One state in Australia is taking a new approach when it comes to addressing gender-based violence. Victoria Premier Jacinta Allan announced that state MP Tim Richardson, is now the Parliamentary Secretary for Men’s Behavior Change. This is the first time the position has existed in the state of Victoria and in the country as a whole.
On X, Richardson explained what his new position will entail. "We know that the time to act on men’s violence against women is now and it starts with us men and boys," he wrote.
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"We must make Victoria a safer place for women and children and work to end the tragedy of deaths of Victorian women at the hands of men," he continued.
Australia's prime minister has described the violence against women in the country as a "national crisis," as per NBC News.
Richardson said that the new position will "focus largely on the influence the internet and social media have on boys’ and men’s attitudes towards women and building respectful relationships."
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According to the Counting Dead Women Australia researchers of Destroy The Joint, 39 women in Australia have died as a result of gender-based violence in 2024, as of June 29.
On X, Jacinta Allan wrote, "We just appointed the first Parliamentary Secretary for Men's Behaviour in Australia," and responses to the announcement were quite mixed, with some calling the position's focus on men "sexist" or "misandrist."
"Stop blaming all men," one person responded. "Lift women out of poverty instead!" another person wrote on X.
Controversial rightwing Canadian psychologist Jordan Peterson was among the people who were critical of the new position.
"Maybe the Australians need a bureaucrat devoted to changing the behavior of whiny, victim-status-claiming, manipulative ideologically-possessed women," he wrote on X.
Richardson responded, writing, "Or maybe we can acknowledge that ending gendered based violence against women starts with us men and boys. When 22% of women and girls have been subjected to sexual violence and 1 in 2 women have been sexually harassed, we must do better in Australia. We all have a role to play."
Some of the people who were critical of the new position even started poking fun at Richardson's wife. "Disappointing when people resort to attacking your partner and the mum of your little girls, rather than engaging in respectful discussion," Richardson wrote in response.
To some, the negative comments showed that a position dedicated to men's behavior change is necessary.
"Please do us proud!" one person wrote on Instagram. "The comment section here is enough to know why this role is needed."
"Great initiative," another person commented. "I’m looking forward to changes ."
On Instagram, Richardson wrote that "this is not easy work, but it is important, and we can’t afford not to address it and waste a moment."
