E&OE TRANSCRIPT
Topics: Rising rates of violence against women, healthy masculinity, programs to support men and boys
DAN TAYLOR, HOST: Tasmania has been confronted with shocking incidents of violence against women in recent weeks. And the latest violence tragedies in Tasmania have again raised difficult questions about how we stop violence before it happens. So, the death of Northern Tasmanian nurse Elaine Gee, who was killed by a driver allegedly fleeing the scene of domestic violence stabbing, has highlighted how these incidents can devastate entire communities far beyond the immediate victims. So, almost half of recorded assaults in Tasmania are family violence related and police say family violence callouts have risen dramatically over the past decade.
So, today, the Federal Government has launched its Healthy Men Community Conversations program, bringing together experts in local communities to discuss men's health, healthy masculinities and respectful relationships in the hope of preventing violence before it starts. So, joining us right now on the show is Assistant Minister for Social Services and the Prevention of Family Violence, Ged Kearney in Launceston today. She joins us now. Hello, Ged.
GED KEARNEY, ASSISTANT MINISTER: Hello, Dan. Thanks for having me on.
DAN TAYLOR: Now, here in Northern Tasmania, we've seen another series of horrific attacks on women in recent weeks. What are you announcing today and will it make a big difference?
GED KEARNEY: First of all, can I just say, you know, my heart goes out to the victims, families and their loved ones. It's a terrible situation and I really express my deep sorrow and condolences, Dan. It's terrible and this is really what we're trying to prevent by having these conversations. Dan Repacholi, my good colleague who is a Special Envoy for Men's Health, he's a seven-foot fellow who's, you know, very sporty and from the Hunter and he's been a perfect partner for me to have these conversations because what we realise when we're talking about preventing family, domestic and sexual violence is that we really need to talk to men. Sadly, you know, 93 per cent of perpetrators in this situation are men and if we don't include men in these conversations, then I don't think we're really going to get anywhere.
So, we've been having these conversations with wonderful organisations that work with men and young boys. We need to start young, I think, and we want men to be as healthy and robust as they possibly can be because we know that there are a lot of pressures on men and boys about what it means to be a man these days. You know, 63 per cent of teenage boys expect men to be strongly and manly at all times. And there's lots of different voices telling men and boys who and what to be. I don't know, you've probably heard about influencers online, you know, about how it's weak to show any vulnerability, you've got to stay strong. And so we want to actually say, no, it's okay to reach out for help. It's okay to say that I'm struggling and that there are people out there who are willing to help you. We don't want you to be disconnected from support. If you need mental health, there are places you can go if you're struggling with your family or your relationships, and you need to get support with that and speak up. And then, you know, we're kind of hoping that hopefully that will see more respectful relationships and a downturn in intimate partner violence.
DAN TAYLOR: And Minister, I guess, how does talking about healthy masculinity with young boys actually prevent violence?
GED KEARNEY: Well, from birth, you know, young boys are told that they have to hide their vulnerability, they have to stay strong. They're told not to seek help. And we know this, this is being shown in research and this reflects how young boys are socialised, you know, not to show individual, I guess, in inverted commas, weakness. But it's not weakness, of course, to seek help. It's not a weakness to say I need support or to be vulnerable. And these types of rigid gender stereotypes, you know, they're linked to higher risk of harmful behaviours, including the use of violence.
So, but we know that there are really important things that we can help young boys with. For example, if you have a really good relationship with your father, you have a supportive dad or a father figure, we know that you are much more, half as less likely to use violence. So, part of what we're doing is talking to dads, for example, and saying, how can you be a really great dad? How can we support you to look after your son? And some of the wonderful organisations that I've been talking to, your – the great local member there, Jess Teesdale, fantastic MP. She introduced us to a number of organisations that are doing just that, who told me that dads are reaching out to them for help raising sons. They're reaching out for help with relationships and there are good organisations out there who can help. So, this is really what our conversations are about. We want to support men, we want to make sure they know how to seek for help and we want to counter some really harmful messages that are getting out there in the manosphere.
DAN TAYLOR: And, Minister, you've been in Launceston today. What have you been hearing from local organisations and the communities, too, that may be different from the challenges that you're hearing elsewhere around Australia?
GED KEARNEY: Yes, well, unfortunately, incidents of intimate partner violence are quite high in Tasmania, some parts of Tasmania. But what I've heard is that, you know, if you do have the supports there, that men will reach out. We talked to some great organisations like The Listening Projects, where a wonderful chap has started this program where men can just come along and sit down at a table and talk openly. There's men's sheds, there's places where men can go to actually get support and help. You know, some men, and I'm sorry to raise this, but some men may have been abused as children and are suffering from that later on as adults. And there's a great organisation called Laurel House that I met with today who have, you know, support and programs for men who might be struggling in that respect. So, what I've learned is that there are some wonderful people in Northern Tasmania, there's some great organisations, and if you are needing support or if you think you, you should – just have a chat to someone that they are there and you can do that.
DAN TAYLOR: And what measurable changes, Minister, would convince you that this investment has genuinely made women and families safer?
GED KEARNEY: Well, we know that these expectations on men to be strong and manly and to be in control and to hold all the power, we know that they can be linked to higher risks of harmful behaviours. And I think if we can, you know, talk to organisations, just talk to young boys in schools, get to people in sporting clubs, if we can actually get messages across that it's okay to see [indistinct], you know, we are fairly certain that we will be able to change the directory. It's not a silver bullet and it's not the only thing, you know, accountability is important and there are consequences, of course, if you use violence. And that very tragic situation that you explained earlier today, we do not want to see that happen. So, there needs to be accountability. We're not making excuses for anyone who does use violence. And I just want to make that very clear. But if we can have programs that have early intervention, that we get into prevention and we focus on healing and recovery, then we just might see a change in cultural attitudes. And that's something we're really looking forward to trying to see if we can impact, yeah.
DAN TAYLOR: Absolutely. And start the conversation with men and boys before the violence starts.
GED KEARNEY: We need men and boys as allies in this. Definitely.
DAN TAYLOR: Well, Minister, thank you. That is Ged Kearney, Assistant Federal Minister for the Prevention of Family Violence.