HEDLAND ALTERNATIVE TO WOMEN’S REFUGE

Simone McGurk

Port Hedland is to have a new behaviour change program for men called “Breathing Space”.

WA Family and Domestic Violence prevention minister Simone McGurk said this would include nine residential units where participants would live for several months.

“We really want to do everything we can to convince the men that this is a postive change, that what they are doing now is not working for their victim survivors, women and children, but that it’s not working for them either,” she said. “We want to try and look at some ways to positively change their behaviour, to look at the strenghth of their culture if they’re Aboriginal men, to get positive role models and other supports around them.”

Ms McGurk said facilities like this would not replace Women’s Refuges, but provided a better alternative.

“While it’s important that we keep the victims of domestic violence safe it’s usually disruptive for women and kids at school,” she said. “You really want to keep them connected to their work or any sort of support networks. And they’re not the ones who are being violent, they’re not the ones that are causing the problem.”