Ongoing federal funding for the national Men’s Referral Service – currently only funded until June 30 this year – is a key ask of the No to Violence Election Statement, to help shift the burden of responsibility for family and domestic violence from victim-survivors to the men who use violence.
Launching the statement today, No to Violence Chief Executive Officer Jacqui Watt highlighted five key federal funding initiatives that were critical “if the Government is serious about ending men’s family violence”.
“Family and domestic violence is everyone’s problem. But it begins – and ends – with men,” Ms Watt said.
“It is time to recognise that we cannot stop family and domestic violence until we stop men from using violence and abuse.
“Terrorised women are fleeing their homes with their children because they are not safe. Others remain in high-risk situations with their children because they are too unsafe to leave.
“Our sector is doing truly fantastic work by starting men on their journey to change. But chronic underfunding and the way services are commissioned leaves little room for evaluation, innovation, research, and a fit-for-purpose service system capable of supporting every man who needs it.
“For too long, victim-survivors have carried the burden of navigating a system that meets their cries for help with disbelief or bureaucracy; a system that requires women to relive their trauma by repeatedly sharing their stories; a system that puts women at risk because it focuses on what women should do to avoid violence, instead of what men should do to stop using violence.
NTV is the largest peak body in Australia for organisations and individuals who work with men to end family violence. The Election Statement calls for the next ³Ô¹ÏÍøÕ¾ Plan Ending Violence against women and children 2022-2032 to include:
- Secure funding for the national Men’s Referral Service – a dedicated phone line for men who use violence to call and get help – and for the specialist programs that work with men to stop them using violence.
- A fully resourced national evaluation framework to rigorously assess what programs work to stop men using violence.
- A national partnership agreement between the Commonwealth, States and Territories to provide cooperation, funding, and accountability to end men’s family violence.
- Funded training in risk assessment for all employees who work with people impacted by family, domestic and sexual violence to properly identify perpetrators.
- Funding to support the families and children of those enrolled in perpetrator intervention programs. Working with perpetrators also means supporting victim survivors during these programs to keep them safe.
The Statement launch coincided with NTV joining myriad organisations across the sector in delivering their submissions in response to the draft ³Ô¹ÏÍøÕ¾ plan. NTV endorsed many of the submissions. ‘NTV strongly echoes the submissions of Domestic Violence NSW (DVNSW), Safe and Equal, and Women’s Health in the South-East (WHISE) in their advocacy for perpetrator accountability to be further embedded in all pillars of the ³Ô¹ÏÍøÕ¾ Plan,” Ms Watt said.
“This includes centring all elements of the service system, not just the criminal justice system, on keeping the perpetrator in view with the goal of keeping women and children safe.”
For almost 30 years, No to Violence has successfully worked to develop safe and effective interventions for men using family and domestic violence.
No to Violence also runs the Men’s Referral Service, which is the central point of contact in Australia for men taking responsibility for their behaviour and provides help to family members who are experiencing violence or controlling behaviour by men.
“Our fundamental belief is that children are not born violent,” Ms Watt said.
“Boys do not have to grow into violent men. Violence is a learnt behaviour. And violence is a choice.
“The national family and domestic violence sector cannot administer and maintain social services to create significant social change on six and 12-month funding agreements. If the Government is serious about ending men’s family violence, it’s time to get serious about funding our sector.”
