The Albanese Labor Government is partnering with the Movember Institute of Men's Health in a transformative commitment to advance work to help young men and boys foster healthy, respectful relationships as part of efforts to end gender-based violence.
The Healthy Masculinities partnership will foster collaboration between the Government and the Movember Institute on initiatives to improve men's views of masculinity, combating harmful gender stereotypes and building healthy, respectful relationships.
Recent research has found that 25 per cent of teenage boys in Australia look up to social media personalities who perpetuate harmful gender stereotypes and condone violence against women. Research also shows there are strong links between harmful forms of masculinity and the perpetration of violence against women.
The partnership between the Movember Institute and the Government involves a commitment of $3.2 million from Movember to improve understanding and promote healthier and more satisfying relationships.
This builds on the previous $3.5 million Government investment in the Healthy Masculinities Trial and Evaluation (Healthy MaTE) initiative which will trial and evaluate activities designed to promote and encourage healthy relationships among school-aged boys.
The Movember Institute's work will complement the Healthy MaTE trial.
Minister for Social Services Amanda Rishworth said the partnership represents a new and innovative approach to supporting the achievement of the goals of the National Plan to End Violence against Women and Children 2022-2032.
"This partnership between the Albanese Government and the Movember Institute further demonstrates Australia's overarching commitment to preventing gender-based violence through solution-focused, practical initiatives," Minister Rishworth said.
"It presents an exciting opportunity for collaboration on some of our most pressing and urgent challenges, including the promotion of respectful relationships and ensuring young men and boys have the skills and confidence to build and maintain healthy relationships.
"The Government is proud to partner with the Movember Institute in encouraging and supporting men to become more involved in ending violence against women and children in one generation. This is a whole of society effort, and the Government welcomes partnerships with non-government organisations to achieve our shared goals."
Professor Simon Rice, Global Director of the Movember Institute, said, "We are proud to collaborate with the Albanese Government to address gender-based violence in Australia."
"Our goal is to elevate the voices and experiences of young boys and men, engaging them as integral parts of the solution. By promoting healthier expressions of masculinity, we aim to foster more respectful behaviours and create safer communities for all."
"Sustainable change means reinforcing these healthy expressions of masculinity in all the spheres where boys and men interact, whether online, in the media, in workplaces, schools, sporting clubs, or communities."
This partnership is in addition to the Albanese Labor Government's $3.4 billion investment in women's safety. To specifically address consent and respectful relationships, this includes:
- $6.5 million for a pilot of age assurance technology to protect children from harmful content, like pornography and other age-restricted online services.
- $3.5 million for Teach Us Consent to develop and distribute social media resources for young people aged 16 years and above about consent, sexual harm and healthy sexual relationships.
- $8.3 million to design, deliver and evaluate multiple small-scale trials to prevent sexual harm and violence.
- $40 million for the national consent campaign
- $83.5 million for the Consent and Respectful Relationships Education measure which aims to ensure that students from Foundation to Year 10 receive age-appropriate education on positive, respectful relationships and consent.
- $100.4 million to Our Watch over 2022-2027 to continue its important work as the national leader in primary prevention. This includes funding for The Line - Our Watch's primary prevention social marketing campaign.
Assistant Minister for the Prevention of Family Violence, Justine Elliot, emphasised the importance of engaging with organisations like the Movember Institute to understand different perspectives in relation to ending gender-based violence.
"Ultimately, the Albanese Labor Government's goal has always been to end gender-based violence, and to explore all avenues through which we can do this," Assistant Minister Elliot said.
"That is why I am excited to see how this partnership will help us to develop evidence-based strategies that advance work in the field of healthy masculinities.
"Ending gender-based violence is a nation-wide effort, and I look forward to seeing our collaboration with Movember encourage conversations around healthy relationships across our country."
