Visualizing "OUTragous" Events with the Role of a Dice

CHANDLER, Ariz. - June 1, 2015 - PRLog -- Designers Stephanie Angelo and Carl Mangold developed OUTrage, an interactive board game with the intent of allowing participants to visualize events from a different perspective.

While OUTrage resembles an ordinary board game with dice and question cards, that is where the similarities end. This game asks the tough, thought provoking and necessary questions to produce gut level comprehension, of how the domestic violence offenders behavior affects those around them. It also places participants in a position to grasp how it feels to be on the receiving end of abuse.

There are currently domestic violence offender treatment groups in place. Once an offender is arrested and the judge makes the determination that a misdemeanor offense has occurred, a treatment group is one option toward rehabilitation. These treatment groups segregate men and women and there are typically 25 to 30 people in a group led by a trained guidance counselor.

According to crimesolutions.gov one of the methods utilized as curriculum for these treatment programs is Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT):“ CBT is a form of psychotherapy that focuses on patterns of thinking and the beliefs, attitudes and values that underlie that thinking. People taking part in CBT programs learn specific skills that they can use to effectively solve daily problems, as well as skills they can use to achieve legitimate goals and objectives.”

Mangold and Angelo portray the board game OUTrage as an “experiential learning tool” that when added to existing treatment programs, has the potential to provide understanding of subtle clues and behaviors. Some of the benefits of incorporating OUTrage as one segment of the integral curriculum in domestic violence offender treatment programs would include first, creating teams and developing interaction within the framework of guided compassion. Next, the differing thoughts, feelings and experiences incorporated among those involved in the  groups would offer a broader view and understanding of  the topics being addressed. Lastly, feelings and emotions are incorporated into the rehabilitation dynamic.

As described on the website crimesolutions.gov, “Cognitive Behavioral Therapy programs encourage participants to first develop their ability to recognize distorted or unrealistic thinking when it happens, and then to change that thinking or belief to eliminate problematic behavior”.

When the cognitive, intellectual components of CBT which are learning the affect thoughts have on behavior, commingle with the emotional, feeling and compassionate element that the board game OUTrage brings to the table there is a new spice added to the meal.

Factoring in the multitude of elements that comprise the human experience, and utilizing all  available tools to effect change, can be the harbinger of the intended goal of developing the board game, OUTrage, which is to reduce recidivism of domestic violence offenders.

Please see https://www.indiegogo.com/at/OUTrage for more.