With every day that passes, Nadine gets to know Ben more and she comes to realise just how complex his family situation is.
On the whole, Ben is doing much better than when he arrived and he has gradually become more open about his past, which Nadine credits to ongoing counselling sessions.
Ben tells Nadine that his Dad was not nice to his Mum and that he was frightened and unsure of him. He does not want to go home to his Dad, however he misses his Mum so much and wants to see her.
Ben’s counsellor suggests that he might benefit from the Boys Will Be Men program, given his experience with family violence. This program is designed to prevent young boys from developing unhealthy attitudes towards women through the use of positive role models and mentors.
These mentors address attitudes that contribute to men committing violence against women, such as seemingly harmless schoolyard jokes, to assist boys suffering from poor social skills, low self-esteem or those that have difficulty controlling their emotions.
After three weeks of attending the program, Ben is matched with a mentor called Peter, who works to help him open up about his personal problems and develop strategies for dealing with his past. Nadine is hopeful that Peter may become a positive male role model for Ben at this crucial stage in his development.
