Abstract
Against a backdrop of increasing rates of family violence in Aotearoa New Zealand, opportunities exist to reflect upon, and critically evaluate, our conventional understanding and responses to family violence. In doing so, there is considerable potential to further develop and progress more efficacious orientations and approaches. The current study sought to explore alternative approaches from the perspectives of 35 men who have engaged in family violence; understanding the type of supports and interventions that have aided their desistance. Participants traced their desistance to family violence to communities of support, communities that have raised awareness of family violence while simultaneously engaging men who either use violence or were at risk of using violence, and the development of holistic, therapeutic, and supportive communities. Themes from these men's narratives highlight the benefits of a move away from a criminogenic response to a community-embedded recovery orientation.