Funding for national sporting codes to help prevent violence

Sporting codes can now apply for grants to help fund violence prevention activities, assisting influential organisations across Australia in joining the battle against the scourge of domestic violence, Minister for Social Services, the Hon. Scott Morrison and Minister Assisting the Prime Minister for Women, Senator the Hon. Michaelia Cash announced today.

In November 2014, the Australian Government, as part of its commitment to reducing violence against women and their children through the National Plan, agreed to invest $1 million in the Sports Grants Bank to assist national sporting codes to improve their activities to prevent violence against women and their children.

Minister Morrison said the Sports Grant Bank will be managed by Our Watch, the foundation created to drive nationwide change in the culture, behaviours and attitudes that lead to violence against women and children.

“Australian sporting clubs and codes are in an influential position in our community: through their collective reach, they can influence public attitudes and behaviours on a range of issues, including domestic and family violence, gender equality and the promotion of respectful relationships,” Minister Morrison said.

As a result of the Government’s investment, Our Watch has developed the “Sports Engagement Program” and will partner with four National Sporting Organisations to drive innovative work in preventing violence against women.

Funding of up to $250,000 over three years will be provided to each organisation selected as an Our Watch partner. Our Watch will conduct a two-stage selection process, with the initial expression of interest (EOI) stage now open.

Minister Cash said the Sports Grants Bank is part of the Government’s $100 million commitment over the next four years under the Second Action Plan of the National Plan to Reduce Violence against Women and their Children 2010-2022.

“Violence against women is a crime. It is a scourge on our society, it will not be tolerated and we all must work together to eliminate it. The reduction of violence against women is a priority for this Government and for the Australian community,” Minister Cash said.

“Through building respectful relationships and increasing gender equality, we can work to prevent violence from happening in the first place – Our Watch’s Sports Engagement Program will be an important part of our efforts to reduce and ultimately eliminate violence against women,” Minister Cash said.

For further information, please go to ourwatch.org.au