In January 2022 we wrote to all the major Australian political parties, and some minor ones, seeking their policies with regard to support for male victims of family violence. Here’s what we wrote:
I am writing this email on behalf of the One in Three Campaign (1IN3), a national campaign aimed at raising public awareness of the existence and needs of male victims of family violence.
As you may be aware, in April 2021 a landmark bipartisan report was released by the House of Representatives Standing Committee on Social Policy and Legal Affairs.
The report of the Inquiry into Family, Domestic and Sexual Violence was the first to recognise the significant level of family violence suffered by men and boys, primarily at the hands of female perpetrators, and made key recommendations as a result.
These recommendations included:
• “…that the next National Plan be inclusive of the diversity of victim-survivors. In particular, the next plan should recognise the rights and needs of women; children in their own right; men; older Australians; LGBTQI people; and people living with a disability.” [Recommendation 3]
• “…that the next National Plan be named the National Plan to reduce family, domestic and sexual violence” [Recommendation 5]
• “…that the Australian Government commission research into the prevalence of family, domestic and sexual violence against men, and its impact on male victim-survivors….” [Recommendation 54]
• “...that the Department of Social Services review the adequacy of advice and referral services for men as victim-survivors of family, domestic and sexual violence.” [Recommendation 54]
The full report can be found at https://www.aph.gov.au/Parliamentary_Business/Committees/House/Social_Policy_and_Legal_Affairs/Familyviolence/Report.
With the Federal Election approaching, 1IN3 seeks to understand the position of your party in relation to these recommendations.
If elected, will your party accept and endorse some or all of these recommendations as part of a national plan to prevent family violence?
We look forward to your response.
The Australian Greens replied with a letter informing us that they do not endorse changes to the National Plan to become inclusive of the diversity of victim-survivors, preferring to continue to exclude everyone but “women and their children”. They did however support proposals to commission research into violence against men, and to review the adequacy of advice and referral services for men as victim-survivors. We commend the Greens for actually responding to our questions with direct answers – rare for any political party – and for endorsing some support for male victims of family violence. However because they don’t endorse the proposal to make the National Plan inclusive of all victim-survivors, we cannot wholeheartedly recommend a vote for the Greens. Historically their record has been poor when it comes to supporting male victims of family violence, with Greens MPs regularly attacking us during public hearings over the past 13 years.
The Australian Labor Party (ALP) replied with a pro-forma letter advising that our inquiry had been forwarded to Mr Albanese's relevant policy adviser for their consideration and response. Despite a follow-up letter being sent on 23rd March, sadly we have received no such response from the ALP. Historically their record has been poor when it comes to supporting male victims of family violence. It was Labor under Julia Gillard who, in May 2008, established the current federal response to domestic and family violence – the 12 year National Plan to Reduce Violence Against Women and their Children, thus effectively excluding male victims from government funding.
The Coalition replied with a letter advising that because there is currently a consultation process underway into the draft next National Plan to Reduce Violence against Women and their Children, the Australian Government will table its response to the Inquiry into Family, Domestic and Sexual Violence after finalising the next National Plan. On the one hand this is reasonable, as any Government should consult widely on matters of importance before making decisions. On the other hand, the Government’s lack of any indication whether or not they intend to provide any support for male victims of family violence leaves us in the equiovocal position where we are unable to endorse nor oppose them.
The New Liberals are a smaller party that is relatively new on the political scene. They wrote back endorsing all our proposals to support male victims of family violence, which was fantastic to see. Of course, as a smaller party without much chance of having a voice in Parliament, they are freer to voice support for a range of issues without having to be responsible for implementing them, but it’s still great to receive unequivocal support.
Pauline Hanson’s One Nation didn't write back to us, but did much better than that. Ms Hanson actually raised our issues in a speech in Federal Parliament. It’s great to see a politician with the guts to stand up for male victims of family violence. Historically One Nation’s track record when it comes to supporting male victims is exemplary. They have always been supportive during public hearings over the past 13 years.
The United Australia Party didn’t respond to our inquiries at all.