As football teams across Victoria prepare for the grand finals, domestic violence support services in the state are also gearing up for a different kind of challenge. These services anticipate a spike in calls for help from individuals fleeing family violence during this period.
The AFL grand final has historically been associated with an increase in violence rates, according to Respect Victoria. In 2023, Berry Street, a family violence support service in western Victoria, reported a 30 to 40 percent rise in calls for assistance during the finals.
Understanding the Link Between Sporting Events and Violence
Mandy Gambino, the senior manager at Berry Street, noted that similar increases are observed during local football finals. She explained that male-dominated sporting events, especially those involving excessive alcohol consumption or gambling, often lead to higher instances of violence.
“This results in increased requests to services for assistance,” Gambino stated.
In Wangaratta, Kasi Burge, a strategic projects advisor at the Centre Against Violence, reported a similar trend in the Ovens and Murray region. “We see similar things here, particularly in regional and rural Victoria, where sporting grand finals take over the whole community,” Burge said. “It’s a huge event in these towns.”
To address the anticipated demand, Burge mentioned that her service often pre-books accommodation during grand final weekends to ensure safe places for people seeking refuge amidst the influx of visitors.
The Role of Football Clubs in Promoting Respect
The Sexual Assault and Family Violence Centre, covering the Barwon South West region, believes that football clubs have a significant role to play in fostering respect and inclusion. Chief Executive Kerriann Campbell-Jones emphasized that clubs are a “cultural engine for Australia” and should model respectful behavior.
“It’s where [footy clubs] have a lot of influence. They could be helping us to role model what respect looks like,” Campbell-Jones said.
Encouragingly, there is a growing interest among clubs to engage in preventative education programs like “Respect Starts Here.” The Portarlington Football Netball Club on the Bellarine Peninsula is one such club participating in these initiatives.
Kelly Pickard, the club’s head of wellbeing, highlighted that the program educates members on club culture, focusing on equality and female representation. “That’s not assuming the women are doing all the admin and kitchen roles. It isn’t just gendered norms for specific roles,” Pickard explained.
Funding Challenges and the Need for Support
Despite these positive steps, funding remains a critical issue. Earlier this year, the Victorian government cut funding for the Preventing Violence Through Sport Grants Program, a decision criticized by female footballers. This program had supported community sports groups in addressing gender-based violence.
The Centre for Sexual Assault and Family Violence Centre received $207,000 from this program, but its future is uncertain. Campbell-Jones stressed the need for stable, ongoing government funding to support prevention efforts.
“While these have enabled high-quality, evidence-informed programs, the reliance on short-term funding undermines our capacity to plan, scale and embed lasting prevention strategies,” she said.
A Victorian government spokesperson stated that over $4 billion has been spent on family violence response and prevention since 2016, implementing all 227 recommendations from the Royal Commission into Family Violence. Additionally, the federal government’s Department of Social Services has invested $4 billion nationally to stop the cycle of violence under the National Plan to End Violence against Women and Children 2022-2032.
“States and territories are responsible for recognizing and directing funding to frontline services as local demand and need requires,” a spokesperson said.
The coming weeks will test the readiness of these services and the effectiveness of community and governmental efforts to address the surge in domestic violence cases during this high-stakes sporting season.
