Keeping a focus on accountability of people using violence, including insights into men’s behaviour change programs.
N.B. This page contains research and practice information about work with adults using violence.Looking for information about working with young people using violence?
On this page:
NTV has launched a free, online National Directory of Services for people who use violence.
The National Directory supports professionals with their referral practice by making it easier to find trusted specialist and community services to meet client needs and support pathways for change. | Access the directory
Upcoming events
9 June | 1-2pm | Online | FREE | Register here
Hosted by the Australian Institute of Family Studies (AIFS), this webinar will bring together research, practice and lived experience to explore what meaningful engagement with men looks like and important considerations to support engagement with men from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds.
*This webinar is being promoted using the umbrella term ‘culturally and linguistically diverse’ or CALD. We recognise that this term is widely used across the child and family sector as a shorthand, but it can obscure the diversity of people’s identities, cultures, languages, migration pathways and experiences.
Deakin Downtown, Melbourne, 13-14 July | Read moreA two-day conference in Melbourne exploring current and emerging research on the manosphere. Titled Masculinities and Misogyny Online: Current Findings and Future Directions in Research on the Manosphere, the conference will bring together leading scholars, policy makers, and members of the community sector. Presentations will showcase new research on the manosphere and digital misogyny, discuss the challenges of researching this area, and highlight strategies and interventions for responding to and countering manosphere-related harms.
Research and reports
Online perpetrator interventions | NTV, 2024 | Read moreThis discussion paper on the latest online Men’s Behaviour Change Programs is informed by interviews with practitioners, conversations with No to Violence members and review of existing literature.
The role of men’s behaviour change programs in addressing men’s use of domestic, family and sexual violence ANROWS, 2025 |
What works? A qualitative exploration of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander healing programs that respond to family violence | ANROWS, 2024 | Read More
Australian Domestic and Family Violence Death Review Network Data Report: Intimate partner violence homicides 2010–2018 ANROWS, 2024 | Read More
Family and domestic violence perpetrator programs: Issues paper of current and emerging trends, developments and expectations Vlais et al, Stopping Family Violence, 2017 | Read More
Prioritising women’s safety in Australian perpetrator interventions: The purpose and practices of partner contact ANROWS, 2020 | Read MoreThis report explores how men’s behaviour change programs support women and children through contact with them throughout the process.
Improved accountability: The role of perpetrator intervention systems ANROWS, 2020 | Read More
Domestic Violence Perpetrator Programmes: Steps Towards Change. Project Mirabal Final Report Liz Kelly, Nicole Westmarland, 2015 | Read More
Broadening the Focus: Queensland’s strategy to strengthen responses to people who use domestic and family violence 2024 to 2028 | Queensland Government, 2024 | Read More
Building Better Responses: NSW Strategy to Respond to the Use of Domestic and Family Violence 2026–2030 | New South Wales Department of Communities and Justice, 2025 | Read More
Building the evidence base: Inquiry into capturing data on people who use family violence in Victoria Final Report | Victorian Legislative Assembly Legal and Social Issues Committee, 2025 | Read More
Unlocking the Prevention Potential: accelerating action to end domestic, family and sexual violence | Australian Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet, 2025 | Read More
Change the story: A shared framework for the primary prevention of violence against women in Australia (second edition) Our Watch, 2021 | Read More
“It’s Really Important that we Listen to Them”: Engaging Immigrant Men in Family Violence PreventionElliott, K., Block, K., Cho, H., & Murdolo, A, 2025 | Read more
Coercive Control Literature Review: Final Report Australian Institute of Family Studies, 2023 | Read More
The “Pathways to intimate partner homicide” project: Key stages and events in male-perpetrated intimate partner homicide in Australia | ANROWS, 2022 | Read More
Who uses domestic, family, and sexual violence, how, and why? The State of Knowledge Report on Violence Perpetration Flood et al, Queensland University of Technology, 2022 | Read More
Identifying and understanding child sexual offending behaviours and attitudes among Australian men | 2023 | Read moreThis research measures the prevalence of offending and risk behaviours and attitudes amongst of a weighted sample of 1,945 Australian men over 18 years of age.
