Keeping Safe Together: Exploring Men and Women's Experiences of a Pilot “All of Family” Domestic Violence Intervention Program in Melbourne, Australia

Abstract

There are few interventions available to cater to domestic violence (DV) victim-survivors who are unwilling or unable to leave a violent situation. In recognition of this service gap, the Keeping Safe Together (KST) program piloted a support service to all family members in Victoria, Australia. This paper presents qualitative evaluation results for adult clients. Thirteen interviews were conducted with women victim-survivors (n = 8) and male perpetrators (n = 5). Findings revealed that women in the program experienced increased safety and supports while accountability processes were undertaken with men. Elements that required improvement included strengthening parents’ understanding of how DV impacts children, and an appropriate and safe family therapy approach to DV.