Footy Match, Video To Honour Family Violence Victim Survivors

The Andrews Labor Government is launching its latest video as part of its Respect Women: Call It Out campaign to coincide with today’s Vicki Cleary Football Match, honouring her and other victim survivors of family violence.

Vicki Cleary – sister of prevention of family violence campaigner and former VFL player Phil Cleary – was murdered by her ex-partner outside the Coburg kindergarten where she worked in 1987.

Thirty-one years later, the Vicki Cleary match is an opportunity for people, particularly men, to think about their role in stopping violence against women, and calling out sexism and gender inequality – one of the main drivers of family violence.

A new Respect Women: Call It Out video has been released today to coincide with the match – another sobering example of how individuals can make a positive difference for women.

The videos are part of an overarching campaign which has reached more than one in four Victorians.

The Labor Government has provided $30,000 to support the Vicki Cleary match by allowing free entry.

The Coburg vs Collingwood VFL match kicks off at 2.10pm, with a minute’s silence prior. Spectators will be asked to make a gold coin donation to assist the Coburg Football Club in their ongoing community campaign.

Vicki Cleary’s death and subsequent court case spurred Mr Cleary, who is a Victorian Government Victim Survivor Advisory Council member, into a life of campaigning against family violence and justice issues.

The shocking facts speak for themselves: on average, one woman is murdered by her current or former partner each week in Australia; one in four Australian women has experienced physical violence since the age of 15; and one in five has experienced sexual violence.

The new video can be viewed at vic.gov.au/familyviolencesupport.

Quotes attributable to Minister for the Prevention of Family Violence Natalie Hutchins

“The message is clear – if it doesn’t sound right, it is our duty to say something.”

“To do better for women, we all need to speak up. This new campaign is critical to stopping violence before it starts – prevention is the only way to reduce the prevalence of family violence and the harm it causes.”

Quote attributable to Minister for Sport John Eren

“Sport has the power to bring people together and builds a sense of community, and I hope by harnessing this power we can take another step towards ending violence against women.”

Quote attributable to Prevention of Family Violence Campaigner Phil Cleary

“We may have made progress in the last 31 years since Vicki’s death, but we have a long way to go. When we pause before the game, I hope that every man thinks about the role he can play in bringing an end to family violence.”