Preventing Family Violence - Leadership guide

Practical tips and resources for leaders across Sport, Education, Corporate & Workplaces and Media & Entertainment

Foreword

Family violence is not isolated – it stems from cultures and systems that shape attitudes toward gender, power and respect. In our Courts, we see its devastating impact daily on women, children and families. These harms are preventable.

Prevention requires commitment from all of us. While courts strive to strengthen safety and accountability, we recognise that meaningful, sustained change also depends upon what happens outside of the justice system – across all parts of the community - in sporting fields, classrooms, workplaces, boardrooms and media and beyond.

This resource provides evidence-based and practical actions for leaders whose influence matters. Men and male-dominated sectors have a vital role. When men lead with respect and accountability, they shape what young men believe is possible and expected.

The research is clear: gender inequality drives violence against women. Boys and men thrive in environments that encourage emotional expression, help-seeking and healthy relationships.

Prevention is not only about reducing harm – it’s about enabling men and boys to flourish.

The organisations featured here – Our Watch, Respect Victoria, No to Violence, The Men’s Project, The Man Cave, Women’s Community Shelters, Movember, Teach Us Consent and others – offer the best guidance. This work is not about blame; it is about leadership, partnership and shared responsibility.

Thank you to the leaders, coaches, educators and mentors engaging with this resource. By modelling respect and equality, challenging harmful norms and creating safe cultures, you help build communities where every person – especially every child – can grow and live free from violence.

The Hon Will Alstergren AO,
Chief Justice of the Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia (Division 1) and (Division 2).

Leading change to prevent family violence

This document is a practical resource for leaders to drive community-wide change to prevent gender-based violence, and to support healthier, more equitable relationships in your organisation, team, club or community.

This resource provides practical, evidence-based advice from Australia’s leading family violence prevention experts, designed for leaders across sport, education (secondary and tertiary), workplaces, business and media sectors. It draws on evidence and programs from organisations such as:

Carlton Respects

Champions of Change Coalition

Jesuit Social Services – The Men’s Project

Our watch

Respect Victoria

Women’s Community Shelters

Movember

No to Violence – Men’s Referral Service

The Man Cave

NRL – Voice Against Violence

Foundations for all leaders

Understand the drivers and the reinforcing factors

The drivers

Longstanding research tells us that violence against women is driven by gender inequality, rigid stereotypes about “real men”, and cultures that excuse or minimise disrespect and abuse, compounded by untreated trauma, substance abuse problems and poor mental health in men.

Australia’s experts agree that engaging men and boys is essential to prevention:

Research shows that young men who feel pressure to be tough, dominant, and in control are more likely to use violence – and to be harmed themselves.

Act Now

  • Read or watch a summary of one core resource on men and masculinities.
  • Reflect on how these norms show up in your own organisation, club or context.

The Reinforcing Factors

While gender inequality is the core driver of violence against women, several factors significantly increase the frequency and severity of harm when they co-occur. These do not cause violence on their own, but they can escalate risk, intensify existing power dynamics, and undermine help-seeking. These include:

  • harmful alcohol and drug use
  • problem gambling
  • untreated trauma and chronic stress
  • mental ill-health and social isolation
  • financial pressure and insecure housing
  • community or peer norms that normalise aggression or harmful coping.

These reinforcing factors often intersect with rigid ideas of masculinity – for example, pressures to appear “in control”, avoid vulnerability, cope alone, or “blow off steam” through alcohol, gambling or aggression.

What leaders can do:

  • Promote safer cultures around alcohol and substance use: Set clear expectations around alcohol at events, avoid alcohol-centred bonding activities, provide alcohol-free options and share local support options (e.g., Alcohol and Drug Foundation, Lives Lived Well, Headspace).
  • Address problem gambling: avoid normalising betting, acknowledge that gambling harm disproportionately affects men and is linked with an elevated risk of family violence, and promote supports (e.g. Gambling Help Online, financial counselling, Lifeline, and the Men’s Referral Service)
  • Recognise and respond to trauma: Use trauma-informed approaches and consider training from specialist organisations such as Phoenix Australia, Blue Knot Foundation, Full Stop Australia or the Australian Childhood Foundation.
  • Normalise mental health support and non-violent coping: make wellbeing and help-seeking part of your culture, model calm de-escalation strategies and promote resources such as Movember Conversations, Headspace, Beyond Blue and workplace wellbeing programs.
  • Enable early intervention: ask early and in a non-judgmental way when you think a man is struggling, avoid responses that isolate or shame and ensure staff/volunteers know appropriate referral pathways.

