GRASSROOTS sports must be the next step in the urgent need to changing community attitudes in Ballarat and help fight the escalating problem of violence against women, sports leaders are urging.
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Australia's five major sporting codes this week advocated for a major cultural shift and this comes at a critical time for Ballarat, with the city recording the state's second-highest jump in family violence incidents reported to police.
New data shows a 67 per cent increase in reports for incidents between April to June, at the height of lockdown one pandemic pressures.
Our Watch chief executive officer Patty Kinnersly, who lives in the Ballarat region, said the rise in family violence was not unique to Ballarat but a nationwide issue.
As such, Ms Kinnersly said the timing for the renewed pledge from the AFL, NRL, Rugby Australia, Netball Australia and Football Federation Australia was vital in ongoing pandemic recovery.
Central to the pledge is about ensuring respect, equal opportunities and pathways for women as players, administrators, on boards and as umpires.
Ms Kinnersly, who is also a Carlton Football Club board member, said while the economic fallout from COVID-19 put national sporting leagues under pressure, recovery efforts must prioritise women's sport and leadership opportunities for women in sport.
She expected people to be asking the same questions at in our grassroots games, like the Central Highlands and Ballarat football leagues.
Leaders can't do everything on their own but they can make sure their organisation is one of respect in the things they demonstrate and their role models.
- Patty Kinnersly, Out Watch chief executive officer
"We know Australians are so connected with their sporting teams and sports organisations.This leadership statement is a public, huge way of reaching people and taking responsibility," Ms Kinnersly said.
"Leaders can't do everything on their own but they can make sure their organisation is one of respect in the things they demonstrate and their role models."
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AFL chief executive officer Gillon McLachlan confirmed that despite widespread job losses and cost cuts in the industry, the AFL had increased investment in the AFLW season and was committed to a full season after this year's final was called off. Mr McLachlan said the league was also conscious about female representation amid job losses.
Ms Kinnersly said women make up half the community and deserved the right to be part of it, across every sector, with sport such an influential factor in society.
The former Ballarat Health Services board member was one of the founding members in Ballarat's first competition Australian Rules team, based out of Redan.
Ms Kinnersly said Redan was a wonderful, supportive club and it fantastic to see about 30 women's and girls teams now in the city with three young women drafted from Greater Western Victoria Rebels to AFLW ranks this season.
Ms Kinnersly said the standard of play was greatly improving year on year - and that largely stemmed from having an opportunity - but there was still a lot of room to be made in taking women seriously for club leadership.
This in turn, she said, could influence vital cultural change and push gender equality.
If there isn't a woman there yet, what are we doing to support women coming through.
- Patty Kinnersly, Our Watch chief executive officer
Redan is the region's first football club to actively encourage women to put their hands up to join its senior men's coaching panel. The Lions, in advertising last year, said the door had always been open but had never been promoted.
Lions president Garry Goyne said the club was committed to increasing female opportunities once back on the field after COVID-19. Even if there were no females who fit the coaching panel, Mr Goyne said the club would consider a coaching apprenticeship to help improve off-field skill in the region.
"It's abut respect and ensuring respect has to go both ways," Mr Goyne said. "Everyone is on equal terms at our club."
Ms Kinnersly encouraged other sporting clubs and organisations to consider: "if there isn't a woman there yet, what are we doing to support women coming through."
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