September 28, 2017

Helping men take responsibility for family violence

The Andrews Labor Government is making our community safer by expanding programs that make men who have committed family violence take accountability for their actions and stop abusing women and children.

Member for Macedon, Mary-Anne Thomas MP announced $387,000 to Child and Family Services (CAFS Ballarat) to support them in delivering men’s behavioural change programs across the Central Highlands including Hepburn and Daylesford.

It will also support the No to Violence and Men’s Referral Services to provide information and guidance on men’s family violence to perpetrators, frontline staff and the community, Ms Thomas said "We cannot break the cycle of family violence until men are held accountable for their actions and helped to address their behaviours."

As a result of this additional funding CAFS will extend their service and reach by providing a Men’s Behaviour Change worker in Hepburn one day a week. The Men’s Behaviour Change worker will deliver programs encouraging men to acknowledge the impact of their violence and change their behaviour through group-based intervention.

The funding supports a recommendation from the Royal Commission into Family Violence that more men’s behavioural change programs be made available to meet the demands of the community and of court orders.

The Labor Government is working to end family violence through its $1.9 billion package of measures in the Victorian Budget 2017/18.

This record investment includes $49.4 million over four years for the Changing Perpetrator Behaviour initiative.

The Government will provide further funding for this initiative following the completion of a co-design process with relevant agencies.

Funding will also go to establishing 17 support and safety hubs across the state, delivering after-hours crisis support, counselling and therapy for victims of family violence, and developing a 10-year plan. Toni Gillet, CAFS program manager said "This additional funding means that CAFS is able to address the additional demand on services and in rural regions that are significantly affected by Family Violence."

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