Jesuit Social Services welcomes the opportunity to share our perspectives in light of the Federal Government’s rapid review of evidence-based approaches to prevent gender-based violence. We affirm the need to build on Australia’s current approaches to prevention and to consider whether they need to be further adapted or refined.
Our paper does not seek to provide an exhaustive contribution to what is needed. Instead, we have provided recommendations and reflections informed by our practice experience and research, as well as the lived experience of our participants.
Inevitably, a process of evidence-based iteration and learning is needed. Our paper focuses on how governments can support a greater understanding of perpetration and a strengthening and acceleration of current efforts to end men’s violence against women and children, including through:
- investment in the collection of more and better data on the extent of perpetration, and its dynamics and drivers
- identification of emerging opportunities to intervene early to prevent violence against women and children
- a “stocktake” of existing prevention and early intervention work taking place across the country, including consideration of evidence where it exists, to promote more specific discussions regarding the merits of various practice approaches
- development of an evidence framework for prevention and early intervention, including standards of evidence
- a workforce capability building approach which views a range of work as prevention, including work with people of all genders who can influence men and boys across settings
- an online deterrence/early intervention campaign which draws on international best practice
- investment in digital tools to support parents and critical workforces to confidently foster discussions with men and boys about gender norms and use of violence, and to counter negative influences
- exploring in-prison behaviour change approaches, in parallel with changes to prison conditions and culture.
