New campaign set to tackle family violence

KANE Forbes works in the health space and experiences firsthand the impact family violence and he wanted to find a way to tackle it head on.

The Hands Up Casterton community engagement officer has set up a targeted campaign for what he describes as a major health issue that is preventable.

“It can include physical, sexual, emotional and financial abuse and controlling behaviours,” Kane said. “It affects far too many people.”

Kickstarting on July 20, the 14-Day #SAYNO2FAMILYVIOLENCE Campaign is set to provide education and support for the wider community through a concentrated social media campaign, sessions at the Casterton Sandford Football Netball Club and a promotion through the local cafes, culminating in the August 2 home game for Casterton Sandford hosting West Gambier.

The 14-Day campaign is about supporting survivors and also hopefully have an impact on perpetrators in a bid to seriously change behaviour.

Kane saw the work neighbouring football netball leagues were doing in the space with a dedicated round and took the concept and ran with it to create this 14-Day #SAYNO2FAMILYVIOLENCE Campaign.

The South West League has been running a Family Violence Round for eight years and the Hampden League has also jumped on board in recent seasons.

“When it comes to football and netball clubs you have a captive audience so what better way to raise awareness,” Kane said.

He will be working with players, including the club’s younger players.

“It is all about educating players while they are young about what is acceptable and what isn’t,” Kane said. “We need to spread the message – at its heart it is about being respectful.”

A July 24 session open to all the community at the club will be part of that education process with Kane delivering a short presentation after Thursday night teas.

Hands Up Casterton’s partnership with United Way Glenelg has made this campaign possible with a grant from the community foundation allowing Kane to create this comprehensive campaign.

A key part of the campaign in the lead up to the August 2 event is the stickers, including a QR code, Kane has distributed to local coffee shops to place on take away cups with the code providing critical information for those looking for support.

“So often people think there is nowhere to go but there is support out there,” Kane said.

The community engagement officer concedes it is a complicated issue, with mental health, drugs and alcohol so often also playing a role but he said the Glenelg Shire statistics are quite alarming and more needs to be done.

Purple is the colour that will mark the campaign and the August 2 event and Kane has organised 120 purple shirts which will be worn in the August 2 warm up and around the club and will then be available if other groups want to utilise them and run their own #SAYNO2FAMILYVIOLENCE campaigns or issues.

“We don’t want the message to finish on August 2.”