Counsellors: more money needed to answer every man’s call for help to change abusive ways

Men worried about their abusive behaviour are seeking help - but some are being told to wait weeks for help.

Counsellors are calling for more funding to ensure they can help every man who wants to change his abusive or violent behaviour when he gains the courage to reach out.

Two domestic violence murders this week have prompted a spike in calls to hotlines and support groups, but some men are being told they have to wait weeks for help.

Other organisations say they could reach “double or triple” the number of men with more funding.

The Federal Government allocated extra money to domestic violence initiatives last year in response to a rise in incidents during COVID-19 lockdowns.

Women’s Safety Minister Anne Ruston, flagged “there will be more investment in the upcoming Budget” to improve women’s safety.

However, she said evidence on what approaches work best for perpetrators of domestic violence was “not well developed” and this required further work “because, without it, we risk either overlooking interventions that could have a powerful impact or relying on those which don’t”.

Almost $1m of last year’s federal funding boost was allocated to the new Don’t Become That Man hotline.

Leigh Garrett, whose South Australian-based organisation runs the hotline, said that money would run out at the end of June. A State Government spokesman said the hotline was “being treated as a pilot” because federal funding was “always due to end”. Going forward, it was “developing a statewide early support counselling service for perpetrators” that would receive $400,000 a year for the next four years, he said.

Mr Garrett said that amount would cover the existing phone line and website but would not be enough to offer more effective face-to-face sessions.

Uniting Communities offers one-on-one and group counselling to about 140 men a year. But counsellor Mark Byrne said men seeking a place in group sessions currently had to wait until late May.

Aboriginal-led organisation KWY, which received some extra federal funding last year, offers individual and group support to up to 180 men a year in Adelaide and Port Augusta.

“If we were funded better we could double or triple that,” said chief executive Craig Rigney.

“When men are reaching out, that’s when they need the help. If they can’t get it, they won’t seek help again until something bad happens.”

Mr Rigney said his organisation would like funding for two more staff, at a cost of about

$300,000 a year.

“That’s nothing if you’re breaking that cycle and getting those savings to the community in health costs, in prisons,” he said.

Arman Abrahimzadeh, whose mother Zahra was killed by her estranged husband in 2010, said domestic violence murders prompted people to think about how to help victims “but the conversation is often forgotten about the preventative measures”.

“We need to engage men, who are the majority of perpetrators,” he said.

“There are people that want to change (their abusive behaviour). We need to put more resources and funding where it’s needed.”

The Corrections Department runs programs in prison and for offenders on parole or suspended sentences.

Last year 104 prisoners and 84 men in the community began a program, but the completion rate dropped dramatically from 90 per cent behind bars to less than half outside.

The course has been run since 2015 and was increased from 10 to 20 weeks late last year.