We design, pilot and evaluate programs that intervene early to address the underlying drivers of violence and other harmful behaviours, ensure accountability for actions, and restore relationships.
Our current focus is on:
The voice of people affected by violence informs all of our work.
The Men’s Project, in collaboration with the University of Melbourne, is piloting a Stop it Now! service in Australia that prevents child sexual abuse and offending involving child exploitation material.
Stop it Now! is a program that currently operates successfully in North America, the United Kingdom and Ireland, and the Netherlands. The program’s key feature is a confidential phone helpline for people who are worried about their sexual thoughts and behaviours, as well as parents, family members, and professionals who come across child sexual abuse.
Our report outlines considerations for program development, including: the scope of the program and who it is targeted at; governance; integration and partnership with services in different jurisdictions; staff capability; legal issues; and resourcing.
Despite around one in 10 family violence incidents involving adolescent perpetrators (young people aged 10-17), there are very few interventions to respond to this issue.
We are developing and trialling new ways of holding young people who commit family violence to account and keeping their families safe in Victoria and New South Wales. Our activities include:
The Men’s Project is undertaking a piece of action research for children and young people titled Worried About Sex and Porn Project (WASAPP). This research project will co-design an online early intervention for children and young people with problematic sexual behaviours. The online intervention will be separate from, but aligned with, our Stop it Now! service.
There are currently no early interventions in Australia for people who are worried about their sexual thoughts or behaviours in relation to children. The Royal Commission into Child Sexual Abuse recognised this and recommended successful international approaches be considered as part of wider efforts to prevent child sexual abuse. We are collaborating with academics, practitioners, and governments to develop new models that will then be able to be piloted.
Please call The Men’s Project on 03 9421 7600 or email themensproject@jss.org.au to enquire about engaging with your school or workplace.
