The "No" Test

The "no" test is simple. A man passes it if he graciously accepts "no" from his partner. If he attempts to persuade her to change her mind, he fails. This book will be of interest to anybody who is concerned about the problem of domestic violence. The man who is abusive and the woman who suffers the abuse are often misrepresented. The "No" test provides alternatives to these misrepresentations so that a man can be held accountable for all his actions and a woman's ever present resistance to oppression is recognised. The "No" test is also a resource for those in the helping professions with discussions on the ethics of practice, exploring the importance of language and a chapter on the crafting of questions - the all important key to therapeutic conversations. Finally, the ideas are demonstrated in practice in therapeutic conversations with four composite individuals, two of whom are a married couple. The four represent the diverse individuals the authors have encountered in many years of practice. The book aims to expose how the problem of domestic violence is perpetuated by its frequent misrepresentations and in so doing provide a better understanding of domestic violence for the benefit of all. Includes therapeutic conversations with individuals to illustrate the book's core concepts.