Preventing violence before it happens: Working with perpetrators in Albania

"People tell me, “A leopard can’t change its spots,” says Vasmir Bogdani, a psychotherapist who for the past five years has been working with men convicted of domestic violence. Many people doubt that perpetrators can change. But Bogdani believes that confronting violent behavior is an essential step towards preventing abuse.

Currently head of the Albanian Network for Working with Perpetrators of Violence, part of the Counseling Line for Men and Boys, Vasmir works with men who have used violence against their partners, helping them understand the harm they have caused and guiding them through learning how to respond differently.

“No one is born violent,” he says. “Violence is learned. And because it is learned, it can be changed."

Work with perpetrators of domestic and gender-based violence in Albania began in 2010, when the Counseling Line for Men and Boys started providing counseling and rehabilitation services for men and boys who perpetrated violence. This service was established with the support of IAMANEH Switzerland, which continues to be the main partner in its provision.

The approach to working with male perpetrators is grounded in a fundamental principle: taking responsibility for the violence committed. Given that the majority of violent acts are carried out by men, it is essential that they actively contribute to changing the mindset and the environment that fosters and tolerates this phenomenon. We firmly believe that, together, all men can play a crucial role in bringing about significant change toward a violence-free society.

Can violent behavior be changed?

Violence against women remains one of the most serious human rights challenges in Albania. More than one in two women and girls have experienced at least one form of violence during their lifetime, and between 2021 and 2024, 27 women were killed by an intimate partner or family member.

Over the years, Albanian institutions have taken an increasingly firmer stance on the rehabilitation of domestic violence perpetrators.

A new law adopted in January 2026 provides for the strengthening of court-ordered rehabilitation programmes, by making them mandatory. In practice, in the framework of the Counselling Line for Men and Boys, some organizations have been implementing such rehabilitation programmes, the first of their kind in Albania, since 2010.

What happens in a rehabilitation session?

Many of the men who attend rehabilitation sessions initially do not accept responsibility for their actions.

“In my experience, only one man has ever openly admitted to committing domestic violence. Most deny it, minimize it, or blame someone else,” Bogdani says.

The first sessions focus on building trust and listening, with the aim of creating conditions in which a man who perhaps has never been asked how he feels may slowly begin to respond.

Most of the men he works with struggle with multiple, overlapping challenges, including alcohol dependency, chronic stress, untreated mental health conditions, and consequences of childhood trauma experiences.

What does progress look like?

The signs of change are often imperceptible. A man who would previously arrive late begins showing up early. Another looks a bit sad when a session ends. “The real turning point is when they stop seeing this as a court-imposed requirement and start seeing it as something that can help them," Vasmir says.

During 2025, 324 perpetrators were engaged in structured rehabilitation programs across seven municipalities, 98% of whom have shown no further violence toward their partners, while the remaining cases are still under monitoring and demonstrate improved ways of managing conflict.

"If out of ten perpetrators, eight no longer raise their hand, that equals saving lives. Not just the woman’s, but the children's too."

What possibilities does a working partnership open up?

Until recently, rehabilitation programmes in Albania consisted mainly of one-to-one counselling sessions.

Now, a novel approach is taking that work further.

In the context of the Ending Violence against Women programme, implemented by UN Women with the support of Sweden and UK Government, group therapy sessions for perpetrators are being introduced for the first time in Albania. "In group therapy, the effectiveness is high, especially after some individual work has already been done," Vasmir Bogdani notes. "The men share their stories with each other, and through the sharing, they reach a much deeper level of self-awareness."

Beyond the counselling room, Vasmir and his colleagues take their work to secondary schools, running sessions with young people between 15 and 17 years of age. They explore topics such as gender roles, conflict, anger management and non-violent communication, thus laying the kind of foundations that, if built early, can help change patterns of behavior before they take hold.

"Even in 2026, young people in high schools associate cooking only with women," Vasmir observes. "We are working to shift that notion. And with this generation, it is possible. They are more open-minded."

Dedication may drive the work forward, dedication alone, however, can hardly sustain it long term. With the service still relying largely on donor funding rather than the state budget, the need for stronger institutional support is clear. “This work deserves greater support and recognition from state institutions,” Vasmir says.

Bogdani is well aware that change takes time. But each man who breaks the cycle of violence is a step towards safer families and communities.