To get help, the closest men’s behaviour change program is three hours away in Port Macquarie – Centacare New England North West hopes to change that.

The organisation has lodged a tender to bring a behaviour change program for offenders to the region and will campaign for state government funding.

“Men’s Behaviour Change Programs are based on a range of evidence based interventions, focused on changing the behaviour and attitudes of men who are abusing and controlling towards their partners and or children,” Centacare executive manager Fallon Roberts said.

Men in Tamworth who want to change their behaviours are put at a distinct disadvantaged, Ms Roberts said, with the only other programs closeby in Kempsey, Lismore or Dubbo.

“These courses can be anywhere from 12 weeks to over 20 weeks in duration, so expecting people to travel over 600 kilometres return over multiple weeks is not realistic or affordable,” she said.

In Tamworth at least 2500 female domestic violence victims have been identified, and despite it having some of the worst domestic violence rates in the state there’s still no program for perpetrators to change their behaviour.

Local domestic violence workers have rallied to have a program established aimed at cutting the issue off at its roots.

Centacare NENW already delivers a number of programs to assist victims and perpetrators of domestic violence which has helped it identify the gaps.

It has the support of the legal sector with pro-bono domestic violence solicitor Joanna Birtles, who has recently been nominated for a Women in Law Award, and the family, community and youth sectors to establish a behaviour change program.

Centacare NENW would not comment on the details of the tender as it’s commercial in confidence, but are hopeful a MBCP can be established in the region in the future.

Perpetrator programs are expensive but necessary.

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