The peak body for services working with men to address violence against women says $40 million must be committed to behaviour change programs, with an identified gap in Southern NSW.
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Albury, due to its high incidence of violence, was chosen for a stakeholder consultation by No To Violence.
The NSW Listening Tour Report has now been published, showing options for men at risk of or who have used violent behaviour are insufficient.
A lack of 24-hour access to crisis accomodation was another issue and cross-border barriers were pointed out with information like prison release dates, crucial to protecting victims, being difficult to access.
The comment was made that in Albury “there needs to be management of perpetrators in acute settings like mental health, alcohol and other drugs, and emergency departments”.
The report looked at a wide range of issues such as prevention and culturally appropriate responses, and supported the recommendations made in A Safe State.
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A feasibility study should be undertaken into establishing specialist domestic and family violence courts, that group found.
Since 2017, No to Violence has been funded by the NSW government to expand the men’s behaviour change sector.
NTV chief executive Jacqui Watt recognised the work the NSW government was doing but said politicians “had to get serious” about the issue with six women in Australia having been murdered by a current or former partner in the first six weeks of 2019.
“In parts of NSW where domestic violence rates are highest, there is no development at all yet,” she said.
“If we are to truly break the cycle of family violence, we must work the with men who are using violence in their families.”
A lack of 24-hour access to crisis accommodation was another issue for many areas and in Albury it was identified as “the waiting list for psychological services for women and children affected by domestic and family violence is longer than five months”.
Cross-border barriers were also pointed out with information like prison release dates, crucial to protecting victims, being difficult to access.
The comment was made that in Albury “there needs to be management of perpetrators in acute settings like mental health, alcohol and other drugs, and emergency departments” and a feasibility study should be undertaken into establishing specialist family violence courts.
Since 2017, No to Violence has been funded by the NSW government to expand the men’s behaviour change sector.
NTV chief executive Jacqui Watt recognised the work the NSW government was doing but said politicians “had to get serious” about the issue with six women in Australia having been murdered by a current or former partner in the first six weeks of 2019.
“In parts of NSW where domestic violence rates are highest, there is no development at all yet,” she said.
“If we are to truly break the cycle of family violence, we must work the with men who are using violence in their families.”
