Boys need good role models
Tackling the problem of domestic violence is a complex issue. At Taranaki Safe Families Trust we support many initiatives designed to do just that, and at the moment we are running a series of professional development workshops.
Recently we had the pleasure of hosting internationally recognised researcher and counsellor, Dr Clare Murphy, PhD, as our first guest speaker in the series.
Her thought-provoking presentation certainly struck a chord with the audience, as she challenged them to deepen their understanding on several key aspects of domestic violence. Some key ideas she explored were the hierarchy of masculinities, and the influence of the dominant messages in society on our men.
Sadly, some in our society continue to be poor role models for young boys. Through their own behaviour some men re-inforce negative stereotypes.
Of course there are men out there who exhibit attitudes and values that align with the more positive messages of what it means to be a man. They are the ones we should celebrate.
In recent times the New Zealand public has been exposed to some behaviour that is not acceptable. The Chiefs rugby team will surely by now have revisited their values after their highlypublicised end-of-season celebrations.
Last week things went from bad to worse for rugby, when ‘‘rising rugby star’’, Losi Filipo, 18, was discharged without conviction after violent, unprovoked assaults on two men and two women. With the wider rugby fraternity initially standing by him, rugby was once again in the news for all of the wrong reasons.
Unfortunately say we have a long way to go in violence prevention. We need to teach our men about love and respect, and challenge society’s dominant messages, especially those that do not spread the meaning of being a real man.
Hopefully, the Government’s wide-ranging overhaul of legislation surrounding domestic violence will be a foundation society to build on. There are more than 50 changes across a variety of acts including the Domestic Violence Act and the Crimes Act and includes new offences of assault on a family member and non-fatal strangulation. Assault on family will carry a harsher sentence than a common assault charge. The changes are a good step in the right direction.