By CAM LUCADOU-WELLS
Much is made of threats on the street but it is in homes where the harm seems to be.
Senior Sergeant Graham Stanley of Cardinia police will be MC of a public question-and-answer session at the full-length premiere of family-violence documentary Call Me Dad at Hallam Senior College this month.
He said the benefit of the film – shot in Casey and featuring rare, raw footage inside men’s behaviour change courses – is that it is “real life”.
“What’s rare is we’re getting it from the horse’s (perpetrator’s) mouth.
“They’re verbalising the things that triggers them, then what pushes them to the other side and transforms their behaviour.”
Sen Sgt Stanley said he was looking forward to the chance to talk to the Hallam audience, not just to perpetrators but to victims to empower them to make a difference.
The White Ribbon Ambassador said the most common call-outs for police in Melbourne’s south east are family violence related.
So far in 2016 more than 8000 callouts have been made in Greater Dandenong, Casey and Cardinia.
Despite the growing media attention to the issue, the offences haven’t diminished. It’s a toxic culture that requires generational education and change, Sen Sgt Stanley said.
Getting to that point – through the layers of denial – is difficult for many men.
“One of the biggest challenges is the ingrained ideal that people have of an ideal marriage and relationship,” he said.
“That is the dominance of males in that relationship and changing the attitudes towards respect and equality.”
The term ‘family violence’ itself is a misnomer, he said. People think it means simply an assault.
“What we know is things like the deprivation of liberty and controlling behaviours are major factors leading to physical violence down the track.”
Sen Sgt Stanley said there’s also still an estimated 30 per cent of incidents that are unreported because the victims are too terrified of “consequences” from the offender.
“There’s no sugar coating it. The fact is that intervention orders are just a piece of paper.
“But if it’s unreported, police can’t initiate proceedings against offenders then victims are put in more danger of long-term abuse.”
The documentary features David Nugent, who also works as counsellor at Hallam Senior College, and his Heavy METAL (Men’s Education Towards Anger and Life) group.
Mr Nugent said that many people don’t understand that family violence includes verbal abuse and manipulation inside the household.
“This is a community problem and it needs to be solved in the community.”
The screening is at 7-10pm on 26 August at Hallam Senior College and is followed by a question and answer community panel.
Tickets are at eventbrite.com/e/call-me-dad-tickets-25834649131.
For more details contact David Nugent on 0401 766 876 or email hvymetal@bigpond.net.au.