Reducing reinforcing factors is not a substitute for addressing gender inequality – it is a critical companion strategy. Together, they help prevent escalation, protect partners and children, and support men to cope in safer, healthier ways.

Act Now

  • Add one harm-reduction expectation to your next event or meeting. For example: “This session is alcohol-free and all our team activities provide non-alcohol options.”
  • Review one area where gambling may be normalised. Check team chats, fundraising, tipping competitions, club traditions or sponsorship arrangements.

Lead by example and mentor young men and boys

The culture you create

Leaders shape the tone of their organisation, club or school through what they say, do and tolerate. Your actions influence peers and younger men and boys who look to you for cues:

  • Notice and show curiosity about comments that excuse disrespect or violence (“boys will be boys”, “it’s just banter”).
  • Broach the subject indirectly. Talking directly about men’s violence against women is not always the most effective approach. Accessing topics that matter to men and boys can be key for buy-in.
  • Share your own learning journey – for example: “I’ve been reading about how rigid ideas of masculinity are linked to violence; I’m trying to do better and I’d like you to try with me.”
  • Model equality in your own relationships: share care, listen, and apologise when you get it wrong.
  • Set clear expectations: “In this club / workplace / classroom / organisation we value respect, equality and aspire to be a place where everyone feels like they belong and can be their best. We don’t accept behaviour that undermines this, like disrespect, sexism, homophobia or harassment – online or offline.”
  • Back this up in practice: think about how you can contribute to making the spaces that you’re in – work, home, community – safer for everyone, call things out in the moment, follow through with fair processes when there are breaches, and support women and gender-diverse colleagues who raise concerns.

Mentoring younger men and boys

You are a role model—whether you intend to be or not. Younger men and boys observe your actions on and off the field, at work, online, and at home. Take this a step further by being intentional about your role as a mentor. Positive male role models:

  • Sit alongside, listen rather than lecture – “Tell me how you’re seeing it…”
  • Normalise emotions and share times they’ve been scared, sad or wrong.
  • Support boys and young men to understand what healthy relationships look like – ask openly what they think is expected of them in relationships and how they handle conflict, to help them identify any unhealthy patterns.
  • Model accountability – “Here’s a time I stuffed it up and how I made it right.”
  • Ask, don’t assume – especially around sexuality, gender identity, culture and neurodiversity.
  • Affirm effort and values, not just performance – “I’m proud of how you handled that,” not only “I’m proud you scored.”

Mentor phrases that help, noting it is important to invite curiosity, not shame:

  • “Hey mate, let’s pause that for a sec – can we talk about what’s going on there?”
  • “I get that there’s a lot of mixed messages about this stuff. Can I share how that comment might land for others?”
  • “Thanks for being open to the chat – we’re all figuring this out. Here’s why that kind of joke/comment can be hurtful.”
  • “How do you think someone you care about would feel if that was said about them?”
  • “You don’t have to get it perfect – none of us do. What matters is stopping, thinking and trying again.”
  • When modelling consent & respect: “If I’m not sure, I ask. If I’m still not sure, I stop.” Or “Feeling nervous is normal. I’ve learnt respect means putting their comfort first, not my ego.”

Other practical tips

When having these conversations, it is important to remember you are an adult, not a friend. Be warm and human but maintain appropriate boundaries.

Know where to refer on – you’re part of a network, not a one-person solution (for example: 1800RESPECT, Kids Helpline, Men’s Referral Service, 13YARN, QLife, school counsellors, club welfare officers, local services).

It may also help to look at some of these videos, which provide an opportunity for men and boys to reflect on and discuss masculinities and what drives violence:

Act Now

  • Pick one phrase you’ll use this week to respond calmly and curiously when you hear something disrespectful
  • Identify one trusted mentor in your club or organisation who can be a safe point of contact for young people wanting to talk about their own behaviour or concerns about a teammate.

Create safe, respectful spaces for men and boys to talk

Nearly 40% of boys and young men have experienced, or may currently be experiencing, family violence that has not been disclosed. It is vital to recognise that boys and young men can be both victims and part of the positive change process. Psychological and relational safety is critical for open conversations.

