Helping the Sydney community with relationships, parenting, ageing, disability, pastoral services and mental wellbeing.
Our Men's Behaviour Change Program (MBCP), Choosing Change has been an integral part of the work that we do within the community. The program assists men to break cycles of intergenerational trauma and violence, whilst supporting adult and child victim/survivors with their safety and healing.
Located in Fairfield, our team of MBC Practitioners assess and determine suitability of the men referred to our program. For a man to be accepted into the group, he is required to meet a set of criteria, one being to acknowledge that he has used abuse and violence in his intimate partner relationship. Simultaneously, our Family Safety Workers provide support to the partners/ex-partners and indirectly their children of the men who are participating in the Choosing Change group.
Participants of the Choosing Change group are provided an opportunity to talk about the different types of violence and abuse they have used, explore the beliefs, attitudes and thinking that perpetuate their violence and abuse, understand the impact of these behaviours on their partner and children and take responsibility for the necessary behaviour changes needed to be a safe dad, partner, co-parent and man in the community.
“Many of the men have their own trauma, which we acknowledge, but we do not accept this as an excuse and emphasise that using violence and abuse is a choice" says Practice Manager Terrie-Ann,
“Every time we step into the room to co-facilitate the Choosing Change group, we have the men’s partners/ex-partners and children with us, (metaphorically) front and centre…we are their advocate, their voice.”
Domestic and Family Violence is an all of society issue and needs an integrated and collaborative approach, especially given Southwestern Sydney, which is ranked fifth in the top ten LGAs for DV-related assaults in the Sydney metropolitan area, ** and with Fairfield averaging 17 domestic violence related assault incidents per week*
To learn more, visit catholiccare.org/mbcp or call us on 13 18 19.
Sources: **Australian Institute for Health & Welfare, 2022. *NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research, 2023.
