Working Together with Men (WTWM) supports and mobilises men in Brimbank, Victoria, to take primary prevention actions to prevent violence against women. It supports men through a process of education and capacity-building to develop and lead activities and programs that increase safety for women in Brimbank.
About Working Together with Men
Men from diverse ethnic backgrounds, participated in awareness raising sessions, training, ideas generation events, and upskilling workshops. Seven men were selected to form the Men of Brimbank group to lead place-based primary prevention actions identified by the local community to address drivers of violence against women in their community. WTWM is designed as a flagship project that can be repeated in the future in other settings.
Project highlights
The experience of the project confirms that interventions such as this:
- Can get men ‘in the door’, recruiting men successfully from communities to contribute to violence prevention efforts;
- Can, through focused, participatory education, build men’s non-violent and gender-equitable understandings;
- Can foster sustained groups and networks of male advocates; and
- Can build men’s skills and capacity in violence prevention.
Find out more in the impact evaluation (summary report) conducted by Dr Michael Flood from the Queensland University of Technology after the project’s completion in November 2017. Access the full report here.
Read Dr Cuong La’s presentation given at the Working with Men to End Family Violence: ensuring the safety of women & children Conference – 13-14 February, Sydney.
Watch The Men of Brimbank in Action!
A documentary film was made following the seven participants of this project. Journey with the Men of Brimbank as they explore ways to make their community safer for women and children.
What motivation did these men have to take up this role?
What had they learned?
How has it impacted on them as individuals, as family members, with peers and their community?
Watch the longer version here
To support the Men of Brimbank, take the first action by signing in this pledge.
ANROWS Report
Working Together With Men is one of the initiatives among many across Australia. To learn more about other strategies to prevent violence against women within different populations and settings, read this 2017 report by ANROWS, co-authored by Elizabeth Orr, Corina Backhouse and Dr Cuong La. Refer also to this compendium of stories.
New Prevention of Violence Against Women Project: Momentum
Partner: Victoria University
Aim: To engage young male students and staff from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds at Victoria University to develop and implement primary prevention strategies in their local communities to prevent violence against women and their children.
Project length: One year from 1 July 2018
Funding: $140,000 grant from the Victoria Government (Free from Violence Fund)
The Momentum initiative is based on a well-tested project model—Working Together with Men project (WTWM). The evidence base underpinning the WTWM project is strong. However, further evidence of the efficacy of the model in differing settings, particularly among young CALD men is required. This Momentum project will test the efficacy of the translated project and contribute to the prevention of violence against women evidence base.
In the coming months, HealthWest Partnership and Victoria University will:
- establish the project governance and operational structures
- work collaboratively to engage 20 to 30 men (aged between 18-30; currently working, studying or are affiliated with Victoria University) who have potential for great influence and reach in their communities. These men will then attend a tailored training which includes a mentorship program and support to become local advocates on the prevention of violence against women and their children.
Contact
Anna Vu, Prevention Manager
9248 9659 or anna.vu@healthwest.org.au
Original Project Manager: Dr Cuong La, PhD