Things you can do:

  • Support structured programs that create psychologically safe spaces for boys and men to reflect on masculinity, emotions and respect for example:
  • Build this into your organisation through regular men’s or boys’ sessions focusing on respect, consent, bystander action and help-seeking.
  • Include conversations about pornography, online misogyny and peer pressure using evidence-based resources such as Teach Us Consent, and It Takes A Village To Teach Your Children Consent rather than ad-hoc discussions.

Act Now

  • Schedule one conversation space this month – even a short, informal check-in – where men or boys can talk about respect, pressures, or questions they have about relationships and behaviour.
  • Choose one evidence-based resource (e.g., a short video or activity from The Man Cave, The Men’s Project, Teach Us Consent or Movember) and introduce it at your next team meeting, training session or class to start a safe, guided conversation.

Engage with specialist women’s services and men’s behaviour-change expertise

Addressing family violence prevention is a complex task. Partner with organisations and experts to support or join collective prevention efforts.

Things you can do:

  • Partner, don’t reinvent. Connect with specialist women’s services for input into policies, staff training and referral pathways:
    • Contact 1800RESPECT to find your local specialist women's services.
  • Engage organisations that work directly with men who use violence:
    • Contact No to Violence to find your local men's behaviour-change providers.

Include help-seeking details wherever you communicate about domestic, family and sexual violence:

  • 1800RESPECT – nationwide sexual, domestic and family violence support.
  • Kids Helpline – Australia’s only free (even from a mobile), confidential 24/7 online and phone counselling service for young people aged 5 to 25.
  • Men’s Referral Service (run by No to Violence) – for men concerned about their own behaviour.
  • 13YARN – national 24/7 crisis support line for mob who are feeling overwhelmed or having difficulty coping (free and confidential)
  • QLife – anonymous, LGBTIQ+ peer support and referral for people in Australia wanting to talk about a range of issues including sexuality, identity, gender, bodies, feelings or relationships.

Act Now

  • Make one connection: Contact a local women’s service or men’s behaviour-change provider to explore simple ways to work together.
  • Share two helplines: Add key support numbers (e.g., 1800RESPECT, Men’s Referral Service) to your next communication.

Focus on men’s wellbeing as part of prevention

Poor mental health, isolation and rigid expectations of “toughness” increase risk of harm – to men themselves and to others.

Use resources from Movember – for example:

  • Ahead of the Game (community sport)
  • Family Man (for fathers)
  • Movember Conversations (conversation guides) – to normalise help-seeking and emotional literacy. For example:
    • Men in Mind is an evidence-based training course equipping mental health professionals to engage men early in their mental health journey, building skills to recognise warning signs and intervene before distress escalates.
    • What is therapy – to encourage help-seeking.

When supporting First Nations boys and young men, and those from other culturally and racially marginalised communities, engage with Elders, community leaders and local multicultural or community-controlled organisations. Culture – especially for First Nations peoples – is a profound source of strength, identity and healing. Prevention efforts should honour cultural knowledge, community leadership and local strengths.

Act now

  • Run a simple “Check in with your mates – connection is strength” campaign using mental health and conversation tools alongside your gender equality messaging.

Sport (elite, semi-pro & community clubs)

Major sporting events are often associated with spikes in domestic and family violence, linked to alcohol, gambling and cultures of aggression – but sport is also a powerful platform to model respect and equality.

Initiatives like the NRL’s Voice Against Violence and AFL-aligned programs such as Carlton Respects show how codes can create a standard of behaviour and culture around respect towards women from junior to elite levels.

Priority actions for sporting organisational leaders

Set clear, supportive standards and policies

  • Adopt or adapt a Respectful Sport/Club Code that clearly outlines expectations for a safe, inclusive, and respectful environment – on and off the field, including at home. Make it clear that violence, harassment, or abuse are not permitted, while emphasising learning, accountability, and support over punishment.

Build in avenues for open conversation

  • Identify trained mentors within the club – trusted adults, senior players or wellbeing officers – who are available for confidential check-ins when young people are unsure about their own behaviour or worried about a mate. Harmful patterns thrive in shame and silence; offering a safe place to talk allows issues to be picked up early and addressed with compassion and clarity.

