To summarise the main points in the submission:

• The existence of male victims and female perpetrators needs to be acknowledged by government legislation, policy and programs.
• The provision of perpetrator programs needs to be statewide. Community health counselling services are the logical provider.
• The psychosocial counselling needs of perpetrators must be met. This is rarely the case in groups based on the Duluth model.
• We would recommend the use of GPS bracelets only in such (rare) cases where the evidentiary basis for an ADVO is sufficient.
• Domestic and family violence policy needs to recognise all victims and perpetrators, including children, carers and extended family members.
• Gender-profiling of offenders and victims in legislation must be removed.
• The assistance and accountability of police services needs to be improved.
• The NSW Health domestic violence screening tool should be expanded to include men as well as women.

You can read the full submission here (PDF).

The Campaign also appeared before the Inquiry on 20th February 2012. You can read the transcript here (please refer to pages 16-24), and our Questions Taken on Notice, Supplementary Questions and Additional Information here.

This conference will feature a range of professionals and academics working across the domestic abuse sector. They will highlight how you can help to ensure male victims and their children in your local community can be supported as well as explaining the experiences and barriers those victims face.

Conference Chair:

Ian McNicholl, domestic abuse survivor and Honorary Patron

This conference is being organised by the ManKind Initiative charity as one of its key aims is to help other organisations and people to provide support for male victims of domestic abuse.

Date:

22 February 2012 (10.00 to 17.00)

Venue:

The Albermarle Centre, Albemarle Road, Taunton, TA1 1BA www.albemarle-centre.co.uk

Taunton is very accessible and is on the main motorway network (M5) with car parking available nearby to the centre (tinyurl.com/784c8be). Taunton is also on the main train network with direct trains from London Paddington, Birmingham, Bristol, Manchester, Leeds, Devon/Cornwall and one change from South Wales. The centre is five minutes walk from the station.

Cost:

£75 per place for statutory agency, housing associations and private sector organisations. (£160 for three places)

£35 per place for (non-housing association) voluntary/third sector organisations. (£75 for three places)

Lunch/coffee included

Booking:

A booking form can be downloaded via www.mankind.org.uk/conference.html or by emailing .

You can just also register your interest via

Programme:

Available at www.mankind.org.uk/conference.html.

 Download paper

In Australia up to one in three victims of family violence are male but the needs of male victims remain largely unmet even though the issue of men affected by violence in intimate relationships has been reported for many years. This is Australia’s only training program for health, welfare and community workers that provides information and strategies for working with men who are affected by violence in their relationships.

The program covers the background to the problem and context violence and abuse occurs in; the affect of domestic violence on men; strategies for working with men from a strengths based perspective; a model for working with men affected by violence; what to consider and how to build services for these men into your agency. The program is provided in a strengths based model that addresses the social determinants of health.

The cost is $220 for a one day training program, training resources and a copy of “Men’s health & wellbeing: an a – z guide”, all refreshments and lunch plus 3 month follow up support with service or resource development. Registration is open now for this program. Email training@menshealthservices.com.au or phone 0417 772 390 for a program flyer and registration form.

 Download flyer

The show that she is researching on behalf of, Taboo, is National Geographic’s most successful show. Taboo is a long-running prime-time documentary series on the National Geographic Channel. The series presents an in-depth analysis of human behaviours and customs from around the world. As the title suggests, the focus is on practices that some countries or cultures might consider strange. But often things that are considered taboo are not well understood. In each episode, personal stories are presented alongside analysis from leading academics and experts in the relevant field.

Part of the reason for this success is their observational documentary style of shooting. In recent years female violence against men has become more public affair, it would seem that there a quite few contributing factors, but above all, there seems to be very little support by way of shelter for men that are in this situation.

Violence against men seems to be a largely untold story and is something that they are really interested in featuring.

If you are able to assist Sarah, please contact her at the details below.

Sarah Isaac / researcher
Beyond Productions
109 Reserve Rd, Artarmon NSW 2064

E: 
L: +61 (0)2 9437 2000
M: 040 6897171
F: +61 (0)2 9437 2090

We would encourage all readers of this website to lodge a submission. This recent article, from the Northern Star newspaper, reflects a disturbing attitude on behalf of some Government MPs:

“Domestic violence, family violence – it appears that there are more women perpetrators, that police are having to act against more women and we don’t understand that. Is that because more offences are being committed, or because the laws are not being used properly or is it that more resources are directed to men and more are needed towards women?”

As far as we are aware, the only family violence resource directed towards men by the NSW Government is this single page on their Domestic Violence website. Every other resource is either directed towards women or is available to both sexes.