Supporting Neurodivergent clients: A guide for practitioners facilitating domestic abuse perpetrator interventions | Renehan et al, 2026 | Read more
Interventions for migrant and refugee men who use domestic, family and sexual violence: An integrative review of evidence | ANROWS, 2025 | Read More
Evaluation of the Northern Territory’s men’s behaviour change programs | ANROWS, 2025 | Read More
Improving responses to young men’s use of intimate partner violence: Towards a best practice approach University of Western Sydney, 2025 | Read moreThis research seeks to understand how to improve service responses to young men aged 16–25 using intimate partner violence (IPV) in Victoria, Australia.
Engaging in Change: A Victorian study of perpetrator program attrition and participant engagement in men’s behaviour change programs | Fitz-Gibbon et al, 2024 | Read More
Saving FACE Faith Sector Guide | Muslim Women Australia, 2023 | AccessA primary prevention initiative implementing sustainable change in faith-based communities, developed in the context of faith-based principles. This Sector Guide will build the sectors capacity to engage in culturally, linguistically and religiously appropriate care.
Interventions for perpetrators of domestic, family and sexual violence in Australia | ANROWS, 2021 | Read moreAligned with the National Outcome Standards for Perpetrator Interventions, this research examines how human services (e.g. mental health, alcohol and other drugs, child protection) can be integral to perpetrator intervention systems.
Men’s behaviour change programs: Measuring outcomes and improving program quality | ANROWS, 2019 | Read more This research aimed to identify how to improve the quality of Men’s Behaviour Change Programs (MBCPs), how to measure outcomes and how to develop standards and accreditation processes that will improve quality and consistency of practice.
Evaluation of the Drive Project – A Three-year Pilot to Address High-risk, High-harm Perpetrators of Domestic Abuse | University of Bristol, 2019 | Read More
Invisible Practices: Intervention with fathers who use violence. Key findings and future directions | ANROWS, 2018 | Read moreThis research challenges traditional domestic and family violence responses that centre on mothers or separation alone. It promotes working with the whole family, including fathers who use violence, to better assess risk and support women and children.
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Rodney Vlais is an independent trainer, policy advisor, researcher and supervisor in family and domestic violence perpetrator interventions and perpetrator intervention systems. He currently consults to NGOs or governments across most Australian jurisdictions, and at a national level. Rodney has significant experience in men’s behaviour change program work and the delivery of counselling and clinical services more broadly. He is also involved in social movements that weave anti-hierarchical, autonomous organising with intersectional feminism towards ecological and social justice.
These extensive materials are an invaluable resource to our sectors and we thank Rodney for allowing us all to freely view and access their work.
Compilation written by Rodney Vlais during 2025
‘Types’ of adults who perpetrate domestic, family and sexual violence: Different motives for using power and control | Rodney Vlais, 2025 | Download | Join the conversation This resource focuses on six features that can differentiate adults, with broad implications for practice. The features are defined by differences in adult motive(s) for using power and control in their intimate relationships.
10 tips for starting the conversation with adult users of domestic, family and sexual violence | Rodney Vlais | Download | Join the conversation
15 signs that a (necessarily strong) focus on gender in working with domestic, family and sexual violence perpetrators discounts the role of trauma | Rodney Vlais, 2025 | Download | Join the conversation
15 signs that a trauma-informed approach to working with male users of domestic, family and sexual violence is becoming de-gendered | Rodney Vlais, 2025 | Download | Join the conversation
15 types of specialist interventions within a continuum of responses to adult users of domestic, family and sexual violence | Rodney Vlais, 2025 | Download | Join the conversationTowards a comprehensive rather than piecemeal approach through understanding the roles, purpose and realistic expectations of each type.
20 practice considerations and skills to help an adult user of domestic, family and sexual violence to (gently) push through their shame barrier | Rodney Vlais, 2025 | Download | Join the conversationShame-sensitive practice with adult users of violence is tricky. We do not want to collude. This guide shows skills you can use to help these adults safely push through their shame barrier, so they can become open to conversations about change.