Reinforce compassionate accountability

  • Make it clear that everyone is responsible for upholding a respectful culture, and that seeking help early is a strength. Policies should encourage honest conversations, reflection and repair where appropriate, alongside clear consequences when safety is compromised.

Use tools

Embed gender equality across sports administration and elite sport

  • See Champions of Change Coalition’s Unstoppable: Progress towards gender equality and pay equality in sport that details practical actions under the following key areas:
    • Leadership: Advance more women into leadership and create safe, respectful and inclusive workplace cultures where everyone can thrive
    • Participation: Develop a strong pipeline of gender equal talent across all aspects of sport
    • Pathways: Offer genuine and equitable high-performance pathways
    • Investment: Strive for equal or equitable investment in women and girls across all areas of sport
    • Pay and prize equality: Strive for equitable pay, prize money and conditions for women in sport

Embed education through the pathway

  • Educate yourself on how to prevent violence against women in sport. Our Watch's – Resources for sporting leadersis a good start.
  • Provide training to your leaders on how to prevent violence against women in sport.
    • The Our Watch Institute offers a range of tailored training.
    • Active Respect by the Men’s Project is a practical program supporting sporting clubs to promote respect, challenge harmful norms, and build positive male cultures on and off the field
  • Integrate respectful relationships and healthy masculinity content into junior and youth programs and pre-season education for senior players and coaching staff.
  • Consider programs like:

Educate officials, coaches, managers and volunteers

Run visible club campaigns

  • Participate in events such as the 16 Days of Activism with game-day messaging on respect and gender equality, and player and coach videos speaking about respect at home and in relationships.
  • Partner with Carlton Respects style initiatives or run your own “Respect Round”.
  • Level up your mental health in sport with Movember.

Establish referral pathways

For coaches and senior players: mentoring moments that matter

As a coach, captain or senior player, you’re a primary mentor for younger men and boys.

  • Educate yourself on the evidence around the causes of violence against women and children.
  • Create an environment where respect for everyone is a core value and expectation.
  • Interrupt disrespect: “Hey mate, let’s pause that for a sec – can we talk about what’s going on there?”
  • Support people when they get it wrong to reflect, understand their impact and apologise as well as having firm and fair outcomes.
  • Normalise emotions and help-seeking: “It’s okay to be rattled. Let’s talk about it / who else can support you?”
  • Learn how to respond well to disclosures of violence, abuse or neglect. See for example Full Stop Australia’s Responding with Compassion training.
  • Support younger men when they in turn support their team mates to reflect or to seek help.
  • Know when to escalate: disclosures of violence, serious mental health risk, or safety concerns should be referred to welfare staff and specialist services in a safe and supported way.
  • Connect children & young people with support: If a child or young person discloses family violence, coaches and senior players should listen, stay calm and connect them to support. You can refer them to Kids Helpline, 1800RESPECT, 13YARN or QLife and link with club welfare staff or local youth services for safety and wellbeing.

Video resources

Secondary schools

Adolescence is a critical time when gender norms, pornography, peer pressure and online cultures shape boys’ attitudes to women, consent and violence. Research with adolescents underlines the importance of prevention, early intervention and positive role models.

Priority actions for school administration leaders

Integrate whole-school respectful relationships education, and masculinities work

  • Embed respectful relationships education in health/PDHPE, pastoral care, sport and leadership programs.
  • Align with national resources such as Respectful Relationships Education.

Engage boys through specialist programs

  • Partner with programs such as:
    • The Man Cave
    • The Men’s Project(Jesuit Social Services) for structured workshops on masculinity, emotions and relationships.
      • “Work in Schools” program offers curriculum-aligned sessions for teachers, parents and students, with ClickView-supported digital resources on respect, gender, online behaviour and healthy relationships.

Equip teachers and staff

  • Provide professional learning on responding to disclosures, addressing sexist or homophobic language, and having conversations about pornography, consent and online behaviour.
  • Use resources from eSafety – Young People, Teach Us Consent, Full Stop Australia, and It’s Time We Talked.
  • Educate school leaders about young men's online worlds – Movember Digital World is a great resource.
  • The Adolescent Man Box study (Jesuit Social Services Men’s Project) provides evidence on social pressures faced by teen boys and their links to wellbeing, violence and help-seeking. Useful for leadership teams, wellbeing staff and curriculum planning.

Partner with parents and carers

  • Share resources in newsletters, parent evenings and school apps, including tools for positive, non-violent parenting and local specialist services.

