50/50 Clubs: working towards gender equality in sporting clubs in Gippsland, Victoria — Agentur Pty Ltd

50/50 Clubs: working towards gender equality in sporting clubs in Gippsland, Victoria (144)

Tanya Kilgower 1
  1. Gippsland Women's Health, Sale, VIC, Australia

Background:

Violence against women is common in communities across Australia, particularly in rural areas. It is the leading cause of death, disability and illness in women aged 15-44 in Victoria. Sporting clubs play a key role in the health of rural communities. They can perpetuate norms and behaviours that contribute to violence against women or they can promote respectful relationships and gender equality, which works to prevent men’s violence against women. 50/50 Clubs is a capacity building project aimed at engaging sporting clubs to promote respectful relationships and gender equity within the community.

Methods:

Gippsland Women’s Health Service (GWHS) engaged the Regional Sports Assembly in Gippsland, GippSport, to implement a prevention of men’s violence against women project in sporting clubs. GWHS is building the knowledge and skills of GippSport employees around violence prevention and gender equity to ensure messages are being regularly reinforced with the clubs they work with. Existing relationships between GippSport and sporting clubs are being utilised to engage clubs to participate in the 50/50 clubs program.

Results/Discussions:

GWHS and GippSport have developed resources to assist with the 50/50 clubs project, including a sporting clubs checklist, which assesses the safety and equity aspects of the club environment.
GippSport are gaining confidence and knowledge in promoting key equity and prevention messages. GippSport have been promoting the Victorian Code of Conduct, particularly in relation to its reference to inclusion of all, elimination of violence, safe and inclusive environments and protection from sexual harassment or intimidation.

Conclusions/implications:

Positive changes have already been made and are beginning to be celebrated in clubs across Gippsland. More people are hearing equity messages and taking positives steps to work towards more equal sporting clubs for women and men, boys and girls. This work will be expanded on and we will be working more in depth with individual sporting clubs.

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