16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence

Friday 20 November, 10am to 12pm at Birrarung Marr (Upper Terrace) Melbourne CBD 3000

Join thousands of Victorians in the annual Walk Against Family Violence to show support for victim survivors and help create communities where everyone is safe, equal and respected. Participants will walk from Birrarung Marr to Treasury Gardens, followed by guest speakers, activities and community activities.

Registrations not required, for more info – please visit Respect Victoria website.

Monday 30 November, 6:30pm to 8pm at George Jenkins Theatre – Monash University Peninsula Campus, Frankston 3199

Join us for an evening presentation by founders of She Is Not Rehab - Matt and Sarah Brown for a powerful presentation on healing, healthy relationships and preventing family violence. Jointly hosted by Frankston City Council and Kingston City Council, this event explores breaking cycles of violence, the importance of accountability, and creating safer communities

Please note: this free event is for residents of the Cities of Frankston & Kingston and, is recommended for people aged 16 years and over

Bookings essential, please register here (tickets on sale Monday 9 November)

Saturday 5 December, 9:30am - 11:30am at Frankston South Community and Recreation Centre

Bring the kids and connect with other dads and father figures at this FREE community event for families with children aged 8 and under. Featuring games, crafts, face painting, a photo booth and other family-friendly activities.

Please RSVP or call Frankston South Community and Recreation Centre on 9293 7122.

16 Days of Activism campaign - Club Respect Round!

• 'Respect Round' calls upon sporting clubs across Frankston to make a powerful stance to help tackle gendered based violence, while promoting gender equality in sports.
• Please note, no one is expected to be an expert in this area, therefore Council will provide clubs with an information pack, which contains all the resources and details required to get involved (packs can also be picked up during Step Up for Sport Training).
• For more information and to express your club's interest to participate by completing this form by Friday 14th of November

Step Up for Sport: Creating Safe and Respectful Clubs - POSTPONED

POSTPONED until 2026

Council is excited to partner up with WHISE to provide clubs with a FREE training opportunity. Have you ever heard or experienced disrespectful language or behaviour, on or off the field and not sure how to handle these tricky situations. This training is for you!

Key takeaways

• How to spot moments that matter and respond in ways that support your club members
• Easy ways to speak up or step in, and practice some conversation starters
• How to build a team culture that brings out the best in everyone

Where:Monterey Reserve Pavilion Frankston North
Cost:Free – registration required. To register please complete this form - Step Up for Sport

Red Stitch Youth Theatre Project

Wednesday 26^th November 7pm – 9pm

George Jenkins Theatre, Monash University Frankston City Council.

Thank you to everyone who saved the date and booked tickets to the premiere performance of our Youth Theatre Project on Wednesday 26 November at George Jenkins Theatre, Frankston.
The excitement is building, and the wait is almost over!

Book your premier tickets here

Peninsula Community Legal Centre and Red Stitch Actors’ Theatre are proud to present On the Ropes, an original Australian play exploring legal rights in teenage relationships.

Written by multi-award-winning playwright Dan Giovannoni (Merciless Gods, Jurassica) and directed by Krystalla Pearce with sound design by Beau Livori, this Red Stitch production is a funny, fast-paced and compassionate story about power, trust, and the long shadow of family violence.

Featuring Red Stitch ensemble member Justin Hosking alongside Karl Richmond and Milana Markovic-Matovic, On the Ropes follows two sixteen-year-olds whose lives spiral when a private photo goes public. What begins as a moment of impulse becomes a reckoning with power, trust and the long shadow of family violence. Inside a lawyer’s office their stories unfurl, tangled in questions of coercion, consent, and the fear of being defined by their worst mistake.

You can read more about the Red Stitch creative team on our website.

Carrum Downs Library frankTALK

“Protecting Children through Body Safety”

When: 27^th November at 7pm to 8m free at Carrum Downs Library

With growing public concern around safety in childcare settings, many parents and caregivers are seeking practical ways to safeguard their children and feel more confident in doing so.

Join trusted educator, author, and advocate Jayneen Sanders for a timely and practical session focused on teaching body safety skills and protective behaviours that can be introduced at home—even with very young children.

