SPEAQ Forum 2025

SPEAQ Forum 2025 was held in Brisbane at the Hotel Grand Chancellor Brisbane, 23 October to 24 October, with pre-forum workshops on 22 October.

The theme was We’re in this together: Meaningful relationship as the basis for effective practice in DFV accountability and intervention work.

The Forum was our largest event yet with over 160 attendees, as we continue to grow as a sector and network. A sample of initial feedback received throughout the three days include:

• Fantastic to see it so well attended and the buzz in the room has been so exciting
• I’ve learnt heaps and feel so invigorated and not alone
• The collaborative engagement in the room and in breaks was refreshing

Thanks again to our SPEAQ Forum Organising Committee for 2025: Paul Monsour, Belinda Cox, Tori Cooke, Brett Hayes, Jen Williams, and Skye Monk , with organisational support from Dr Brodie Evans (SPEAQ Secretary)

General Documents

Session and Presenter Resources

• PDF versions of powerpoint presentations are included where available
• Videos of sessions will be made available once editing is finalised
• Event photos are available here: SPEAQ Forum 2025 Photos
• Descriptions of each session and presenter bios are available in the Programme Booklet above

Pre-Forum Workshops, Wednesday 22 October 2025

Workshop 1: Holding shame without shaming: Finding affective agency in a men’s group, Alan Jenkins

• Hear Alan speaking about his approach to the work in this Interview – about 30 min.

Workshop 2: Working with people using violence at the intersection of AOD, Mental Health and DFSV, Rodney Vlais

Day 1, Thursday 23 October 2025

Secretary Address: Dr Brodie Evans

Session 1 Keynote Address | Jealousy in the Context of DFSV, Professor Donna Chung, Curtin University

• Watch the video here.

Session 2 | Panel: Working Together – First Nations Perspectives

• Watch the video here.

Session 3 | Building workforce capacity and clinical supervision as the foundation for effective behaviour change work, Tori Cooke

• Watch the video here.

Session 4A Member Presentation | Moral Perfectionism in Domestic Violence Work: Cultivating Compassion with Colleagues, Taylah Waters. Micah Projects – Brisbane Domestic Violence Service

• Watch the video here.

Session 4B Member Presentation | START – short term visual intervention options, Michelle, Jeff & Trudy, DVConnect

• Watch the video here.

Session 5A Member Presentation | Experiences of LGBTIQA+ workers in mainstream domestic violence men’s behaviour change programs, Brodie & Billie, QUT Centre for Justice and Queer and Trans Workers Against Violence (QTWAV)

• Watch the video here.

Session 5B Member Presentation | Experiences and learnings in the implementation of the FPI approach in the Brief Intervention program, Paul & Yolande, Anglicare

• Watch the video here.

Session 6  | Fatherhood as a focus for building empathy and compassion in the journey of behaviour change, Tim Kelly, Caring Dads

• Watch the video here.

Session 7 Keynote Address | A Passionate Interest in Otherness: Affective Activism as Intervention in Family Abuse

• Watch the video here.

Day 2, Friday 24 October 2025

Session 8 Keynote Address | Developments in the Field and Current Challenges, Rodney Vlais

• Watch the video here.

Session 9 | Intersectionality and cultural inclusion in family violence work, Hala Abdelnour

• Watch the video here.

Session 10A Member Presentation | innerBoy – how a mental health app really is about ending violence, Mia & Mark, DVConnect

• Watch the video here.

Session 10B Member Presentation | Hearing everyone’s side: Working with young people who use violence, along with their family members and intimate partners, Dr Kelsey Adams & Rebekha Melville, Brisbane Youth Service

• Watch the video here.

Session 11A Member Presentation | Who are you? Characteristics of DFV offenders who strangle their intimate partner: a document analysis, Mark Walters, Queensland Centre for Domestic & Famiily Violence Research (QCDFVR)

• Watch the video here.

Session 11B | Pathways Project: Ensuring practitioner experience and insights on the continuum of responses for people using DFV, Max Castle, No To Violence

• Watch the video here.

Session 11C | Coercive Control and Jealousy: Understanding gendered drivers and dangerous narratives, Professor Donna Chung & Tori Cooke

• Watch the video here.

Session 12 | Hot Topics

Session 13 | Panel: Working Together – Practitioner Perpsectives

• Watch the video here.

SPEAQ Annual Networking Cocktail Dinner

SPEAQ network stuff …

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