Footballers take a public stand against violence towards women

PLAYERS across the region will wear two red armbands this weekend as part of a growing campaign to raise awareness of gender-based violence.

At least four clubs’ women’s football teams will don the armbands through Wear Red Round, with one representing awareness of men’s violence against women and the other symbolising accountability.

The initiative began as a response to the Victorian Government’s decision to dismantle the Office for Women in Sport and Recreation, ending Change Our Game programs and Preventing Violence Through Sport grants. It has since evolved into an annual call to action led by activist platform Not All Clubs.

Drysdale women’s team manager Kelsey Bourke brought the campaign to the attention of her club after discovering Not All Clubs through social media.

Committed to both women’s football and the prevention of gender-based violence, Bourke said joining Wear Red Round was an easy decision.

“I found Not All Clubs probably a year ago and have actively followed every post that they’ve made since then,” Bourke said.

 

“As soon as they popped up with Wear Red Round, which happened last year as well, I wanted to be involved again.”

Bourke said she was proud to be part of a club willing to take a visible stand on an issue affecting communities across the country.

She hopes participation sends a clear message that women and girls within the club will be supported if they ever need help.

The commitment extends beyond a single weekend. Drysdale has already partnered with the Sexual Assault and Family Violence Centre to provide training for senior players focused on active bystander intervention.

It’s work that goes hand-in-hand with Not All Clubs’ call to embed the Safe to Speak, Bound to Act framework into community clubs.

The framework, developed by Safer Sport, supports community clubs in acting on disclosures of gender-based violence.

The toolkit also provides practical examples of what gender-based violence looks like from verbal and emotional abuse to sexual harassment, assault, exclusion and intimidation.

 

Coach Melissa Egan said football clubs should be places where people feel safe, respected and valued.

“Wearing red for us this weekend is a visible way for us to stand in solidarity with all the women that are impacted by gender-based violence and to help reinforce the message that there’s no place in our community or in our footy club for violence,” Egan said.

Bell Park will join Drysdale in wearing the dual armbands when the sides meet on Friday night.

Bell Park coach Jady Ingleton said the club was quick to support the initiative when approached.

She said Wear Red Round provided an opportunity to publicly demonstrate the club’s values while also encouraging important conversations about the role sport can play in addressing gender-based violence.

“Local football clubs play such a big role in bringing people together, so we believe they also have a responsibility to help drive positive change,” Ingleton said.

“Supporting Wear Red Round allows our club to use its platform to raise awareness, encourage important conversations and show that everyone deserves to feel safe, respected and supported both on and off the field.”

It is a sentiment that is echoed by Not All Clubs.

A spokesperson for the organisation said it is critical to note that clubs are opting in to participate.

“We want to work with clubs at a grassroots level because we know sporting clubs are powerful community spaces that shape attitudes, behaviours and cultural norms, particularly for boys and young men,” the spokesperson said.

 

“Research consistently shows that many sporting environments can reinforce harmful gender stereotypes, entitlement and behaviours linked to gender-based violence. However, sport also has the power to drive prevention, challenge these harmful norms and help create safer, more respectful communities alongside healthier models of masculinity.”

Wear Red Round, the spokesperson said, is intended to be more than a symbolic gesture.

“We want clubs to be equipped to make tangible, long-term change. Each year, we are committed to providing clubs with practical resources, education, and frameworks that support them in becoming safer, more accountable, and more inclusive environments for everyone,” the spokesperson said.

Ingleton said she would like to see more local clubs embrace the campaign in future years.

She believes broader participation would strengthen the message and help sporting clubs continue to foster positive cultural change.

This year registrations have already surpassed last year’s. Women’s football has been a driving force in those registrations but an increasing number of men’s football, basketball and rugby clubs are also choosing to participate.

Wear Red Round runs from 29 to 31 May. Clubs from all sporting codes are invited to participate by registering with Not All Clubs.