Findings reveal improvement areas for safety of victims of men's engagement
Judge Mary-Louise Hribal, chief magistrate of the South Australian Magistrates Court, and Penny Croser, state courts administrator, have shared a final report on the review of the court’s abuse prevention program (APP), targeting men’s violence against female/former partners.
According to a news release from South Australia’s courts administration authority (CAA), insights from the review:
The CAA and the state attorney-general’s department began a small-scale, arms-length review of the APP in October 2024. The review sought to assess the program’s activities, outcomes, impacts, strengths, and weaknesses.
An initial findings report, finished in January 2025, focused on the APP’s output. It provided an overview of the APP model, its activities, its participants, individuals protected under the program, and stakeholders’ thoughts on its operations.
The final report dated 12 June 2025 revolved around the APP’s outcomes. This report discussed perspectives from service providers, participants, and protected persons. It included a recidivism analysis, which assessed whether the records of domestic violence offending of male participants displayed any changes after going through the APP.
In its news release, the CAA noted that the APP review findings would inform future funding decisions and developments to promote women’s and children’s safety and would help improve and refine the program.
A court-mandated behaviour change program created in 2011, the APP targets men with records of violence against their female or former partners.
According to the CAA’s news release, the APP is the country’s only program to which defendants can be referred at their first or second court appearance, prior to guilty pleas, sentences, or outcomes. Defendants without related criminal charges can also be subject to a referral to the APP on an intervention order.
The CAA said the APP aims to offer a pathway for men to go through an intervention program seeking to alter their abusive behaviour.
In its news release, the CAA thanked the state attorney-general’s department for participating in the review. The CAA shared that the department helped add independence and analytical capacity to the review, which led to a quality, detailed final report.
The CAA also expressed gratitude to the APP’s delivery partners that took part in the review: Kornar Winmil Yunti Aboriginal Corporation, Relationships Australia South Australia, and Women’s Safety Services South Australia.
