Violence Free Families was created as part of the community service outreach of the Rotary Club of Brighton, Victoria.
In 1995, the Brighton Rotary Club became keenly aware of the alarming extent of family violence in the community after its attention was drawn to the death of a young child. As a then all-male club, it adopted the slogan: “Men taking responsibility for men’s behaviour” and took active steps that would help make a difference.
Since then the club has:
- established a non-profit company to deliver and support men’s behaviour change programs and the safety of participant’s partners and children
- sponsored research into the short term outcomes of men’s behaviour change programs with Monash University, through support of Australian Rotary Health
- raised over $1,000,000 to support these initiatives
- has now been joined by the whole Rotary district of 69 clubs to help end family violence.
Violence Free Families (VFF) was formed in 2009 to focus in more dedicated ways on the prevention of family violence. Essential to our ongoing work is the longitudinal research project with Monash University, looking into the long term outcomes of men’s behaviour change program and whether or not they do make a real difference to families and children’s lives.
Outcomes of this research help direct scarce resources and helps VFF lobby governments, of all persuasions, and philanthropic funds to invest in family violence prevention
We invite you to share in our vision – a vision of “violence free families”.
I am looking for two Rotary Club of Berwick members who would like to get involved with the transition of the Violent Free Families program into our local community. Please contact David Button preferably by email: david.button@rotaryberwick.org or text (because I don't answer my phone when I am working) 0409191822. There is an in person meeting on Saturday, August 12th with the current Board of VFF.
