Men’s Domestic Violence Education and Intervention Program (MDVEIP) is a partnership between the Domestic Violence Prevention Centre Gold Coast Inc. and Queensland Corrective Services. This partnership began in March 2000 as a sanction for the court to use for men convicted of domestic violence related offences in lieu of a fine.
MDVEIP can be ordered as a condition of a probation order or a parole order for men who are convicted of a domestic violence related offence. If the man agrees, the court can add the MDVEIP as a condition to Community Based Orders supervised by Probation and Parole. Parole Boards can also add the MDVEIP as a condition to Parole Orders. Additionally, Probation and Parole Officers can issue men with a Reasonable Direction to undertake the program. Referrals into MDVEIP in lieu of a sentence of imprisonment is not appropriate.
As from 1st July 2022, DVPC will be accepting a wider range of referrals that include Intervention Orders, self-referrals, and referrals from other stakeholders. From 1st July 2022, DVPC will also be located on Level 1 in the Southport Magistrates Court offering a service to men who attend the Court.
MDVEIP overview
This program uses the Domestic Abuse Intervention Model developed by Ellen Pence and Michael Paymar in Duluth, Minnesota, United States. The curriculum locates the safety of women and children at the centre. The Domestic Violence Prevention Centre Gold Coast Inc. can establish and maintain regular contact with female partners of men referred to the program and are able to provide feedback to program facilitators in respect to their safety if necessary. Women are offered information about MDVEIP, ongoing phone or face-to-face support, along with referrals to relevant groups and/or other services.
Screening, assessment, monitoring of risk and safety are all constituents of the program and considerations for program design, management, and review. Program participants are required to provide consent and sign a contract or agreement that outlines the program requirements, including safety processes and the procedure for non-attendance or non-compliance.
The group is delivered over 27 weeks, and each session runs for 1½ hours. MDVEIP is delivered as an open group with a rolling program across 50 weeks of every year. Men can join at the beginning of one of the 9 themes, listed further below, which are delivered over a 3-week period.
The MDVEIP intentionally creates the space for the participants to explore and reflect on their underlying beliefs and values that result in harm within their relationships by:
- Assisting the participant to name and be aware of his thoughts, actions, and behaviours. This can be done by exploring and questioning their intent and the supporting beliefs.
- Increasing the participant’s openness and willingness to change harmful beliefs and actions. This can be done by exploring and questioning the consequences and the negative impact and effects of harm on relationships that include his partner, children, friends, and himself.
- Increasing the participant's understanding of supporting influences for harmful beliefs and actions. This can be done by exploring and questioning traditional and contemporary cultural and social contexts.
- Exploring possibilities of difference and the potential benefits of relating to others in a way that does not involve harmful actions, specifically in relationships that include his partner, children, friends, and himself.
The program covers 9 themes:
- Non-threatening behaviour
- Respect
- Trust and Support
- Honesty and Accountability
- Responsible Parenting
- Shared Responsibility
- Economic Partnership
- Sexual Respect
- Negotiation and Fairness
To be eligible for MDVEIP all men must:
- Reside in the Gold Coast Area
- Be no younger than 18 years of age
- Have used behaviour that has been harmful to others in their intimate partner relationships
- Have an Intervention Order
- Be a referral from Stakeholders such as Queensland Corrective Services and Department of Child Safety that can include men who have been Ordered by the Court to attend the program, or given Reasonable Direction to attend the program by Queensland Corrective Services and Department of Child Safety
- Made a self-referral by directly contacting DVPC
The referral process for MDVEIP is as follows:
- Intervention Orders (IO) - Contact DVPC in accordance with the intervention order
- Stakeholder Referrals - Complete Referral Pack and email it to DVPC All men who have been referred to DVPC will complete an assessment to determine program suitability. If assessed as suitable, further details will be provided about a placer on the program. If deemed unsuitable at this time, referrals to alternative services may be provided.
- Self-Referrals - Men can contact DVPC directly
Court assistance
DVPC will be working with men who attend the Southport Magistrates Court as a consequence of the domestic violence they used against a significant other(s) as from 1 July 2022. DVPC will be located on Level One.
The following services can be provided:
- Information about court processes and navigating the court system
- Referrals to appropriate services based on identified needs
- Information and referrals to the DVPC MDVEIP
- Safety planning in response to any further risk posed by the men to others as assessed by the worker.