Domestic Violence Perpetrators

A Turning Point in Domestic and Family Violence Reform: Why Focusing on Perpetrators Matters

The NSW Government’s 2026–2030 strategy addressing the perpetration of domestic and family violence marks a critical and long-overdue shift in how we respond to violence in our communities ⚖️. For decades, the burden of safety, recovery and system navigation has largely fallen on victim-survivors—most often women and children 👩‍👧‍👦. While victim-centred responses remain essential, they are not sufficient on their own. If we are serious about prevention, we must intervene earlier, more consistently, and more effectively with those who use violence—most commonly men.

From a mental health social work perspective, this strategy has the potential to be genuinely transformative 🔄. Evidence consistently shows that many perpetrators present with unaddressed trauma histories, maladaptive attachment patterns, substance misuse, emotional regulation difficulties, and deeply entrenched gendered beliefs about power and control. A system that combines accountability with therapeutic intervention—rather than relying solely on punitive responses—creates a real opportunity to interrupt cycles of violence, reduce recidivism, and improve safety for women, children and families as a whole 🏠. Supporting men to change harmful behaviour is not about excusing violence; it is about preventing it.

However, the success of this strategy will depend entirely on implementation 🛠️. Adequate and sustained funding, a highly skilled specialist workforce, culturally safe and trauma-informed programs, and equitable access across regional, rural and remote NSW are non-negotiable 🌏. Without meaningful co-design with specialist domestic violence services, men’s behaviour change practitioners, Aboriginal-controlled organisations and mental health professionals, there is a real risk this reform remains aspirational rather than operational.

My question to colleagues across social work, mental health, justice and community services is this:

👉 Are we prepared to invest—not just politically, but practically—in holding men accountable while also giving them real opportunities to change, or will responsibility for safety continue to sit primarily with victim-survivors?

Ref: https://lnkd.in/gB_bDvfv

I welcome thoughtful discussion from practitioners, policymakers and researchers working in this space 💬

#domesticviolence #men #women #families #government