Support students impacted by violence:

Student leadership

  • Support boys as peer leaders for respect campaigns and student-led assemblies, guided by evidence-based messaging from organisations such as Our Watch, The Man Cave and Teach Us Consent.

For teachers and coaches: mentoring moments that matter

  • Recognise and endorse positive examples of respect.
  • Help boys name what they’re seeing online and in peer groups – and think critically.
  • Validate disclosures and concerns: “Thank you for telling me – you’ve done the right thing.”
  • Disrupt “banter” that targets girls, LGBTIQA+ students or others.
  • Support people to reflect on their behaviour, understand their impact, apologise and learn from it.
  • Connect boys to counsellors, wellbeing staff and external supports where needed.

Video resources

Tertiary education (universities, TAFEs & colleges)

Campuses are key sites for emerging adult relationships, alcohol-fuelled socialising, work placements and online spaces – and they are also where many future leaders in sport, media and corporate sectors are formed.

Priority actions for tertiary leaders

  • Understand the causes of, and solutions to, gender-based violence
    • Ensure leadership is educated by a reputable organisation on the evidence about the causes of gender-based violence – Our Watch Institute can provide training to all levels of tertiary leadership.
  • Set strong institutional expectations
    • Embed gender equality and prevention of gender-based violence in codes of conduct, student charters and residential college rules.
    • Include expectations around online behaviour, stalking, image-based abuse and harassment.
  • Build men’s engagement into primary prevention plans
    • Use frameworks like Change the Story and Respect@Work to design comprehensive prevention strategies that explicitly name men’s roles and responsibilities.
  • Run tailored programs for students and staff
  • Support men’s mental health and help-seeking
    • Partner with Movember and other men’s health organisations to promote mental-health literacy.
    • Educate student mentors and residential advisors to check in with men and respond safely.
  • Support students living with family violence:
    • Universities and colleges should ensure that mentors, tutors, RAs and student leaders know how to safely refer students to 1800RESPECT, Headspace, 13YARN or QLife, campus counselling, and local youth and family violence services.
  • Embed prevention into professional courses
    • In teaching, health, social work, law, business, sports management and media/journalism courses, integrate content on gendered drivers of violence, working safely with men who use violence and ethical leadership.

Video resources

Corporate & workplaces

Workplaces play an important role in raising awareness, challenging sexist, disrespectful and other discriminatory attitudes and behaviours, reinforcing respect, safety to speak up, and modelling respectful and healthy relationships.

The following is a summary of Playing our Part: A Framework for Workplace Action on Domestic and Family Violence, developed by the Champions of Change Coalition’s framework in partnership with Our Watch, No to Violence, Full Stop Australia, UNSW Gendered-Violence Research Network, Challenge DVand WESNET.

Contribute to the prevention of domestic and family violence by progressing gender equality and inclusion.

Support employees experiencing domestic and family violence

  • Partner with expert organisations to enhance your efforts.
  • Implement a leading domestic and family violence policy
  • Train key internal contacts to support employees impacted by domestic and family violence
  • Provide flexible and expansive wrap-around support for employees experiencing domestic and family violence, or those supporting family/friends experiencing domestic and family violence
  • Communicate support available both to employees impacted by, and employees using, domestic and family violence. Refine communication efforts to ensure support is widely accessible
  • Train and equip all people managers to be effective ‘first-responders’ applying a human-centred approach, and expand to include all staff.

Respond to employees who are or may be using domestic and family violence

  • Communicate messaging on respectful relationships and encourage employees concerned about their relationships to seek support and referrals
  • Invest in processes and approaches for effectively responding to employees who use domestic and family violence (see Champions of Change Coalition’s Employees who use Domestic and Family Violence: A Workplace Response)
  • Communicate support available both to employees impacted by, and employees using, domestic and family violence (such as EAP, Mens Referral Service, 1800RESPECT, local services).

Extend our responses to reach clients, customers and communities within which we operate

  • Support prevention and response to domestic and family violence in the communities in which we work and with our clients, customers, and suppliers
  • Consider how products and services might be used to perpetrate abuse and take steps to prevent and respond to this
  • Become open source by sharing your work on the issue and encouraging others to take action.

