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Power to End Violence Against Women Program
POWER TO END VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN PROGRAM
Picture: Matt Sampson
Empowering young minds
Four-time AFL premiership player Shaun Burgoyne and twice All-Australian AFLW foundation player Gemma Houghton lent a hand with the Power to End Violence Against Women (PTEVAW) and Empowered programs this year.
Houghton (pictured) said it was a privilege to play a role with teammates Liz McGrath and Tess Doumanis in opening young minds through the primary prevention initiatives, which engage secondary school students around gender equity and respectful relationships.
Nationally recognised, PTEVAW uses the power of sport as a hook to start conversations with Year 10 male students about domestic violence and challenge gender-based norms that can lead to abuse.
Empowered engages female students to broaden their understanding of women's rights and how to identify red flags in relationships, with a focus on nurturing a positive sense of self and identity. The programs are a joint partnership between Power Community Limited, Centacare and the Department for Education.
Over the past 12 months, PTEVAW and Empowered together engaged 3059 students including 127 students across two leadership events which brought together both cohorts for the first time.
Port Adelaide captain Tom Jonas, Brownlow Medallist Ollie Wines and former skipper Travis Boak were among the AFL players involved in school visits and virtual presentations.
In November, PTEVAW lost one of its greatest advocates, Russell Ebert. Ebert helped launch the program in 2016, and was last year awarded the 2021 South Australian Local Hero Award in recognition of his work as an advocate for respectful relationships.
For many years, the Ebert family presented a united front to challenge ideals of masculinity and gender-based attitudes.
Ebert often spoke of their strong values and beliefs around how to treat others, reminding students of their own important role as future leaders, and how they could chip away at gender norms that can lead to unhealthy decision-making.
"The enormity of Russell's contribution cannot be underestimated," Director Pauline Connelly said.
"He became one of our greatest advocates and role models, and I will be forever grateful for the experience of working with him."
139
schools visited and 9,705
students engaged
3,059
participants this year including 1,534
female students
125
students participated in two leadership days
We are committed to ending violence against women and we encourage you to join us
