Mission Australia expanding domestic violence program Manin' Up

Manin' Up explores the core values and beliefs that lead to men committing domestic and family violence. The 18-week program aims to hold men accountable for their actions.

Mission Australia's manager Central and Far West Megan Boshell said after success in areas like Dubbo, the program will now be run online.

Ms Boshell said it will allow people who are hours away from a regional centre to still have access to the program.

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"Some of the communities with the highest rates of domestic violence sit in our region and it's not always an option for men to be able to come into a group. That might be because of their personal circumstances or work, or because of their location as well," she said.

In the Far West and Orana, domestic violence-related assault is 3.6 times the NSW average, when compared per 100,000 people.

The Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research data shows in the 12 months to September 2020 there were 1673 incidents reported to police. It equates to 32 domestic violence incidents every week.

One of the first things the 18-week program addresses is what domestic violence looks like.

"We have had a lot of men tell us that they didn't realise what they were doing was abusive, such as verbal and financial abuse," Ms Boshell said.

The Dubbo-based manager said Manin' Up help men to identify their abuse and the impact it has on men and women. From there, the goal is to help them build strategies to make different choices in their current or next relationships.

Participants can be referred to the program or put themselves forward to join, but they have to hold themselves to account for their behaviour.

"Even men who are referred to us have to voluntarily agree to participate in the program and they have to acknowledge their behaviour and the part they have played in that," Ms Boshell said.