Ending violence against women, girls and gender diverse people starts with equality.
Help us create equality on and off the field for 16 Days of Activism.
This year, with the support of Respect Victoria and their Sexism in Sport #callitout campaign, we are celebrating the 16 Days of Activism by chatting to some of our local sporting clubs about how they encourage and promote gender equality on and off the field.
One in three Australian women have experienced physical violence since the age of 15, and one in five Australian women have experienced sexual violence. As part of creating an inclusive Port Phillip, we are working hard to address the stereotypes, disrespect and inequality that allow this violence to continue and are committed to advancing gender equality for the benefit of our whole community.
Sport has a vital role to play in promoting equality and preventing violence against women at both an individual level and more broadly as influential organisations and workplaces. With a sizeable percentage of the Port Phillip community participating in some form of sport or physical activity, the attitudes and behaviours learned and displayed in sport can have a considerable influence on how our community behaves and has a significant impact on preventing gender-based violence before it occurs.
This week we are lucky to be hearing from some young local athletes and their clubs about how they create an equal playing field for girls, women and gender diverse people in our community. As Megan from Middle Park Football Club tells us, “It's about creating a culture and an environment where people feel safe and calling out the behaviour that is not okay.”
Every person at every level of our sporting clubs; including management, coaches, umpires, volunteers, players, and fans; has a part to play in promoting equality and preventing violence against women. To help create an even playing field for all genders, we have collated a range of tools and resources that are available to support our sporting clubs to #callitout:
- Watch/share video (2 mins)
- Visit Our Watch’s website to find a detailed plan for how you can create equality and respect in your sporting club by implementing the Equality and Respect in Sport Standards.
- Visit Respect Victorias Sexism in Sport #callitout campaign to find out more about how you can support women, girls and gender diverse people by calling out sexist behaviour.
- Watch Our Watch’s video to understand how perpetuating stereotypes for men and woman creates inequality and leads to gender-based violence, watch this video by Our Watch.
- Find out how to tackle violence against women and girls through community sport Jobs Victoria (mav.asn.au)
- Learn about how harmful stereotypes of masculinity are likely to perpetrate violence, sexual harassment, and online bullying through the Jesuit Services ‘Unpacking the Man Box’ project.
- Learn about State Governments campaign “Change our Game: Working to level the playing field for women and girls in sport and active recreation”
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City of Port Phillip (CoPP)
Address: 99a Carlisle Street, St Kilda, VIC 3182
Tel: 03 9209 6777
Website: https://www.portphillip.vic.gov.au