Video resources

CEO guide

The CEO Role in leading on Gender Equality & Preventing Gender-Based Violence

(Adapted from the Champions of Change Coalition guidance)

Why this matters for CEOs

CEOs hold unique levers to drive change as the custodians of workplace culture, strategy and business systems.

CEOs also have personal influence and authority to be role models, inspiring at scale by signalling to the workplace and beyond what is valued, prioritised, and accepted.

Key CEO actions

Drawing on 15 years of Champions of Change Coalition experience, the following are key actions and decisions that only CEOs can take to accelerate progress on gender equality and the prevention of gender-based violence:

  • Make inclusive gender equality a personal leadership priority and the legacy that you will leave in your workplace
  • Listen and learn to more deeply understand gender inequality, gender-based violence and healthy masculinities, and how you can make a difference.
  • Learn to talk about the importance of gender equality, inclusion and healthy masculinity, how it benefits men and boys (as well as women and girls), how it underpins organisation performance/success and how it builds prosperity and social cohesion for our community – and talk about it every day.
  • Lead by example by showing courage, respect and vulnerability, and sharing and prioritising care of children, parents and other important people in your life.
  • Treat gender equality as you would any other organisation priority, with a vision, goals and milestones for what you want to achieve
  • Use the levers you have at your disposal to make change including policies, strategy, investment, core products or services.
  • Build inclusive gender equality into everything you design, create or deliver from the outset, not retrofitted when issues arise.
  • Be persistent and consistent, especially when external pressures make it challenging to stay the course.
  • Put governance and systems in place to ensure the work you have done and the progress you have made is locked in when you leave
  • Become a Champion of Change, use your influence to activate other supporters, champions and change-leaders to contribute and carry on your work.

Media & entertainment

Media, influencers and entertainment industries shape what is seen as normal in relationships, masculinity and gender roles – especially for boys and young men.

Priority actions for media and entertainment leaders

Ensure all staff receives evidence-based training on the causes of gender-based violence

Commit to responsible portrayals

Include children’s voices and safety:

  • When shaping storylines, campaigns or commentary, ensure harmful impacts on children and young people are mitigated.
  • Promote help-seeking options like Kids Helpline, Ask A Mate, ReachOut and 1800RESPECTin appropriate content and digital spaces.
  • Use your platform to amplify prevention
  • Partner with prevention organisations and campaigns (Our Watch, Respect Victoria, Carlton Respects, FCFCOA, etc.).
  • Collaborate on public service announcements and social media campaigns featuring male role models talking about respect, consent and accountability.

Support male talent to be part of the solution

  • Provide briefings and training to commentators, presenters and performers on gender, violence and safe messaging.
  • Encourage personal stories from male talent about learning, changing and seeking help.

Moderate online spaces

  • Strengthen policies and moderation around misogynistic, violent or harassing content in comment sections and fan forums.
  • Ensure that platforms and communities associated with your brand do not become hubs for abuse.

Video resources

Supporting children & young people impacted by family violence

Supporting children and young people affected by family violence is one of the most powerful prevention actions we can take. While childhood exposure is never determinative, research shows that children who grow up with violence are statistically more likely to experience or use violence in adulthood. Ensuring they are safe, supported and able to recover interrupts this cycle and helps build a future where families and communities can thrive.

Children and young people experience family and sexual violence in their own right, not just as “witnesses”. Violence can affect their safety, development, mental health, learning, relationships and trust in adults.

Leaders across sport, education, workplaces and media should know where to refer children and young people for support, and how to back the trusted adults around them (parents, carers, coaches, teachers, mentors).

National counselling & crisis supports (children and youth)

Kids Helpline (5–25 years)

Australia’s only free, confidential 24/7 online and phone counselling service for children and young people aged 5–25. Supports kids with family violence, abuse, mental health, relationships and bullying.

1800RESPECT – impacts on children and young people

National sexual, domestic and family violence counselling service (for adults and young people), with specific information on children and young people and a service directory.

For mentors and leaders:

“You don’t have to fix it on your own. You can sit with a child or young person while they contact Kids Helpline or 1800RESPECT, and help them connect with safe adults and services.”

Online support specifically for children & young people

Kids of Purple (national)

Web: kidsofpurple.org.au

Australia’s first dedicated online support service for children and young people experiencing family and domestic violence.

