Centre of Research Excellence in Violence Perpetration: Profiling, Prediction and Prevention

Background

In 2022, the Centre of Research Excellence (CRE) in Violence Perpetration: Profiling, Prediction and Prevention received approximately $2.5 million over 5 years from the National Health and Medical Research Council to investigate the perpetration of violence.

The main objective of the CRE is to use a public health approach to tackle violence, including domestic violence, by generating knowledge from novel perspectives, and examining preventable and modifiable risk factors.

The CRE includes 11 projects across three broad themes: profiling, prediction and prevention.

Aim

The main aim of the CRE is to improve health outcomes and enhance community safety by reducing violence.

We seek to achieve this by:

1) Better understanding the use of violence in key subpopulations that may have unique experiences and reasons for violence that remain poorly understood (e.g. Aboriginal men, impulsive-violent men, users of non-physical coercive control, and older people).

2) Increasing our ability to predict violent behaviour via risk assessment tools and observing factors that may precipitate violence (neurological, medication use, and the physical environment).

3) Identifying early points for intervention and taking into consideration early life trauma exposures. Evidence points to factors such as adverse neurodevelopment, mental health and neurological conditions, cognition, and medication use as warranting particular attention in relation to violence.

Methods

Highly experienced researchers and industry partners will come together with Aboriginal and early to mid-career researchers to drive the research agenda and create a world’s first centre focusing on those who use violence, rather than its aftermath.

Researchers will use quantitative and qualitative approaches including population-based linked data to study associations between violence and individual factors such as early life experiences, cognition and medication use in order to better understand violence perpetration and identify more effective interventions and intervention points.

Significance

The intended impact is to generate evidence resulting in more effective violence prevention. The CRE aligns with the World Health Organization’s public health framework to address violence in terms of: (a) uncovering violence; (b) explaining violence; and (c) preventing violence. The research program addresses national priorities including: Outcome 6 of the National Plan to Reduce Violence against Women and their Children 2010–2022 which includes the development or evaluation of strategies to hold perpetrators accountable (Strategy 6.1), reducing the risk of perpetrator recidivism (Strategy 6.2), and intervening early to prevent violence (Strategy 6.3). Similarly, we address priority areas for research identified by Australia’s National Research Organisation for Women’s Safety (ANROWS) that relate to: (i) effectiveness of interventions; (ii) models to address diverse needs of perpetrators; and (iii) the specific needs of Indigenous perpetrators and communities.

Funding Body

National Health and Medical Research Council

Funding Budget

$2.5 million

Project start date

January 2024

Expected completion date

December 2028