Whittlesea CALD Communities Family Violence Research Report 2012 | Page 59

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The evaluation report concluded that there is a strong need for recognition that CALD specific groups
are necessary to enable CALD men to embrace behavioural change and reduce violent behaviour.

Primary Prevention Models
There has been an increased focus on the development of primary prevention models aimed at
preventing violence before it occurs alongside intervention and early intervention strategies.
(Powell, Dr. A, 2011, VicHealth, 2006) At both State and Federal level a ‘high-level framework’ for the
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prevention of violence against women has been developed through a number of policy documents
that identify ‘effective and promising strategies, priority areas, population groups and sites.’ (Powell,
Dr. A, 2011, p.4)
Primary prevention models aim to stop violence before it occurs by promoting non-violent social
norms and equal and respectful relationships between men and women (VicHealth, 2006). Primary
prevention strategies may be targeted at changing individual and peer group norms and behaviours
or more broadly at societal and institutional level (Powell, Dr. A, 2011).
Drawing on the existing literature, the VicHealth framework outlines a number of reasons why
primary prevention should be targeted at CALD communities specifically including:
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consensus in the literature that primary prevention should be tailored to the needs of individual
communities;
the fact that some migrants and refugees have immigrated from countries where there is
greater gender inequality, more rigid gender roles and greater cultural acceptance of violence
against women;
evidence from the literature that communities experiencing transition from traditional societies
to societies where gender relations are more equal experience a heightened, though temporary,
risk of increased violence against women;
findings from a Community Attitudes Survey that there is a higher level of support for attitudes
associated with acceptance and perpetration of violence against women in CALD communities
(VicHealth, 2006, p.54)

One area of primary prevention that has been singled out for further development is the potential
role of ‘bystanders’ in the prevention of violence against women. (Powell, Dr. A, 2011) Bystander
theory and practice models in the area of violence against women are aimed at explaining and
promoting ‘pro-social’ bystander behaviour. (Powell, Dr. A, 2011) Pro-social bystanders are those
who take action to intervene either in an individual act of violence or by challenging social norms
and attitudes that perpetuate violence in the community (Powell, Dr. A, 2011).

Primary Prevention Models Aimed at Community & Religious Leaders
The primary research conducted for the scoping exercise indicated that both victims and
perpetrators make disclosures of family violence to religious leaders and seek their advice and
assistance in family violence situations. Religious and community leaders also have authority and
respect within their communities and therefore have the potential to influence attitudes towards
family violence.

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Preventing Violence Before it Occurs: A framework and background paper to guide the primary prevention of violence
against women in Victoria (Vichealth, 2007), A Right to Respect: Victoria’s Plan to Prevent Violence Against Women 2010-2010
(State Government of Victoria, 2009), Time for Action, the National Council’s Plan for Australia to Reduce Violence Against
Women and Their Children (National Council to Prevent Violence Against Women and their Children, 2009)