Welcome to The Freedom Programme Website

What is the Freedom Programme?

Freedom Programme is a domestic violence programme which was created by Pat Craven who holds the copyright (all rights reserved) and evolved from her work with perpetrators of domestic violence. We provide information, not therapy. Click here to read the mission statement

Introduction to the Freedom Programme from Pat Craven

The Programme was primarily designed for women as victims of domestic violence, since research shows that in the vast majority of cases of serious abuse are male on female.

Click here to watch the instructional DVD which shows police and other professionals how to use this resource.

The programme, when provided as an intensive two day course, is also suitable for men, whether abusive and wishing to change their attitudes and behaviour or whether victims of same sex domestic abuse themselves.

The Freedom Programme examines the roles played by attitudes and beliefs on the actions of abusive men and the responses of victims and survivors. The aim is to help them to make sense of and understand what has happened to them, instead of the whole experience just feeling like a horrible mess. The Freedom Programme also describes in detail how children are affected by being exposed to this kind of abuse and very importantly how their lives are improved when the abuse is removed.
Click here to watch a sample session of the from the Audio Visual Version which is now for sale as a download.

The programme usually lasts for 11 or 12 weeks and is FREE. It provided by hundreds of agencies across the UK. Some of them are rolling so women can join at any time but this varies according to local needs, etc.

Click here to search for one in your area or contact our Freedom Programme help line 01942 262 270 or contact our help desk: help@freedomprogramme.co.uk.
The National Domestic Violence 24 hour helpline number is 0808 2000 247


The programmes for men and women are also available online

Click here for more information about the online course

Click here to see the free sample chapter for Women

Click here to see the free sample chapter for Men

Click here for feedback from the online course

THANK YOU!!! WOW! I think you may have changed my life!

BRILLIANT! Seriously....I am shocked and angry got to 42 years old and now understand more! I'm busy recommending you to friends

If only we had been shown this in school!

Want to know more about the online course?



Click here to view
Freedom Programme Online Course

Online Course


The Freedom Programme online course.

Register for course
Log in Women  Log in Men
Search for a Freedom programme near you

Freedom Programme


Search for a Freedom Programme near to where you live

Click here to search

Men's Programme

Men


Freedom Programme for Men


More information

 
Buy Living with the Dominator or Freedom Programme Home Study Course

Books


Take a look at our books, including our Best Seller, "Living with the Dominator"

Click for more information

View or download the Dominator and Mr Right Graphic

Free Resources


Downloads - posters, video, and the Dominator Graphic in any language

Click to view or download

Book Freedom Programme Training

Training


We offer CPD Certificated training for Freedom Programme Facilitators

Book training

 
watch the video

Rules of the Game


Pat Craven examines the Dominator's tactics - the "Rules of the Game"

Click to view

Evaluations of the Freedom Programme

Evaluations


From people who have attended the Freedom Programme

Click here to view

items for sale

Items for Sale


Help us raise funds to keep our helpline and helpdesk staffed by volunteers

Click here

Freedom Programme Animations

We have recently commissioned the wonderful Offshoot Film Company to animate the entire Freedom Programme.

As a result, we have received several requests from schools, police, judges, lawyers, social workers and our many Freedom Programme Facilitators to amalgamate all the animations and create an audio-visual pack. Organisations can use it to introduce their staff to the Freedom Programme and teach them about domestic abuse. Teachers can do the same to their students.

The entire pack is over one hour long and each session typically lasts for between 6 – 10 minutes.

One of our facilitators has been playing one of the animations to the women on her programme every week at the end of each session. Another uses them at the beginning as a 'warm up' to help to make the session run smoothly. Another of our facilitators uses them for her Freedom Programme for women with learning disabilities.

The pack is available to purchase as a download from Vimeo Films and can be used in power point presentations.

Click here to download instructions on how to buy from Vimeo

Click here to purchase from Vimeo

 

Items for Sale

The Freedom programme runs a helpine and helpdesk staffed by volunteers. We need to raise funds to help keep this service free.

Please note, these items can only be posted to addresses in the UK


Mr Right/Mr Wrong Cards.
Quantity:200.  Price: £15.00


Click here to go to our online shop
MISSION STATEMENT FOR THE FREEDOM PROGRAMME
  • Any woman should be able to phone the contact numbers on my website and be told where and when the next session is taking place and whether crèche facilities are available. I do not endorse intrusive questions, referrals or risk assessments.
  • Women must be actively welcomed to the programme.
  • We never give advice or tell any woman that she should leave. If it were so easy we would have all left.
  • Judgemental statements such as ‘I would never let anyone do that to me’ or ‘this has never happened to me’ are not acceptable.
  • Facilitators refer to all women as ‘us’ and never use the dreaded words ‘These Women.’
  • These programmes are only for the women who attend them. I do not endorse the presence of observers.
  • Ideally, every woman who attends should be given a copy of the book ‘Living with the Dominator’ and the supplement ‘The Freedom Programme Home Study Course’ as soon as she arrives. This will enhance her learning. Clearly she will know if it is safe to take these publications home or to leave them in a folder with the facilitator.
  • This programme lasts for 12 x 90 minute sessions. It is a rolling programme, so women who attend can miss a session and do it later when they are ready. Some women can take years to complete it.
  • Session 4 is about the ‘Effects of Domestic Abuse on Children’. It is repeated in session 8. Facilitators who only want to run this once can shorten the programme to 11 weeks.