Rethinking profeminist men's behaviour change programs

Many of the programs operating in Australia for men who are violent to their women partners claim to have a profeminist framework. These programs cite the importance of challenging the control that male perpetrators have over women partners. Given the development of policy frameworks, standards manuals and best practice models that espouse a commitment to feminist analyses, women’s safety and accountability, most commentators have concluded that feminist concerns about men’s programs have been adequately responded to in the current climate. This article will review the key axioms underpinning programs that espouse a profeminist analysis to assess the extent to which feminist analyses of men’s violence are incorporated into the principles, theories and strategies for working with violent men.