Examples from most recent evaluation: 2000

Background:

An evaluation was conducted after one month and seven months of Phase I (Sept. 1998-March 1999) of a multi-media campaign designed to reach out to male perpetrators of domestic violence in Western Australia. Four random telephone surveys of males 18-40 years old were conducted:

• prior to the campaign (N=359): "Benchmark"
• four weeks into the campaign (N=400): "Wave 1"
• seven months into the campaign (N=385): "Wave 2"
• fifteen months into the campaign (N=400): "Wave 3"

Access:

Overall campaign recall (awareness of one or more elements of the campaign) was 91%.

Spontaneous awareness for any advertising about domestic violence increased from Benchmark (28%) to Wave 1 (77%) and Wave 2 (90%). Wave 3 indicates that there has been a small tapering-off effect (88%).

From September 1998 to May 1999 the Men's Domestic Violence Helpline received a total of 2762 calls. 64% of callers were men addressed by the campaign (i.e., perpetrators or men "at risk"). A total of 1129 (40% of callers) self-identified themselves as such. 48% of these men (546) have been actively referred to men's behaviour change counselling programmes. There is a strong correlation between the number of calls and the advertising schedule. A follow up survey (N=49) of men who had called the Helpline took place eight months into the Campaign. Over 80% of respondents reported that their life was "better" since calling the Helpline. Also, when prompted, most men reported that they had more anger control, exhibited less abusive behaviour, and were more able to talk to and understand the effect of their behaviour on their partner.

Knowledge shifts

The primary perceived message is the impact of domestic violence on children. However, 87% of those who saw the "Break the Cycle" ad came away with a secondary message (help-related).

There were significant increases in awareness of support services in general and the Men's Domestic Violence Helpline, specifically:

• The proportion of men aware of where violent men can go for help increased from 21% at Benchmark (August 1998) to 52% (April 1999).
• During that time, the proportion of men aware of a telephone counselling line for men who are or could be violent significantly increased from 20% to 69%.
• The proportion of men who could correctly name the Helpline significantly increased from 0% to 28%.

Attitudes:

Those responding affirmatively to the statement "Campaign has changed the way that I think about men being violent towards a female partner" increased from 14% in October to 21% in April 1999. Those replying "yes" to the statement "Domestic Violence affects the whole family" (as opposed to the children/woman/man only) increased from 34% in October to 58% in April 1999.

Further, there was a significant increase in the proportion of men who feel that women never deliberately provoke being slapped, as well as a reduction in the frequency with which men admit to yelling loudly at their female partner and putting down or belittling their female partner. (This last result could represent one of two things: a real decrease in these behaviours, or a greater reluctance to admit these behaviours due to a campaign-related shift in the social norms regarding the acceptability of belittling one's partner.)

Source:

Freedom From Fear: Campaign Against Domestic Violence: An Innovative Approach to Reducing Crime (PDF document) by Leonie Gibbons and Donna Paterson" July/Aug 2000; and campaign evaluation results on the Freedom From Fear site.

For full evaluation and more information, contact:

Leonie Gibbons

Co-ordinator, Community Education, Women's Policy Office, Western Australia

Tel.: 08 9264 6147

Freedom From Fear site