THIS weekend the WRFL is hosting a white Ribbon Round to help raise awareness of men’s violence against women.
Senior players will wear white armbands as a mark of respect. Some clubs will also be selling white ribbons and wristbands in a bid to raise money for the work White Ribbon does in the community.
Earlier this week the WRFL also released a video on its website and social media channels of players from across Division 1, 2 and 3 talking about White Ribbon. To view the video, click here.
Below is information on at how those in the community can offer support and take action against domestic violence.
WHAT YOU CAN DO
If you witness violence, don’t be aggressive or violent. Always keep yourself and others safe. Call 000 in an emergency. If you witness a violent act – such as a man assaulting a woman in the street - you can:
- Call the police.
- Be a witness. Stand far enough away to be safe but close enough for the violent person to see you and be aware that they are being watched.
- Get others’ support. Ask others who are nearby to help.
- Verbally intervene. Tell the violent person clearly that their actions are not okay, they are a crime, and you are calling the police.
Ask the victim if she needs help. Ask:
- "Are you okay, do you need a taxi?"
- Make the man feel noticed and, and offer practical assistance to the woman.
- Say something to the man: "Hey, what are you doing?" "That’s not on, mate," and so on.
- Stick around to make sure the situation has cooled down.
- Create a distraction – so that the abused person has time to get away or the perpetrator slows down or ceases their violence. For example, ask a man harassing a woman on the street for directions or the time.
- Being an active bystander doesn’t always mean confronting a perpetrator face to face.
Always keep yourself and others safe. Call 000 in an emergency. If you're aware of violence – during or after the incident - you can:
- Talk to a friend who is verbally or physically abusive to his partner in a private, calm moment, rather than in public or directly after an abusive incident. Tell him that what you witnessed was not okay, and he needs to get some help.
- Talk to a group of the perpetrator’s friends and, together, decide on a course of action.
- If you have witnessed a friend or colleague abusing a partner, talk to a group of the victim’s friends and develop a group response.
- Talk to the woman – at some point – and let her know you saw what was going on and you’re willing to help her.
- If you’re a high school or college student, approach a trusted teacher, social worker, or health professional. Tell them what you’ve observed and ask them to do something, or ask them to advise you on how you might proceed.
You can also call these services for more information:
National Sexual Assault, Domestic Family Violence Counselling Service (24 hours)
www.1800respect.org.au
1800RESPECT (1800 737 732)
Lifeline (24 hours)
www.lifeline.org.au
13 11 14
MensLine (24 hours)
www.mensline.org.au
1300 78 99 78
Kids Help Line (24 hours)
www.kidshelp.com.au
1800 55 1800
In Victoria, you can seek information from the following services:
Women’s Domestic Violence Crisis Service
www.wdvcs.org.au
1800 015 188
Sexual Assault Crisis Line
www.sacl.com.au
1800 806 292
Men’s Referral Service
www.mrs.org.au
1300 766 491
Last Modified on 13/07/2016 16:21