Self Help Tips /

What you can do

Young people

As a young person it is important to find out what you can do to help end violence against women and to learn about how common this is among young people in Australia today.

Some practical actions you can take include:

• Start by thinking about your own attitudes and behaviours – how do you speak or treat others differently because of their gender?
• If someone's behaviour makes you feel uncomfortable or worried – trust your instincts – reflect on how you feel and why and if it would be helpful, speak to someone you trust.
• If something doesn't feel right, speak out to make it clear that you don't agree with the behaviour or that you feel uncomfortable. Be clear about what your expectations are and how you would like to be treated.
• On a footy field, if someone does something wrong do you just ignore it or do you address it? This is the same off the footy field, if someone on the team or at school makes a dumb comment or a sexist joke, don't nod or laugh, call out the behaviour. Even simple stuff, like not laughing at these jokes, or rolling your eyes and walking away can make a real difference because you're letting your friends know you think it's wrong without getting aggressive or confrontational.
• If you are feeling at risk or unsafe the most important thing to do is to remove yourself from the situation and or seek help.

Parents and carers

Mum's, Dad's, Uncles, Aunties and Grandparents play an important role in providing information to the young people and can promote positive messages and model behaviour relating to respect, equality, gender, consent and violence.

Some practical actions you can take as a parent or care giver include:

• Talk to your children or young people in your care about relationships, equality, gender, consent and violence.
• Educate yourself about the warning signs of violence in young people's relationships.
• Show your children both male and female role models.
• Model equal relationships at home and in your own relationships – make sure young people sees you acting respectfully towards your intimate partners and share jobs at home equally.
• Try not to reinforce gender stereotypes when you talk to young people – ask yourself would I say the same thing to her if she was a boy (or to him if he was a girl)?
• Research resources available for having conversations with young people about issues like sex, consent, relationships.

Coaches and clubs

Coaches and people within footy clubs can create environments where young people and others feel welcome, safe and respected.

Some practical actions you can take in a club environment include:

• Talk to your team/s about respectful behaviour both on and off the field (this can be as simple as turning up on time, listening to each other and/or agreeing to deal with conflict in an open and respectful way).
• Have in place codes of conduct or a set of values that the team develop and agree to and address the situation when team members don't demonstrate those values.
• Try not to reinforce gender stereotypes when you talk to young people – ask yourself would I say the same thing to her if she was a boy (or to him if he was a girl)?
• Model equal relationships across the club – with males and females playing important roles across the teams and club.
• If you are concerned about anyone in the team/club – seek help and guidance from the experts.