MADISON, Wis.— I started working at a domestic violence shelter in October 2015 in part because of my own history. I’d been in an abusive relationship when I was younger; I wanted to help women who were in situations like mine, but I also wanted to understand domestic violence better — how unhealthy dynamics of power and control come to exist in relationships, and how they can be stopped. Which is why for 10 months in 2017, I spent part of my time at the shelter and part of my time attending state-certified batterer intervention classes for those who perpetrate abuse.

Batterer intervention classes have been around since the late 1970s and emerged from what was then known as the battered women’s movement, said Michael Paymar, a co-author of the Duluth Curriculum in the late 1980s, which is one of the most widely used curriculums in batterer intervention programs today. They were part of an effort, Mr. Paymar said, to answer the question, Why do men hit? “What was the intent behind the violence? What was the belief system that guided that violence?” Today experts estimate there are 1,500 to 2,000 classes across the country that call themselves batterer intervention programs, though their methods vary.

These programs can be controversial. Evidence for their effectiveness is mixed, and many argue that money should go toward initiatives that support and protect victims directly. Worse, some worry that these classes can contribute to a sense of false hope for victims, who may stay in their relationships as a result. But at their best, they aim to fundamentally alter the dynamics of power and control.