Associate Professor Megan Jenkins, who is head of psychology clinical services and programs at Federation University, said concern about personal safety was a natural response to what Ballarat has been through this year.

"It really threatens your sense of safety. You've got to find a balance between being able to carry on with our lives while also being conscious of our safety," Dr Jenkins said.

But she urged people not to let it stop them from participating in leisure activities and doing things they enjoy - instead suggesting taking sensible steps to stay safe like walking with a friend or organising a friend or family member to pick you up after a night out.

"Seeing multiple examples leads us to overestimate the likelihood that something might happen to us," she said.

Dr Jenkins said gatherings such as Friday night's rally to take a stand against gendered violence were valuable for a community in shock.

"It gives people an opportunity to express their grief. Obviously the family and close friends of these women will be hugely impacted and will have lots of different ways they will go through grief.

"Even when you don't know somebody but experience that loss as a community ... being able to come together in that way gives the opportunity to express our grief and opportunity to be reminded there are lots of good people in our community and lots of support out there ... rather than feeling the world is a dangerous place and they're alone.

"Obviously we have grief in the traditional sense in terms of the loss of someone we care about but there's also grief around tragedy of the loss of a young person with her whole adulthood in front of her and all of those little lives she was going to change."

Dr Jenkins said the deaths of Samantha Murphy, Rebecca Young and Hannah McGuire needed to prompt "difficult conversations" about violence against women and respect for life.

Conversations about behaviour and respect need to start with children and be had throughout the whole community.

"It's never too early to have a conversation with children about respect for others and respect for safety, and on the other side having conversations about enforcing boundaries and being able to say no to something we don't like."

Dr Jenkins said it was also vital to educate young people, and adults, about how to speak up when something seems not right or uncomfortable - and provide the tools for people to respond appropriately if someone discloses something to them.

"One of the things we know in this situation is that for any kind of difficult conversation, if we have practiced before this difficult conversation ... it becomes easier to respond to this situation," she said.

Even if the response is 'I don't know what to do to help you but I'm going to go and find out and ask someone who knows more' or referring to an organisation such as Orange Door, or the police, can help.

For children and young people it could be giving them the words and phrases or advice how to talk to a trusted adult.

"It doesn't need to be distressing. The more we normalise these conversations the easier they are to have, the easier is to speak out that the behaviour is not ok, or that person does not feel safe."

Dr Jenkins said there were also many programs operating through welfare services such as Cafs and Orange Door, the FedCare clinic or headspace for young people.

"The statistics around violence against women suggests it's not just our community but Australia more broadly that does have work to do around education and support."

Support is available for those who may be distressed.

Phone Lifeline 13 11 14; MensLine 1300 789 978; Kids Helpline 1800 551 800; beyondblue 1300 224 636; 1800RESPECT 1800 737 732.