Effective Men s Behaviour Change Programs for Culturally and Linguistically Diverse men

Transcription

1 . Effective Men s Behaviour Change Programs for Culturally and Linguistically Diverse men Robyn McIvor (Relationships Australia Victoria, RAV), Khai Nguyen (RAV), Mahesh Ram Bhandary, (Kildonan Uniting Care) Acknowledgment to input from Roshan Bhandary (intouch), Tom Griffiths

2 Outline Organisational context Partners History Reference group development and contribution Why Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CALD) Men s Behaviour Change Programs (MBCPs) A model of CALD MBCP work Impacts Challenges and hopes.

3 Operational context of RAV and MBCP work. RAV is a non-affiliated, community-based, not for-profit organisation, operating from 12 centres to provide high quality and comprehensive family violence services. Our services target all members of the community, regardless of religion, age, gender, sexual orientation, lifestyle choice, cultural background or economic circumstances. RAV s core expertise is in supporting individuals, families and communities affected by social and wellbeing issues such as family violence and child protection issues, mental health issues and high conflict family law disputes. Family violence is one of the most frequently encountered, complex issues that our clients present when attending RAV services and is an issue that is presented in all program areas financial year, 1993 female and 1548 male clients indicated that family violence is a significant presenting issue. The number of men seen in MBCP and entry groups were nearly 500, including two Vietnamese MBCPs, specific groups for Corrections Victoria clients were in addition to this.

4 Our partners: intouch, Kildonan, our long standing reference group. intouch Multicultural Centre Against Family Violence, a Victorian state-wide Family Violence specialist organisation for the last 31 years. The CALD women who are clients of intouch ask for work with the men as they don t want to leave the relationship, but want their partners to change their violence behaviours. The cultural specific MBCPs developed to address this need. Kildonan Uniting Care, an agency of the Uniting Church dating back to 1881, delivering proactive, innovative and relevant community services in Victoria. Kildonan supports more than 15,000 Victorian individuals, families and communities each year, from Northern Metro Melbourne to North Regional Victoria. Kildonan delivers quality services through the values of Respect, Trust, Compassion, Integrity and Justice. There have been four completed Sth Asian groups since starting in 2013, with an average of 10 men per group and a high retention rate once the men have started in a group.

5 A brief history In 2008, there was demonstrated commitment from Northwest Men s Integrated FV and Housing Services Partnership to work with CALD men using family violence (FV) in their intimate relationships. RAV, Kildonan and Djerriwarrh committed funding toward the project. A workshop was funded by the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) and provided for workers in all men s services in the Northwest (2008). Two areas of need were identified: Working with CALD men with interpreters in MBC groups (this was provided by Foundation House and intouch - then IWDVS) CALD specific MBCPs

6 Original reference group Original reference group formed by intouch Immigrant Women s Domestic Violence Service (IWDVS, now known as intouch) as the lead agency Relationships Australia Victoria Djerriwarrh Health Services Kildonan Uniting Care (A partnership group of RAV, Kildonan and Djerriwarrh dedicated 10% of their DHHS MBCP funding for one financial year to start the project) The Victorian Foundation for Survivors of Torture (VFST) No to Violence (NTV) Male Family Violence Prevention Association Australian Vietnamese Women s Association

7 Expanded reference group. The expanded reference group and continuing CALD Men s Reference Group: Relationships Australia Victoria (RAV) intouch Multicultural Centre against Family Violence Kildonan Uniting Care Tom Griffiths (involved through roles in two organisations and continues as we won t let him retire!) No To Violence Male Family Violence Prevention Association Neighbourhood Justice Centre Whittlesea Community Connections and Whittlesea Cald communities Family Violence Project Department of Justice, DHHS, Legal Services Board, have inputted to the reference group and provided funding. Victoria Police also involved in reference group previously.

8 Contribution of the reference group. Contribution of the reference group: Reference group members and particular staff from the agencies they represented put, in sum, hundreds of hours of in-kind support in the months leading up to (since July 2009) and during the program. This support consisted of the following: Cultural understanding and the contextualisation of men s behaviour change work in the Vietnamese community Conceptualisation and planning for the project, at both macro and micro levels Assistance to intouch in project management Recruitment and selection of group facilitators Provision of opportunities for professional development for the facilitators. Development of systems and procedures in administration and record keeping, supervision and other key areas. Advice concerning a range of operational procedures Provision of clinical expertise and advice concerning particular cases and challenging situations in assessment and group delivery The strong collaborative relationships, and willingness to share expertise have remained over the past six years and enabled the continuation of the Vietnamese-speaking MBCP, development of the South Asian MBCP and the Arabic speaking MBCP. There has been no ongoing funding for the CALD groups, contributions from reference group, Legal Services Board (LSB) grant, WIFV grant, Department of Justice (DOJ) funds for two groups, DHHS one-off funding in 2014/15 and 15/16.

9 Why CALD specific groups? Are these different from the mainstream? The Vietnamese group and the Arabic group are language specific as many of the participants do not speak English as well as their first language and being able to understand nuance, for participant and facilitator, is extremely important. The South Asian group is conducted in English as this is the common language to various South Asian communities. It is extremely important for the men that one, preferably the male and female facilitators are from the same community or group of communities: participants have a desire to be understood in a cultural context, this does not excuse behaviour however. The engagement re relevant cultural and refugee experiences can be returned to at relevant points in the group. This approach enables the creation of a space where discussion can shift naturally to the power dynamics in families and men s use of violence, rather than being imposed. Valuing the participants experiences without agreeing with them is valued by the men and enables discussion and learning to go beyond a superficial level.

