A resource for recognising abusive behaviours and building better relationships
Family violence is a serious and often hidden crime. Sadly, the people involved may not realise that what they are experiencing or expressing constitutes family violence.
No Room For Family Violence consists of 30 cards that encourage users to recognise family violence and explore what they want in their relationships. The set poses questions to ensure participants understand the importance of personal needs and boundaries, and highlights the differences between abusive and respectful behaviour.
The cards empower people to engage in open conversations about their situation by exploring 10 key aspects of intimate relationships. This set is ideal for use in schools, sporting clubs, family violence services, refuges, community services, counselling, health education and mental health settings.
This 30 card set plus booklet is invaluable for helping men, women, and families recognise abusive behaviours and build respectful relationships.
Suitable for:
- Counselling
- Psychologists
- Social work
- Sporting clubs
- Schools
- Child and Family services
- Justice services
- Community services
Additional Resources:
View the Innovative Resources video on Creating Safe Spaces
Respectful Relationships: What I Want More Of
Family violence during COVID-19-What have we learned so far?
Putting Conversations About Intimate Partner Violence on the Agenda
Published by Innovative Resources
30 laminated, full-colour cards and booklet 210mm x 100mm
Presented in a polypropylene box
ISBN: 978-1-925657-14-2
Author: Phil Watson with Karen Bedford, Andrew Shirres and Sue King-Smith;
Designer: Sharon Dunn (Green Graphics)
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Stories and Reviews
Definition of family violence
Family violence is a serious yet often hidden crime. It is a fundamental violation of human rights and is unacceptable in any form, any community, or any culture. Led by the efforts of specialist services and people, primarily women, speaking out courageously about their experiences, family violence seems to be finally emerging from the shadows as the general public begin to have conversations more widely about it. People are beginning to be more aware of the drivers, patterns and devastating effects. We are learning about the underlying power dynamics and attitudes, particularly towards women, that give rise to it.
In its publication called Family Violence Risk Assessment and Risk Management Framework and Practice Guides(2012) the Victorian Government Department of Human Services defines family violence as ‘ … behaviour that controls or dominates a family member and causes them to fear for their own or another person’s safety or wellbeing. The publication goes on to say, ‘Family violence extends beyond physical and sexual violence and often involves emotional or psychological abuse and economic abuse.
There are four key drivers of violence against womenaccording to Our Watch1:
- Condoning of violence against women
- Men’s control of decision-making and limits to women’s independence
- Rigid gender roles and stereotyped constructions of masculinity and femininity
- Male peer relations that emphasise aggression and disrespect towards women.
With these drivers in mind, Our Watch says that actions to prevent violence against women include:
- Challenging the condoning of violence against women
- Promoting women’s independence and decision-making
- Challenging gender stereotypes and roles
- Strengthening positive, equal and respectful relationships.
The new card set published by St Luke’s Innovative Resources called No Room for Family Violence reflects these drivers of family violence. It sets out to create conversations where everyone, regardless of gender or sexual identity can recognise abusive and respectful behaviour in an intimate partner relationship, and get closer to articulating what they want more of, what they are concerned about and what they want none of. MORE, CONCERN and NONE—these are the three suits in this card set.
Use these 30 cards to create dynamic, open conversations about intimate partner relationships in schools, sporting clubs, family violence services, refuges and community services, counselling, health education and mental health settings, groups for men, women, couples and parents.