20 practice tips for responding to adults who use ethnocultural identity to justify attitudes and beliefs that condone violence, control and male power | Rodney Vlais, 2025 | Download | Join the conversation
20 things we can learn about risk through engaging the adult user of domestic, family and sexual violence | Rodney Vlais, 2025 | Download | Join the conversationAssessing and managing risk is as important as long-term behaviour change when engaging users of violence. This infographic shares what we can learn about risk through interviewing or working with adult perpetrators of domestic, family and sexual violence.
A practice model for responding to the “I’m the victim here!” thinking of adults who perpetrate violent and controlling behaviour | Rodney Vlais, 2025 | Download | Join the conversation
Addressing violent and controlling behaviours associated with possessive jealousy amongst adult users of domestic, family and sexual violence | Rodney Vlais, 2025 | Download | Join the conversationThe resource explores how gendered beliefs, entitlement and anxious attachment styles combine through a strengthened analysis of possessiveness.
Assessing and responding to serious risk and harm caused by adult persons who perpetrate domestic, family and sexual violence | Rodney Vlais, 2026 | Download | Join the conversation
Case planning for adults who perpetrate domestic and family violence to reduce risk and harm for adult and child victim-survivors | Rodney Vlais, 2025 | Download | Join the conversation
Community reparenting of adult users of violence | Rodney Vlais, 2026 | Download | Join the conversation
Domestic and family violence informed practice concepts towards safer fathering and co-parenting | Rodney Vlais, 2025 | Download | Join the conversation
Encouraging safe, productive self-confrontation, rather than confronting, the person causing harm | Rodney Vlais, 2026 | Download | Join the conversation
Engaging fathers who use domestic and family violence | Rodney Vlais, 2024 | Download | Join the conversation
Entitlement and other factors in contributing to coercive control | Rodney Vlais, 2025 | Download | Join the conversation
Five broad strategies for engaging with adult users of domestic, family and sexual violence | Rodney Vlais, 2026 | Download | Join the conversation
For responders, practitioners and services who aren’t specialised in engaging with adults who use violence, or who are developing preliminary skills | Rodney Vlais, 2025 | Download | Join the conversationSome ideas of practice concepts, skills and micro-skills in engaging adult users of domestic, family and sexual violence.
Four considerations in understanding and assessing choices to use violent and controlling behaviour | Rodney Vlais, 2025 | Download | Join the conversation
Guiding explorations for male practitioners in men’s domestic, sexual and family violence behaviour change work to develop their gender antennae | Rodney Vlais, 2025 | Download | Join the conversation
How to create safety to be more direct with adult users of domestic, family and sexual violence | Rodney Vlais, 2026 | Download | Join the conversationThis guide outlines skills and strategies to make it safer to be more direct with adults who perpetrate domestic, family and sexual violence.
How to identify users of domestic, family and sexual violence who are not genuine about a change journey…and how to communicate this to others | Rodney Vlais, 2026 | Download | Join the conversation
Language to use with adult users of domestic, family and sexual violence | Rodney Vlais | Download | Join the conversationLanguage that blames the victim-survivor vs Language that places responsibility on to the user of violence
Mid-point skills towards minimising collusion and persecution when engaging adult users of domestic, family and sexual violence | Rodney Vlais, 2025 | Download | Join the conversationFinding the mid-point between collusion and persecution is pivotal when engaging adult users of domestic, family and sexual violence. This resource outlines a number of skills and micro-skills to assist practitioners and other responders to do so.
Non-collusive listening when engaging adult users of domestic, family and sexual violence | Rodney Vlais, 2026 | Download | Join the conversation
Perpetrator Action Plan Toolkit | Rodney Vlais, 2025 | Download | Join the conversationGuides and tools for practitioners working with parents and other adults who use domestic and family violence
Perpetrator Serious-Risk Action Plan | Rodney Vlais, 2025 | Download | Join the conversationThis tool is designed to assist risk management planning in domestic and family violence situations when services, multi-agency teams or other responders are concerned about an adult posing a serious risk of severe outcomes.
