'Dearth' in programs helping violent migrant men change

Migrant and refugee women face a difficult decision if subjected to family violence.

Leave their partner, when they may not have working rights or be able to access Centrelink, while isolated from loved ones overseas and on a precarious visa.

But male perpetrators of violence from migrant and refugee backgrounds also face significant barriers in trying to change their violent behaviours.

Systemic, structural, language, cultural and community obstacles all compound to limit migrant and refugee men's participation and engagement in behavioural change programs.

The finding comes from a study published by Australia's National Research Organisation for Women's Safety.

Overstretched and underfunded services are meanwhile trying to fill the gaps.

Melbourne's inTouch Multicultural Centre Against Family Violence was started four decades ago by women to help migrant and refugee communities.

It runs programs in 30 languages, including for migrant and refugee perpetrators of violence, with two in Dari, or Persian, and an English-Hindi hybrid.

"Supporting survivors in their journey of rebuilding their lives is really critical," says inTouch chief executive Tania Fahla.

"But how do we help support men who are using violence, to change their lives?

"People do want to stay together as well. Not everyone wants to leave.

"It's about how you work together with them to make sure they can stay safely in the relationship."

Its Motivation for Change program began as a way to support men before they engaged with statutory services, but this has changed due to a scarcity of available programs.

"There's a dearth of responses for men from migrant and refugee backgrounds. There's hardly any programs that run in this space," Ms Fahla tells AAP.