Thesis submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the Degree of Master of Social Science at the University of Waikato.

This study, based on a feminist approach, uses a mutual help framework to evaluate both the process and outcomes of a women's education programme run by the Hamilton Abuse Intervention Project. It documents the experience of the non-Maori women's programme area. Group members completed individual topic evaluations and 10 participants provided feedback in in-depth interviews at the end of the 10-week programme. The four facilitators were interviewed three times throughout the programme. The education group clearly fitted within the mutual help group framework. In addition, the study findings indicate that being a group member is a very positive experience, with women experiencing reduced isolation, gaining strength, gaining an analysis of family violence, and reducing self blame. The experience of the group members was mostly consistent with previous research. The way in which the group members gained strength was not well covered in previous research. For facilitators, the experience of facilitating the group was both rewarding and challenging. The main challenge arose from the difficulties in negotiating an equal relationship with a co-facilitator. The group members did indicate that having two facilitators was useful. This indicates that it is worthwhile overcoming the difficulties in the co-facilitation relationship.--Adapted with permission from author's abstract

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