Practice suggestions for identifying & responding to male perpetrators of domestic, family & sexual violence who pose a risk of severe harm | Rodney Vlais, 2025 | Download | Join the conversation
REMIND practice mnemonic for engaging adult users of domestic, family and sexual violence with little or no openness to change | Rodney Vlais, 2025 | Download | Join the conversation
Safety planning and discussing bottom line child protection concerns with adults who use domestic and family violence | Rodney Vlais, 2025 | Download | Join the conversation
Safety planning with adults who cause domestic and family violence harm, to attempt to prevent and interrupt choices to use violent and controlling behaviour | Rodney Vlais, 2025 | Download | Join the conversation
Severe Behaviours Risk Management and Plan | Rodney Vlais, 2025 | Download | Join the conversationUse this tool in situations where the adult person using violence presents a serious risk of severe outcomes.
Stages of Change considerations | Rodney Vlais, 2025 | Download | Join the conversation
Taking the ‘pyramid of shame’ into account when engaging adult users of domestic, family and sexual violence | Rodney Vlais, 2026 | Download | Join the conversationThe pyramid provides an intense window into the layers of shame experienced by some users of violence.
The BEST-EARS approach: Responding to blame, minimisation and denial by an adult user of violence | Rodney Vlais, 2025 | Download | Join the conversationHow might we avoid becoming side-tracked by denial and victim-blaming when engaging adult perpetrators of domestic and family violence? The resource briefly how to conduct the conversation.
Three anchors model when engaging fathers who cause domestic & family violence and co/parenting harm | Rodney Vlais, 2025 | Download | Join the conversation
Trauma-Informed Enquiry into Harm and Future Safety: Moving from Disconnection toward Connection | Rodney Vlais, 2025 | Download | Join the conversationThis trauma-informed enquiry model is designed to scaffold difficult conversations with clients, particularly when the client’s nervous system may be stuck in a state of disconnection.
Understanding and responding to adult male users of domestic, family and sexual violence with highly elevated narcissistic characteristics | Rodney Vlais | Download | Join the conversation
We can go a little down the rabbit hole of listening to the violence-supporting narratives of the adult user of violence with awareness, purpose and direction to draw the adult back out | Rodney Vlais, 2026 | Download | Join the conversation
What does it mean to ‘hold’ adult perpetrators of domestic and family violence accountable? | Rodney Vlais, 2025 | Download | Join the conversation
Working with adult users of domestic and family violence who have a trauma background | Rodney Vlais, 2025 | Download | Join the conversationThis resource explores different types of trauma and ways in which trauma may affect adults who use violence. It also provides considerations for trauma and violence informed practice when working with individuals in such circumstances.
*NEW* Neurodiversity in Domestic Abuse (NDiDA) Practice Toolkit | Access resource
A new practice toolkit has just launched to support practitioners working with neurodivergent men in domestic abuse perpetrator interventions.
Led by Nicole Renehan from Durham University’s Centre for Research into Violence and Abuse, the Neurodiversity in Domestic Abuse (NDiDA) Practice Toolkit offers practical guidance for working safely, effectively and inclusively with neurodivergent clients. The toolkit was developed in collaboration with Respect through their early response programme Make a Change, alongside Kay Louise Aldred, Community Justice Scotland and Probation Service North East.
What Kind of Man Do You Want to Be? | Read moreThe newest update to the What Kind of Man Do You Want to Be? campaign by Respect Victoria is now live, featuring 14 Victorian men from various speaking backgrounds sharing personal reflections in their own languages on the expectations, pressures and possibilities of masculinity. New resources are also now available to download and use in your communities and workplaces.
Invisible Practices: Working with fathers who use violence. Practice Guide ANROWS, 2018 | Access guide
This practice guide is based on the learnings that emerged from the Invisible Practices Project.
Training
Opportunities to enhance skills working with people using violence.
NTV is the peak body in Australia for organisations and individuals who work with men to end family violence.
NTV’s Workforce Development team offer training and professional development to all organisations committed to ending men’s use of violence and abuse.
Training sessions regularly offered include:
Jump to the FVSV training page to read more about NTV courses and training sessions.
Back to main FVSV Hub
The information provided on this Family Violence Sexual Violence Knowledge Hub is curated to be the most recent and relevant available. While the content is continually being developed and will be regularly updated to reflect the latest insights and best practices, these resources are not exhaustive. While we strive to maintain the accuracy and timeliness of the information, we encourage users to check back frequently for new and refreshed materials, and to contact the relevant peak body if you would like more information about family violence, sexual violence and/or working with children and families in this context.
