Freedom From Fear Campaign Against Domestic Violence: An Innovative Approach to Reducing Crime (From Reducing Criminality--Partnerships and Best Practices, P 1-16, 2000, Adam Graycar, ed. -- See NCJ-186333)

• NCJ Number: 186358
• Author(s): Leonie Gibbons; Donna Paterson
• Date Published: 2000
• Length: 16 pages
• Sale Source: Australian Institute of Criminology
• Publication Format: Document
• Publication Type: Program/Project Description
• Language: English
• Country: Australia

Annotation

This paper describes a campaign against domestic violence.

Abstract

In 1995 the Western Australian government Family and Domestic Violence Task Force produced a number of recommendations addressing service and support to victims of domestic violence, programs for perpetrators, “grass roots” partnerships, and changing community attitudes and behaviors through a 10-year community education campaign. The challenge was to develop a non-punitive campaign focusing primarily on perpetrators (and potential perpetrators), asking them to seek help to change their violent ways. The logic behind the campaign was that, if violent men voluntarily change their behavior, this will not only reduce the incidence of violence, but also reduce the fear experienced by their women partners and children. This paper describes the research program behind the campaign development and evaluation. The campaign has demonstrated the potential of using social marketing principals to achieve voluntary behavior change, and there was a significant breakthrough in the domestic violence area, where support for funds directed at perpetrators had not been readily forthcoming. Figures, references