Cuddle or Die

Globally, 1 in 3 women experience physical or sexual violence; UN data estimates that a woman or girl is killed every 11 minutes by a male intimate partner or family member. Although men are the primary perpetrators of most violence worldwide, it remains contentious to explain such violence with reference to gender, masculinity, and patriarchy. Public discourse depoliticises violence, framing it as a mental health issue rather than a product of gendered power relations. A review of 114 government-endorsed violence prevention plans revealed that programming to engage men and boys is nascent and mostly focused on individual change. In Australia $3.5 million has gone to masculinity programs, some not feminist-informed. Cuddle or Die centers on this issue in the Canadian context and reflects on a broader pattern unfolding across the globe. It underscores the shared tensions of work with men, asking: are positive masculinity approaches an effective strategy for violence prevention?

Cuddle or Die seeks to shift the public and policy conversation around gender-based violence prevention- from individualised solutions that reinforce a gender binary to systemic change that enables gender justice and liberation for all. We want funders, policymakers, educators and GBV organisations to critically interrogate where resources are directed and why. By following boys through a positive masculinity program with a feminist observational lens, the film creates space for nuanced dialogue about what personal transformation can and cannot achieve. We envision the film prompting debate in schools, universities, government bodies and GBV organisations globally as well as being used as an advocacy and education tool that supports feminist analysis and critical thinking. Ultimately, Cuddle or Die aims to contribute to a world where preventing men’s violence is understood as a structural and political project, not merely a therapeutic one.

Cuddle or Die aims to shift how practitioners, policymakers, and funders understand GBV prevention, from individualised therapeutic responses to structural and feminist-informed approaches. We seek to prompt critical reflection among violence prevention practitioners on existing programs; influence policy reform by positioning the film as a conversation-starter with government stakeholders; integrate the film into university curricula on gender, violence, and social justice; and build community capacity among parents, teachers, and youth workers to engage young people in meaningful dialogue. Ultimately we hope to contribute to a measurable shift in how “positive masculinity” programs are designed, evaluated and funded ensuring they address the root causes of patriarchal violence rather than focus on individual behaviour change alone.

Director Claire Bower is an academic researcher and violence prevention practitioner with global professional networks across gender studies, violence prevention, and men and masculinities scholarship and practice. Her research background provides direct access to university communities and conference circuits. Her practitioner background provides access to GBV prevention and men’s mental health practitioners as well as policy influencers in both Australia and Canada. Strong Women Collective brings established relationships with Australian broadcasters, Australian screen agencies and the broader documentary impact sector through Documentary Australia. Our attendance at Women Deliver 2026 as accredited media delegates will further extend our reach into international gender equality policy and funding networks.

Policy makers:
-Establish the need for quality standards for violence prevention work with men and boys.
-Align funding eligibility with evaluation measures.
-Build sector capacity for feminist informed GBV prevention.

Practitioners:
-Evaluate programs and share reflections with colleagues.
-Partner with feminist organisations to bolster programming.
-In Victoria (Australia), petition the Minister for Men and Boys for a feminist lens on the portfolio.

Educators, parents and youth workers:
-Advocate for feminist informed school programs.
-Host film screenings and discussions.
-Work together to create school and youth friendly environments that support young people to develop themselves without an overemphasis on their gendered identities.

Academia & university students:
-Add the film to libraries and curricula.
-Amplify the dialogue via networks.

All audiences:
-Discuss the film’s central question: do positive masculinity approaches address patriarchal violence?