away from potentially violent situations before it is too late to do so. The classes not only focus on anger management and violent tendencies, but also offer constructive, positive ways that their students can help restore balance to their imbalanced relationships. If successful, the student learns that he or she shouldn’t be using violence to control his or her partner.

Batterer’s classes have specific criteria that every class must adhere to, regardless of the instructor or its location. Classes must address the nature of violence, socialization, the effects of abuse on children, gender roles, and the dynamics of power and control. Counselors discuss the different types of abuse that one may use to control his or her partner and ways to change those learned, reinforced behaviors.

When an individual either blames his or her partner for instigating the violence or in any way tries to diminish his or her responsibility for the abuse, the class leader must directly confront that person by refuting his or her rationale. The facilitator’s job is to try to modify the values, beliefs and language that his or her students use to create and maintain power over their partners. The teachers also offer specific techniques that their students can use to achieve non-controlling and non-abusive behaviors and attitudes.

Batterer’s classes are only one part of the punishment that an individual convicted of DV battery faces, but can be one of the most beneficial if the participant is open to being helped. The compassionate, LGBT supportive California domestic violence lawyers at the Kavinoky Law Firm are dedicated to making this time a little easier for their clients. They specialize in crimes of intimate partner abuse and are familiar with the various resources available to help their gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender clients, including connecting them with batterer’s classes that will meet their individual needs, where the class leader and participants may be able to empathize with their situation. For questions about a batterer’s class or for legal advice about any other domestic violence matter, contact the Law Offices of Darren Kavinoky today for a free consultation.