IoNV’s Hala Abdelnour was recently invited to co-present the Agents for Change podcast that delves into the root causes of family and gendered violence and typical societal response.
Here she discussed her experiences as a professional and her passion to create a small and inclusive business.
Posted by Hala Abdelnour on October 20, 2023 in Emotional resilience, Facilitation, Management Gems, Self awareness, Thresholds of the soul, Working well with others,
30 Nov 2022
Just Gold spoke to Hala Abdelnour, CEO and Founder of the Institute of non-violence, about what drove her to create this Institute and how you can get involved in the Global Citizen challenge which starts on the 25th of November and which also happens to be the international day for the elimination of violence against women.
The invisible woman project funded by the social enterprise’s impact program and promotes awareness and actions for women and gender-diverse people to age with dignity, security, and safety.
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The latest report by the Human Rights Commission has found that around one in five Australian workers has been harassed at work in the past 12 months. The fifth national survey on sexual harassment in the workplace has also revealed that a majority of Australian workers have experienced sexual harassment in their lifetime. The Sex Discrimination Commissioner says governments around Australia are taking the right steps to combat the problem, but any solution will take time.
Featured:
Hala, chief executive, Institute of non-violence
Sara Charlesworth, Professor Emerita, RMIT University, Melbourne
Broadcast 30 Nov 2022
Facilitate This! features stories and experiences from facilitators across the Groupwork Centre community. The podcast is designed to support everyone involved in facilitation and collaborative leadership. For those with experience with group work, or for those who’ve never heard of facilitation.
IoNV CEO, Hala Abdelnour, is the presenter of Groupwork Centre’s new podcast, Facilitate This! In episode 4, released Monday 2 August 2021, Hala is interviewed by podcast colleague and group facilitator, Jim Buckell. Hala explores the value of group facilitation skills in delivering psycho-educational groups like Men’s Behaviour Change programs.
Listen to the full podcast and follow Facilitate This! here
Research has revealed that mainstream family violence services are falling short in dealing with male perpetrators from non-English speaking backgrounds, especially refugees.
The gaps in the services are leaving families in the lurch.
Marty Smiley takes a look at behaviour change programs geared towards men from culturally and linguistically diverse communities in Australia for The Feed.
“When I started this work. There was a sentiment in the family violence sector that we shouldn’t work with perpetrators,” Hala Abdelnour says.
“But working with men ultimately protects women and children.”
Hala Abdelnour knows what perpetrators of violence are like, she regularly sits in a room with them. It’s her job to listen to them, to challenge them on their behaviour.
Since 2016, she’s worked with over 500 men in male behaviour change programs, the main form of intervention available to men who use violence against women.
The men that undergo these programs have often financially, emotionally and or physically abused their partners. Men often labelled as ‘cowards’ and ‘monsters’ are the centre of Hala’s work.
“Working with men in men’s behaviour change programs is more challenging than working in a maximum-security male prison because the conversation is specifically about gender with men who use violence against women,” Hala says.
“And I’m the only woman in the room.”
It’s a daunting role. A role many tell her they’re glad they don’t do.
“People have yelled at me, made rude comments and even attacked me for my choices. I cop a lot of judgment.”
“As a society, we’re quick to wipe our hands of people who seem too hard to deal with”
This reluctance for doing the work is something Hala has often witnessed in the family violence sector. In particular, a fear of working with men from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds (CALD).
Late last year, a report commissioned by the Victorian Multicultural Commission, and written by Hala, was released. The report showed non-English speaking men – particularly refugees – are being left behind by family violence services that aren’t catering programs to their experiences.
It’s something Hala says ultimately harms victim-survivors and families.
As part of the report, Hala conducted 83 consultations across 52 organisations in the family violence sector.
Most of the participants in the study stated they had ‘never accessed or been offered training on applying family violence to culturally diverse communities or working within a trauma-informed capacity.’
“The reason for this is that mainstream organisations don’t represent the populations they wish to serve,” Hala says.
“The settlement services need more family training and family violence services. They need a total reform to be more inclusive of people from diverse backgrounds”
Read the full Article here
In Part 2, Niveditha and Shamila continue their conversation with our CEO Hala Abdelnour. In this episode you hear them explore some common myths around family violence, what it’s like to deliver men’s behaviour change programs as a woman, and learn about the different types of interventions delivered by the Institute of non-violence (IoNV) that aim to shift attitudes, cultures and systems around gendered violence. We encourage you to tune in for this timely and insightful discussion. Join the conversation and share with your friends and peers.
Listen to the full podcast and follow Unapologetically Brown here
We are so excited to share this thought shifting conversation between Hala and Caroline on She Inspires Me Podcast. In their conversation – recorded on #IWD2021 – they delve into why Hala has committed her career to supporting people experiencing various hardships including family violence.
Hala also touches on the attitudinal shifts that we need as society to better address family and domestic violence, addressing some of the common myths around this complex topic.
Tune in, tell us your thoughts and share this conversation with your networks.
Follow the She inspired me Podcast here
