By CAM LUCADOU-WELLS
A PRIEST who has taken a stand against family violence has been crowned Greater Dandenong’s Citizen of the Year.
Father Jean Mawal, 36, who is priest of St Paul’s Antiochian Orthodox Church in Dandenong, was presented with the council’s top annual citizenship award in Dandenong on Australia Day.
He is one of several south-east faith leaders heading a three-year Challenge Family Violence project in Melbourne’s south-east.
Since speaking out at his church, the Endeavour Hills father of three has been taken aback by how pervasive the problem is.
The issue has previously been hard to talk about in multicultural and faith-based communities.
In recent times, however, he has witnessed many victims share their experiences and he hasn’t been afraid to educate those sharing derogatory sexist jokes on social media.
He’s faced up to perpetrators, some in denial, some who are eventually reported to police.
“In some cases that is necessary,” he said.
“The priority is to protect the safety and wellbeing of children and the family.
“Absolutely, yes, it’s very difficult to deal with. It’s sad to see so many disclosures but now people acknowledge they have to do something about it and not blame the victim.”
Fr Mawal said he has to recognise abusers who admit they have a “genuine problem”.
The Challenge Family Violence project, jointly run by Greater Dandenong, Casey and Cardinia councils, wound up late last year.
He hopes more resources will be invested beyond the project which has developed an interfaith family violence-prevention resource kit with information and support contact numbers.
He said the message needs to be sent to groups such as sports clubs.
“The best benefit is that there is more awareness – a beginning of an education.”
On a personal level, the project has helped him to be more sensitive and aware as a parent and pastor, he said.
Though family violence isn’t in decline, Fr Mawal thinks the silence surrounding the issue has broken.
“The fact you can get so many people involved with the project, to acknowledge we do have a problem that’s across culture and across faith – there is a significant movement.
“The stats (of family violence incidence) are not changing. It’s going to take a time for that to change.”
Fr Mawal said the Citizen of the Year award will give more “authority” to his message.
“The greatest message is equality between men and women.
“That is realised when we change, whether it be work structures, church or faith-based community structures.
“We have to make an effort to do something about it.”
