Violence against women is a national crisis that requires immediate and sustained action. On average, one woman is killed by a current or former partner every 10 days. We use the term ‘violence against women’ because research shows that women are disproportionately affected by certain forms of violence – particularly family, domestic, and sexual violence – and it’s important to understand that men are overwhelmingly responsible for perpetrating those forms of violence. Because of that, men have enormous capacity for ending violence against women and can be some of the most influential voices for change. When we start to think about stopping violence from the perspective of preventing perpetration, it opens a whole new range of solutions.

Foundations for Change is a framework designed to guide those solutions in Western Australia. It is a formal acknowledgement of the emerging primary prevention sector as a critical area of focus in ending men’s violence against women. Its purpose is to support the development of a strong primary prevention workforce and to guide communities and organisations in their efforts to build safer and more equitable spaces.