Work together and take action

SIXTY-two women have been murdered in Australia in 2025 at the time of writing this column.

That’s more than one each week over the past two years.

The majority of these died at the hands of an intimate partner and are remembered at The Red Heart Campaign’s online database recording violence against women and children.

This extremely confronting figure is a very real and visible demonstration of the terrible harm of family violence.

But, as someone who works in this sector, I know all too well that there are many less obvious forms family violence can take.

We see coercive control, where a perpetrator will prevent their partner from accessing funds, getting to work or accessing a car to get to work.

We see people isolating partners from family and friends, using their partner’s reliance on them for a visa to control them or manipulating the legal system to exert control over, threaten and harass a former partner with frivolous lawsuits.

These are less obvious forms of family violence that can, and often do, escalate into the physical violence we’re more familiar with.

But the good news is the way we prevent family violence is evolving, and we already have many fantastic initiatives across our region.

A great example is The Sexual Assault & Family Violence Centre and AFL Barwon’s partnership through their Respect Starts Here program.

This partnership works with local football and netball clubs to foster discussions about respect and equity at a young age and challenge harmful behaviours.

Geelong has also been selected as the pilot site for the new Safe at Home program, delivered through a partnership between Meli and McAuley Community Services for Women.

This early intervention initiative enables women and children impacted by family violence to remain safely in their own homes, with the person using violence required to leave. This approach keeps families connected to their schools, workplaces and community, while reducing the risk of homelessness in our region.

At the City of Greater Geelong, we’re proud to also play a key role in preventing family violence.

One of our most important initiatives is our support of the 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence, which began this Wednesday and runs until Human Rights Day on 10 December.

This annual international campaign is a powerful reminder that preventing gender-based violence requires all of us – governments, organisations, schools, clubs, workplaces and community members – to work together and take action.

The City is demonstrating its commitment through a range of activities designed to raise awareness and empower people of all ages to understand what respectful relationships look like.

This includes yesterday’s Barwon Respect Cup, which brought together about 150 Year 9 students from 10 schools for a day of mixed netball, workshops and learning.

The students explored topics such as healthy and harmful relationship behaviours, affirmative consent, gender stereotypes and how to safely intervene when they see something concerning.

The City is also partnering with Respect 2040, the Sexual Assault & Family Violence Centre and Zonta Club of Geelong to deliver forums, webinars, community events and highly visible campaigns – including turning prominent Geelong landmarks orange to symbolise a brighter, violence-free future.

Over the weekend, the City joined the Zonta Club of Geelong for the launch of the 16 Days of Activism.

Research from Respect Victoria shows that four in five men do not agree with the attitudes that underpin gendered violence. That does not surprise me, because most men I know are respectful and want equality.

What really sticks with me is that many still feel society expects them to act in ways they personally reject. That is why positive male role models matter so much. They show the next generation that real strength is respect, equality and treating women as equals.

For more information visit respect2040.com/news-and-events.

If you are or know someone experiencing domestic violence, you can phone 1800 RESPECT (1800 737 732). If you need support, you can contact lifeline on Lifeline on 13 11 14.

Cr Emma Sinclair

Charlemont Ward,

City of Greater Geelong