Police join Griffith University in education around prevention of domestic and family violence

Thirty senior Queensland Police Service (QPS) officers including the state’s District Officers gathered in Brisbane today to undertake specialist domestic and family violence training with Griffith University.

Griffith University’s Motivating Action Through Empowerment (MATE) Bystander program is an education program designed to respectfully challenge problematic behaviour, encouraging bystanders to be leaders in the prevention of violence in their communities.

Assistant Commissioner Brian Codd of the Domestic, Family Violence and Vulnerable Persons Command said the participation of police in the program was valuable in empowering officers to identify and address the full spectrum of problematic behaviours.

“Domestic and family violence, which includes coercive control, is incredibly complex. The role our officers can play in the prevention of domestic and family violence is examined in great detail both internally and externally,” Assistant Commissioner Codd said.

“Working closely with sector specialists and academics is incredibly important to ensure that we are considering the latest research and best practice in our training and response. The MATE Program is an incredibly respected program and will assist our District Officers in continued learning on this constantly evolving issue with the ultimate goal of enhancing the way in which we prevent, disrupt, respond to and investigate domestic and family violence in our communities.

“Our officers can then bring the learnings from this program back to their communities, and further empower the police under their command to raise awareness of issues such as coercive control which far too often leads to further significant harmful and abusive behaviours.

“We are always looking for programs like MATE to further police officers’ understanding of how to identify and address both physical and coercive violence within domestic relationships.”

MATE Bystander Director Shaan Ross-Smith says they were honoured to be working with the QPS which plays such a crucial role in identifying, assisting and supporting those involved in domestic and family violence situations.

“The MATE Bystander program at its heart seeks to educate and invite participants to step into their own leadership and contribute to a safe, equal and inclusive world.

“Working with QPS, we’ll explore what’s ‘below the iceberg’ of domestic violence and highlight the important role we all play in creating safe, equal and inclusive homes, schools, workplaces and communities. We believe that our voices combined can and will effect change.

“The MATE training undertaken by the QPS is tailored to their needs recognising the specific and unique circumstances officers find themselves when investigating domestic violence situations,” Ross-Smith said.

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