Provides:

  • Clear, youth-friendly information about violence, safety, law and support
  • Stories and blogs by young people
  • A “quick exit” function and online safety guidance
  • Direct links to key supports (Kids Helpline, 1800RESPECT, Headspace)

Useful for schools, sports clubs, youth programs, student services and parents.

Child sexual abuse – specific support

Bravehearts – child sexual abuse support & education

National child protection organisation dedicated to preventing and responding to child sexual abuse, with counselling, an Information & Support Line, and education resources.

SAMSN – Survivors and Mates Support Network

These groups have provided a place for men to come together to meet other male survivors and find support, understanding and learning about child sexual abuse, its far-reaching impacts, and very importantly what helps in recovery and healing.

Australian Childhood Foundation: therapeutic care for children and young people

National therapeutic care services supporting children and young people who have experienced abuse, violence, and relational trauma—helping them feel safe, seen, and supported as they begin their healing journey.

Mental health & wellbeing support for young people

Headspace (12–25 years) – mental health, alcohol and other drugs, work and study

Family violence and trauma often present as anxiety, depression, self-harm or substance use.

ReachOut – youth mental health & wellbeing resources

Evidence-based online content for teens and young adults.

These services can be safely recommended by teachers, coaches, managers, student leaders and parents.

Apps & digital tools (consent, relationships, safety)

Ask A Mate (Beyond DV) – for boys 13–18

App-based short videos giving boys advice on consent, relationships, domestic violence and emotions in a youth-friendly, confidential format.

Men-Tool Health App innerBoy

A free mental health app for men, available in NZ and AU, offering daily tools and reflections over 30 days to support healing, self-awareness, and emotional growth.

Teach Us Consent – youth-led consent education

Videos and resources on affirmative consent, porn, alcohol, power and bystanders.

These can be recommended by schools, sports clubs, tertiary institutions and youth programs where boys and young men want private, honest guidance.

Evidence & practice resources for professionals

These are primarily for leaders, educators, youth workers and policy-makers:

AIHW – Children and young people and family, domestic and sexual violence

Overview of how violence affects children and young people in Australia.

ANROWS – Children and young people’s mental health and domestic and family violence

Evidence brief on how DFV affects children’s mental health and what supports help.

These links can be included for school systems, universities, government, corporate ESG teams and sporting codes wanting to align with best practice.

Appendix – source index and live links

Prevention frameworks & evidence

Our Watch — Change the Story

Our Watch — Men in Focus

Men in Focus — Practice Guide (PDF)

Respect Victoria — Prevention Resources

Men & boys programs

Jesuit Social Services — The Men’s Project

The Man Box 2024 Report

The Man Cave

Movember — Ahead of the Game

Movember — Family Man

Movember — Conversations

Specialist support services

1800RESPECT (Service Directory)

No to Violence — Men’s Referral Service

Kids Helpline

13YARN

QLife

Sport-specific programs

Carlton Respects

NRL — Voice Against Violence

Movember — Ahead of the Game (Sport)

Unstoppable: Progress towards gender equality and pay equality in Australian sport

School & education resources

Respectful Relationships Education (Australia)

eSafety Commissioner — Young People

Teach Us Consent – Resources

It Takes A Village To Teach Your Children Consent – Book

Workplace & corporate resources

Our Watch — Workplace Equality & Respect

Respect@Work – Respect at Work Hub

AHRC – Toolkits, guidelines and resources

Champions of Change Coalition – Towards a prosperous, equal and inclusive future: Leading on Inclusive Gender Equality

Champions of Change Coalition – 7 Switches: A guide for inclusive gender equality by design

Champions of Change Coalition – Playing our Part: A Framework for Workplace Action on Domestic and Family Violence

Champions of Change Coalition – Employees who use domestic and family violence: A workplace response

Champions of Change Coalition – FOCUSED on Everyday Respect?

Champions of Change Coalition – Disrupting the System: Preventing and responding to workplace sexual harassment

Champions of Change Coalition – Building confidence and trust in workplace responses to sexual harassment

The Men’s Project Work in Male-Dominated Workplaces

Media & communications

Our Watch — Media Reporting Guidelines

Respect Victoria — Campaign Materials

Related information:
Family violence: Overview
Print Print a copy
Back to resources
flag
flag

The Courts acknowledge the traditional owners and custodians of country throughout Australia and acknowledges their continuing connection to land, sea and community. We pay our respects to the people, the cultures and the elders, past, present and emerging.