NASPCAN 2012
Presentation 19 / Monday 14 May 2012
Violence by women can be
prevented
– The Demeter Programme
Maria Lindroos, Demeter Coordinator (Helsinki)
Marjo-Riitta Karhunen, Demeter Coordinator (Tampere)
Maria Akatemia ry, Finland
Maria Lindroos & Marjo-Riitta Karhunen
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Maria Akatemia
The Demeter Programme
Programme goals and services
Inner script dynamics
Maria Lindroos & Marjo-Riitta Karhunen
Maria Akatemia ry / Maria Akademi rf
Maria Akatemia is a non-profit organisation for
research, development and education
Our vision is to promote the wellbeing and human
inner growth of individuals and communities
The accociation is independent of any government,
political ideology or religion.
Maria Lindroos & Marjo-Riitta Karhunen
The Demeter Programme
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The Demeter Programme is a violence prevention
model developed by Maria Akatemia in Finland
The programme targets women who have abusive
tendencies
- maternal child abuse and neglect
- psychological and physical intimate partner violence
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Finland’s Slot Machine Association has funded the
programme since 2003
Maria Lindroos & Marjo-Riitta Karhunen
What are the goals?
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To help women to stop violent behavior
To break the taboo of violence by women
To raise awareness of the origins and dynamics
of violence
To stop the transmission of violence across
family generations
To prevent violence towards the self and others
in families, communities and societies
Maria Lindroos & Marjo-Riitta Karhunen
Client services
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The Demeter preventive
model includes three phases:
1. a national telephone helpline
2. one-to-one counselling
3. facilitated peer support groups
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Client services are free and
confidential
Maria Lindroos & Marjo-Riitta Karhunen
Other services
Open discussion forums
 Training
 Consultation
 Supervision
 Debriefing
=> prevention of vicarious traumatisation
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Maria Lindroos & Marjo-Riitta Karhunen
MaSu Project
Image © Emilia Nilsson
Maria Lindroos & Marjo-Riitta Karhunen
Publication
The experiential theory
generated by the Demeter
Programme has been published
in the Finnish work titled
Tietoisuuden tie alkurakkauteen
– väkivalta on ehkäistävissä
(Perheentupa & Karhunen (ed.) 2010)
Image © Satu-Maaria Mäkipuro
Maria Lindroos & Marjo-Riitta Karhunen
Theory of inner script dynamics
The theory is developed by
 experiential knowledge
 critical reflection of cases
The theoretical framework is based on a
 gender specific, family-based and
psychodynamic approach
 existentialism
Maria Lindroos & Marjo-Riitta Karhunen
Inner script dynamics
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The inner script refers to the potential quality of
interpersonal interactions and ability to bond, which is
developed in early attachment - in primal love
Experiences of shame and loss in early childhood cause
an inner wound and existential emptiness
Self-hate, guilt, shame, terror
The child develops different kinds of strategies to win
acceptance and love
Maria Lindroos & Marjo-Riitta Karhunen
Invisible child
Possible strategies are:
 emotional sterilization
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encapsulated emotions
Being a good little girl
- Mother’s mother
Image © Satu-Maaria Mäkipuro
Maria Lindroos & Marjo-Riitta Karhunen
The generation chain
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Mother/father transfers her/his encapsulated shame,
guilt, self-hate and lack of boundaries to the child
This inner script forms a generation chain of violence
There is a wounded inner child within every man and
woman who perpetrates abuse and violence towards the
self and/or others
Every child who is a victim of abuse, neglect or
deprivation is a potential perpetrator of violence
Maria Lindroos & Marjo-Riitta Karhunen
Summary
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Violence is a one symptom of inner ill-being
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The preventive point of view is to understand and to be aware of the origins
and dynamics of the violence
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Women and men need help to stop the transmission of abuse and violence
across family generations
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Awareness of inner script dynamics is the key to human wellbeing
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Violence can be prevented!
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Identifying
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Confronting
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Preventing
Maria Lindroos & Marjo-Riitta Karhunen
Partnership
Maria Akatemia provides lectures, seminars
and workshops on the themes of family
violence and gender specificity tailor made
according to the needs of your clients, work
community or conference
Maria Lindroos & Marjo-Riitta Karhunen
Contact details
Visiting addresses:
Fredrikinkatu 32 A 12, 00120 Helsinki, Finland
Hatanpään valtatie 34 E, 33100 Tampere, Finland
tel. +358 9 7562 2250 (office)
e-mail: [email protected]
www.maria-akatemia.fi
Maria Lindroos & Marjo-Riitta Karhunen
Contact details
For further information please contact:
Katja Ilola, Executive Director
+358 40 418 4734 / [email protected]
Maria Lindroos, Demeter Coordinator (Helsinki)
+358 45 326 9499 / [email protected]
Marjo-Riitta Karhunen, Demeter Coordinator (Tampere)
+358 45 118 7811 / [email protected]
Tanja Harju, MaSu Project Coordinator
+358 45 326 9495 / [email protected]
Maria Lindroos & Marjo-Riitta Karhunen
Thank you!
Maria Lindroos & Marjo-Riitta Karhunen