Centacare’s domestic violence services are taking part in a forum today to examine the development of targeted perpetrator interventions in South Australia.

If women and their children are to be safe, perpetrators should be held to account through effective interventions that stop their violence.

The forum, organised by the Office for Women, is part of the implementation in SA of the National Outcome Standards for Perpetrator Interventions (NOSPI), endorsed by the Council of Australian Governments (COAG) in late 2015.

The standards will guide and measure the outcomes achieved by perpetrator interventions across the nation.

Identifying shortfalls in the SA system around responses to men’s violence against women is one focus of today’s meeting.

It will also explore ways to develop a framework for the best model of interventions for perpetrators, supported by evidence and best practice.

“Just because a perpetrator goes to an intervention program doesn’t necessarily mean his behaviour changes,’’ said Desi Alexandridis, Senior Manager, Domestic Violence & Homelessness Services.

“From our perspective, it’s really important that perpetrator interventions are conducted in conjunction with women’s services.

“If the victim’s experience is not part of that intervention, then how are we actually going to keep him accountable?’’