Association for Behavior Analysis International

Intimate Partner Violence is a social problem that impacts more than 12 million Americans per year, accounts for 15% of all violent crime, and costs the United States an estimated 8 billion dollars per year. Despite the gravity of this problem, behavior analysts have been largely silent on the topic. This paper explores the contingencies for maintaining abusive behavior as well as interventions in place to attempt to change abusive behavior. Suggestions for future research in this area, as well as obstacles to such research, will be discussed. A systematic review of current batterer intervention programs will be presented, along with ideas for improvement amongst these programs, using evidence-based practices for effective behavior change. The call to action from Meyers (1995) did not promote action by our field, but we have an ethical obligation as a field to act, and act now. We need to fulfill Skinners vision: that the study of human behavior can bring about large changes for mankind. Venturing into areas of human behavior that are incredibly challenging is a necessary first step in further realizing his vision.

This paper will outline and analyze the socio-cultural contingencies that maintain honor crimes as a cultural practice and their role in cultural survival from a macrocontingency and macrobehavior level and offer number of recommendations to reduce this cultural practice taking Jordan as a case study. The notion that religion, mainly Islam, enforced honor crimes is a misconception. Honor crimes are committed in any case a female shames her family by having premarital sexual relationship(s), misfortunate behavior or when a wife has an adulterous affair. Many families deal with this covertly and quietly far from the interference of any form of authority by choosing a family male member usually the father, brother or in some cases an uncle to "cleanse" the family's honor by murdering the female who "dishonored" the family. Number of macrocontingencies shared in the Arab world that may lead to these crimes: gossip and rumor, victim of rape, pregnant out of wedlock, marrying against family wishes, inheritance, missing from home, talking to a man who is not a family member, caught in an act of prostitution or in a brothel, external tribal and cultural influence, illiteracy and unemployment on part of the perpetuator. Number of recommendations are suggested in this paper to reduce this cultural practice in Jordan as: to change the law related to honor crimes in Jordan, the King forces change, the media highlight the fact that honor crimes are a cultural practice not a religious one, to change regulations related to Correctional and Rehabilitation center.