Can people unlearn violence?
For sociologist and U of M assistant professor Marie Laperrière, the answer lies in understanding violence beyond why it happens and focusing on how it can be prevented, as well as how people can change. Laperrière studies gender-based violence, including both victimization and perpetration.
While much research in the field has focused on the causes of violence, Laperrière’s work focuses on the conditions that support individuals in moving away from violence — shifting attention from punishment to prevention and transformation.
Her interest in the field began through hands-on experience in college. While volunteering with organizations supporting survivors of domestic violence, she encountered both the importance and the limitations of existing responses.
“I found this work very rewarding, but also very frustrating,” she said.
That experience led her to rethink how violence is addressed. Rather than focusing only on intervention after harms occur, she became interested in understanding what enables long-term change. “I wanted to better understand how violence can be prevented in the first place,” she explained.
Her current research centres on men who have perpetrated domestic violence and are participating in rehabilitative programs. Through this work, she examines how individuals interpret their own actions and how broader cultural narratives shape both violence and the possibility of desistance.
Laperrière shared that one key finding was that “a lot of existing rehabilitative programs actually support rather than challenge the beliefs that support domestic violence.”
The reason was that in some ways these programs “focus on very traditional notions of masculinity that are often rooted in unachievable standards.” These notions foster resentment and, in some cases, perpetuate harmful behaviours.
Another finding was that these programs are “extremely unequal […] They are more effective at supporting men who are more privileged, [so] men who are more disadvantaged due to race, class, etc. are less likely to successfully complete those programs and receive the support that they need to become non-violent in the future.”
Beyond these findings, Laperrière’s work contributes to a broader rethinking of how society responds to violence. Rather than viewing perpetrators solely through a punitive lens, she emphasized the importance of understanding their capacity for change.
Laperrière’s broader aims are to challenge dominant assumptions and to open space for alternative approaches that prioritize prevention and rehabilitation. Referring to the two main objectives of her research, Laperrière said, “The first one is contributing to efforts at preventing domestic violence. The second objective is to challenge stereotypical ideas of violent offenders so that we can start thinking creatively about how to enhance their capacity for change rather than focusing on punishment.”
For students interested in this field, Laperrière noted that the work can be both meaningful and demanding. Studying violence requires not only intellectual engagement but also emotional resilience and strong support systems.
Through her research, Laperrière continues to push the field toward more nuanced and compassionate approaches to understand violence as a complex social issue and emphasize the possibility of transformation.