10 Why CALD MBCPs? (continued) Issues of acculturation: Pre-modern societies organisation on strict hierarchical lines are not easily discarded in CALD communities by the men who have a lot to lose, have not had the benefit of seeing their community change and adapt to a society based on gender equity, and have not had the opportunity to learn the relationship skills required for life in this society. This experience can be traumatic and may be combined with the traumatic affects of refugee experience Mainstream MBCPs struggle to adapt programs to the needs of particular CALD communities. Our previous experience and that of the CALD women showed that men from specific cultural communities rarely attended mainstream MBCPs. The three groups have been selected as these were the groups with the highest number of women contacting intouch re FV.

11 A model of CALD MBCPs, what defines these groups? These groups developed from cultural expertise and mainstream MBCP expertise and mentoring, learning from each other, learning from the families. Feedback from the men and their partners is positive. The program is : 1-2 assessments, 15 week closed group, male and female bicultural facilitators, these groups have high retention rates. South Asian group is 22 weeks, part of mandated men s program. Vietnamese and Arabic-the first three sessions are dedicated to torture and trauma areas, there is an understanding in the group of the cultural context and premigration history, such as arranged marriages and dowry, in laws, previously victims of prosecution, victim of communal violence. Sth Asian-these areas are covered individually. Next 12 sessions are similar to mainstream groups but continue to incorporate the experience discussed in earlier sessions. Partner contact is provided by intouch bicultural worker, or bicultural worker from the same organisation. The Vietnamese MBCP which has been running the longest has regular observers, was supported by a Vietnamese student in the last group, aims to bring in a new potential facilitator to a group with experienced facilitators, and has achieved highly on DHHS and ISO standards accreditation. The South Asian group similarly has observers from the South Asian community.

12 A model of CALD MBCPs, what defines these groups? (continued). Vietnamese MBCPs (VMBCPs) have run once or twice a year by RAV over the past five years. A total of nine groups have been run with men in each group. South Asian groups have been by RAV (in 2013) and Kildonan (since 2013). The specific CALD groups have built on the experience and learning from the VMBCP. The first Arabic group was run this year, by intouch in partnership with the Whittlesea CALD Communities Family Violence Project Steering Committee members, supported by Kildonan and the CALD reference group, (funded by DOJ to explore a new language group in intouch consulted extensively with stakeholders and identified Arabic as the major group.)

13 Impact on the participants, women and children What the Vietnamese men said (2015): Changed behaviour and controlled anger, comfortable to disclose behaviour in the group, learnt about impact of violence on children and family, and happy to be in the program, wouldn t have gone to a mainstream group, wondered why they hadn t done this group at an earlier stage. Improved understanding of the law in relation to family violence. What the Vietnamese women said through partner contact at the end of the group: Most of the women said that they were happier as had realised they needed to stay separated or to separate, I can no longer tolerate or excuse him for intentional abusive behaviour, nobody is threatening to kill me anymore, I am feeling safe and over the relationship, still angry at myself for staying in the relationship for so long. The women said that they were more able to make decisions about their own and their children s future and have information about keeping themselves safe and their rights.

14 Impact on the participants, women and children South Asian group: The men are comfortable to talk about their use of behaviour, without specifics, in a culturally aligned group, they feel heard without judgement, because one of the facilitators is from a similar culture, they find it easier to talk about issues that are challenging to them around their use of violence. The men do not feel as isolated in this group as a mainstream group. Dealing with shame becomes easier. The main improvements are in empathy toward their partners and children, changed behaviour, communication and understanding of the complexity of family violence and the impacts of all forms of violence on women and children and improved understanding of the enforcement of laws in relation to family violence. The South Asian men s partners find it difficult to engage on the phone especially if the partner contact worker is from a different culture, the women minimise the partner s use of violence as they fear repercussions and they worry that they will be separated from their children and think the violence will be one off and the man is to be forgiven. They are unable to access services due to lack of confidence, lack of knowledge of services, shame and guilt re extended family at home and community. With a bicultural worker employed, a higher level of engagement is hoped.

15 Impact RAV 2012 evaluation The RAV 2012 evaluation of the third VMBCP showed a high level of satisfaction from the women about the information and support they received to assist them to make decisions for their future, the women indicated decreased physical violence, improved fathering and that they now had the option of separating. The men indicated less minimisation of their behaviour and increased understanding of the impact of their behaviour on their partners and children.

16 Facilitator s experiences Khai: Great to work in this field. Boundaries can be complex as Khai has other community roles and the men may see him in different contexts. Community benefit: enhancing the Vietnamese families ability to be able to look after each other, positive impacts throughout the community and the next generation. Initially the men feel a high level of shame, moving to open disclosure and open discussion in their family about their involvement in the group. Mahesh: Had to challenge own thinking and upbringing of male privilege and patriarchy and understanding of gender equality, doing own learning and challenging the men around their choice to use power and control which leads to violence, using upbringing and culture as justification. Own main learning when men feel that they have no control and influence over situations, they go back to maintenance of power and control through use of violence.

17 Challenges and hopes Challenges Continuity of funding, access to a pool of trained CALD facilitators, increasing demand for the CALD groups. Hope for the future DOJ funded 2 VMBCPs and the foundation work for the Arabic speaking group and one group, DHHS funding for VMBC two one offs, Arabic one-off. A number of submissions the Royal Commission into Family Violence have asserted the need for CALD specific MBCPs. More prevention in CALD communities and getting the communities involved in own projects to raise awareness around family violence. Research and evaluation intouch evaluation of first VMBCP, RAV Legal Service Board funded evaluation, RAV planning to undertake long term evaluation of effectiveness of MBCPs, Arabic group being evaluated by Monash University, evaluation of the South Asian group underway.