<?xml version="1.0" encoding="ISO-8859-1"?> <docID>334082</docID> <postdate>2024-11-27 17:18:44</postdate> <headline>Health regulators take stand in fight to end violence</headline> <body><p><img class=" wp-image-241315" src="https://citynews.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/sad-505857_1920-resized-e1632793031198.jpg" alt="" width="749" height="470" /></p> <caption>A survey has found 80 per cent of men want to take action against domestic violence.</caption> <p><span class="kicker-line">By <strong>Fraser Barton </strong>in Brisbane</span></p> <p><strong>Australia's health practitioner regulators have come together for the first time, providing a united front in the fight against domestic violence.</strong></p> <p>In an unprecedented move, regulators issued a joint statement condemning family violence and reminding practitioners of their critical role in the battle to end it.</p> <p>"Family violence is unacceptable," it said.</p> <p>"We are committed to responding to family violence in our capacity as regulators of health practitioners."</p> <p>It came after a national online survey revealed four in five men want to take action against domestic violence but almost half think they can't do anything to change it.</p> <p>The regulators' landmark statement said practitioners were often the first point of contact for victims and played an essential role in the early detection, support, referral and delivery of treatment.</p> <p>It also reminded practitioners their conduct must reflect the public's trust in them, saying anyone who perpetrated family violence faced penalties such as suspension, cancellation or refusal of registration.</p> <p>"Regulators work to ensure health practitioners are safe, ethical, and professional for the protection of the public," it said.</p> <p>"We encourage any person aware of a health practitioner perpetrating family violence to provide information to the police and appropriate regulatory body."</p> <p>The statement promptly received backing from the Australian Medical Association's Queensland President Dr Nick Yim.</p> <p>"Family violence is unacceptable in all forms," he said.</p> <p>"The family doctor's relationship of trust with their patients lets them support victim-survivors, encourage them to seek help from specialised services, and refer them to mental health support.</p> <p>"We support the regulators' commitment to ensuring that health practitioners who perpetrate family violence face serious consequences."</p> <p>The statement came after a poll by not-for-profit organisation Our Watch.</p> <p>It reported 43 per cent of men believed they are personally unable to change the rate of violence against women despite almost 80 per cent wanting to take action.</p> <p>Our Watch is a national leader in the primary prevention of violence against women and their children in Australia.</p> <p>The organisation said men and boys required a greater focus in combating domestic, family and sexual violence.</p> <p>"Men don't wake up one day and just decide to kill their partner," said violence prevention advocate Tarang Chawla.</p> <p>"It starts off in ways that might seem harmless - locker-room talk, sexist jokes, making fun of violence, objectifying women or asserting dominance over their partner.</p> <p>"I would love to see more men questioning controlling behaviour towards women."</p> <p>The data came from an online survey of 1001 Australians aged 18 and over commissioned by Our Watch in September.</p> <p>It showed 45 per cent of men said they feel pressure to act "stereotypically manly", mostly in the workplace and within a sporting club.</p> <p>Our Watch is running a social media campaign during the 16 days of activism campaign against gender-based violence.</p> <p>Thousands of Victorians took a stand against gendered violence last week, marking the beginning of the worldwide campaign.</p> <p>In South Australia, a Royal Commission into Domestic, Family and Sexual Violence is ongoing.</p> <p>So far in 2024, 85 women have allegedly been murdered by a man in Australia according to Australian Femicide Watch.</p> </body>