Feminist Mothering and Primary Prevention of Gendered Violence: Insights From Australian Mothers Raising Sons

Abstract

In Australia, significant efforts like The National Plan to End Violence Against Women and Children 2022–2032, the Change the Story framework, and Man Box study have aimed to understand and address gendered violence. These initiatives stress the need for prevention, particularly focusing on young people by challenging rigid gender stereotypes and male authority and control over decision-making. This paper presents qualitative research with nine self-identified feminist mothers raising sons, exploring their underrepresented yet important role in violence prevention. It examines how these mothers discuss gender, sex, and power with their sons and the intentions of their feminist maternal practice in building gender equality. The research highlights the contributions of feminist mothers in addressing drivers of gendered violence in the primary prevention space, advocating for greater visibility of their efforts to enrich policy and practice in violence prevention in Australia.