Season 5 Episode 10: Beyond Presence: Redefining Responsible Fatherhood in a Domestic Abuse–Informed World
About This Episode
In this thought-provoking episode, David and Ruth explore the nuanced intersection of father engagement and domestic abuse–informed practice with Chris Brown, President of the National Fatherhood Initiative (NFI). Their conversation examines how we can thoughtfully promote father involvement while maintaining high standards for men as parents, disrupting gender double standards, and keeping the safety and long-term well-being of children at the center.
Key topics include:
The historical context behind NFI’s founding and evolution of fatherhood programs
Examining father absence through a domestic abuse–informed lens
Balancing father engagement with survivor safety and well-being
The importance of holding perpetrators accountable as parents
Building community capacity to support safe, stable father involvement
Additional Resources
Online Course: Working with Men as Parents
Safe & Together Institute’s domestic abuse–informed trainings
Safe & Together Institute’s upcoming events
David Mandel’s book Stop Blaming Mothers and Ignoring Fathers: How to Transform the Way We Keep Children Safe from Domestic Violence