Perpetrator interventions

Men's Behaviour Change Programs

Men’s Behaviour Change Programs (MBCPs) are predominantly group-based programs and services that focus on working with men to enable them to recognise their violent behaviour and develop strategies to stop them from using violence.

View the registered providers offering a program and register to be involved.

Men’s telephone counselling and referral service

The NSW Government is providing $2 million over three years for NSW’s first telephone counselling and referral service for violent or potentially violent men to help reduce domestic violence. Changing the behaviour and attitudes of men who use violence lies at the heart of reducing domestic and family violence.

The Men’s Telephone Counselling and Referral Service is:

• providing a toll-free number across NSW, 24 hours a day, seven days a week;
• staffed by trained counsellors who support male callers to take responsibility for their abusive behaviour and end the violence against their family;
• referring callers to men’s behaviour change programs or other service providers for longer-term support, such as specialist counselling or legal advisory services, and;
• supporting family members who call the line because they are concerned about the behaviour of a male partner or family member.

The service will be operated by No to Violence which has more than 20 years’ experience in managing men’s referral services interstate.

Automatic Referral Pathway to the Men's Telephone Counselling and Referral Service

The Automatic Referral Pathway to the Men’s Telephone Counselling and Referral Service supports a consistent and integrated response to domestic and family violence incidents in NSW.

The Automatic Referral Pathway:

• provides for the automatic referral of adult males from the NSW Police Force to the Men’s Telephone Counselling and Referral Service who have been involved or implicated in a domestic and family violence incident and who have been assessed as the primary aggressor;
• applies only to adult males who have been charged and/or whom an Apprehended Domestic Violence Order has been applied for or issued against following the domestic and family violence incident;
• allows for the NSW Police Force to make a referral to the Men’s Telephone Counselling and Referral Service without consent;
• the Men’s Telephone Counselling and Referral Service will request the man’s consent to engage with the service when they make contact;
• offers immediate counselling  and referral to appropriate support services.

Automatic Referral Pathway Privacy Notice

1. What is the Automatic Referral Pathway?

The program involves telephone counselling provided by the Men’s Telephone Counselling and Referral Service, a non-government organisation contracted by the NSW Department of Family and Community Services for men who;

• have been charged with a domestic violence offence, and/or;
• are subject to an application for, or a finalised, apprehended domestic violence order (ADVO).

2. Why have I been contacted?

If you meet this criteria, your information has been automatically transferred from the NSW Police Force to a secure portal. The Men’s Telephone Counselling and Referral Service accessed your details from this portal.You can choose whether or not to speak with the Men’s Telephone Counselling and Referral Service. There is no obligation on you to participate in telephone counselling, and you may stop at any time.

3. What can the Men’s Referral Service do for me?

Your Men’s Telephone Counselling and Referral Service worker will provide you with immediate counselling and information, and will also assess if there is any existing threat to you or anyone else. Your case manager may also refer you to other local support services that can help you.

4. Protecting your information is important to us

Your personal and health information is stored on a secure portal, and all Men’s Telephone Counselling and Referral Service staff are trained in the safe handling of information. After contact from a Men’s Telephone Counselling and Referral Service case worker no further information will be shared without your consent.

In some cases it may be helpful for the Men’s Telephone Counselling and Referral Service to share your information with other service providers, such as:

• health services;
• men’s behaviour change services;
• counselling services;
• employment services;
• other social services.

This information exchange will only occur with your consent.

If you feel there has been a breach of your personal information related to the Automatic Referral Pathway, you can make a complaint to the Men’s Telephone Counselling and Referral Service by contacting the Operations Manager on 03 9487 4500.

5. Your consent, your information

Your consent will remain valid until you no longer wish to participate in telephone counselling. You can withdraw your consent at any time by telling your case worker.

6. Information exchange

In some cases it may be helpful for the Men’s Telephone Counselling and Referral Service to share your information with other service providers, such as:

• health services;
• men’s behaviour change services;
• counselling services;
• employment services;
• other social services.

7. When are we obliged to disclose your information?

We are required by law to disclose your information in certain circumstances, such as:

• if your information is subject to a subpoena;
• if your information relates to the commission (or possible commission) of a crime or investigation of a crime;
• where your safety or another person’s safety (including a child) is considered to be at risk.

8. What is the complaints process for privacy breaches?

If you feel there has been a breach of your personal information related to the Automatic Referral Pathway, you can make a complaint to the Men’s Telephone Counselling and Referral Service by contacting the Operations Manager on 03 9487 4500.

Information about privacy

Visit the Information and Privacy Commission NSW website or contact the Information and Privacy Commission NSW for general enquiries on 1800 472 679 or email: ipcinfo@ipc.nsw.gov.au

Read the NSW Automatic Referral Pathway Privacy Code of Practice and Health Privacy Code of Practice.

Engage

ENGAGE is a brief voluntary intervention for perpetrators of intimate partner violence. ENGAGE is free and includes a six hour workshop and referrals to support services as required.

Avow

Avow is a free mobile phone app for people in NSW who have an Apprehended Domestic Violence Order (ADVO).

National Domestic Violence Order Scheme

The National Domestic Violence Order Scheme aims to better protect victims and their families. Existing state and territory laws protecting victims and affected family members from domestic violence have not changed. Local police will enforce the conditions regardless of where the DVO was issued.

Read further information about the National Domestic Violence Order Scheme.