This session goes beyond theory. You’ll gain actionable strategies to:

1. Build trust and open communication with your child
2. Teach consent and body boundaries in age-appropriate ways
3. Recognise early signs of unsafe situations or grooming

Jayneen will guide you through her essential body safety skills, including:

1. Language to use with children
2. How to respond to disclosures
3. Creating a strong safety network around your child

There will also be an opportunity for audience Q&A at the end of the session, and each family will take home their own copy of My Body! What I Say Goes! Plus Activity Book.

Content Warning
This session will include discussion of sensitive topics related to child abuse, grooming, and protective behaviours. While the content is designed to be informative and empowering, it may be distressing for some attendees. Please take care of your wellbeing and feel free to step out or seek support if needed during or after the session.

DAD Time 2025

Saturday 29 November 9.30am – 11.30am

Frankston South Community centre, 55 Towerhill Drive, Frankston South

Cost: Free

Can you please let us know you are coming on 9293 7122

Find out more about DAD Time 2025

'Dad Time' - FREE activities, coffe & sausage sizzle!

Saturday 16 November, 9:30am – 11:30am at Frankston South Community & Recreation Centre

Bring your kids and connect with other dads for this FREE, fun and exciting event!

Designed for fathers with children aged 11 and under, it’s all about creating a supportive environment and strengthening family bonds through a range of engaging activities and men’s support services

Activities include; soccer, basketball, crafts, face painting, balloon twisting and much more!

The event will have free coffee from Frankie’s Training Cafe and a sausage sizzle to keep everyone satisfied!

Find more informationhere or email fscrc@frankston.vic.gov.au

‘Manhood, Mates & Me’ – FREE dinner and discussion for men

Wednesday 27 November, 6:30pm – 8:30pm (further details below)

Frankston Council and Mornington Peninsula Shire are inviting men from local community groups and grassroots organisations to join us for a FREE dinner and discussion on forging positive and healthy masculinity in modern times.

Jai Tao from Brother Nature will facilitate discussion-based workshop about ‘manhood’ and how we can better support the wellbeing of boys and men in our lives.

Jai who is a practising Buddhist, was previously a professional MMA fighter, before becoming one of Australia's most respected fight coaches training over 20 national champions.  

Jai has worked for number of years with boys and men in the mental health and wellbeing field with The Men's Project, Nirodah and Jesuit Social Services facilitating workshops on the ‘Man Box’.

FrankTALK with Rosie Batty AO

Saturday 7 December, 4:30pm – 5:30pm at Frankston Library
Join us at Frankston Library for an unforgettable FrankTALK with family violence advocate Rosie Batty AO, as part of 16 Days of Activism.

When her 11-year-old son Luke tragically lost his life at the hands of his father, Rosie Batty was catapulted into the media spotlight. But from the very start, she made sure her story was never just about her own horrific tragedy.

With fierce determination and incredible courage, Rosie channelled her grief into a tireless and inspirational crusade against domestic violence, becoming a beacon of hope and a powerful catalyst for systemic change.

Copies of Rosie's book ‘Hope’ will be available for purchase on the night.

Launch Event: 15th Annual Walk Against Family Violence

Friday 24 November

11am at Parliament House Steps, Melbourne CBD.

Join Respect Victoria on its 15th annual walk against family violence.

This is free community event, find out more by visiting Annual Walk Against Family Violence

FREE ‘Upstander’ Training for Community

Tickets are limited, reserve your spot by clicking link clicking your preferred date:

• Wednesday 29 November, 9:30am – 11:30am (Mornington location)
• Tuesday 5 December, 6:00pm – 8:00pm (Frankston location)

By attending this free training, you will learn new essential skills to help prevent violence and build new social connections with like-minded people.

As part of the Frankston & Mornington Peninsula Family Violence Collaborative, this training delivered by WHISE provides an opportunity to understand the connections between mental health, gender equality and respect to help stop violence before it starts.

Please note that this event is for intended for individual community members or those with a connection to a community-based group)

Have your Say: 2024-2028 Family Violence Prevention Plan

Frankston City Council is developing a new 4-year action plan for how we can all work together to prevent and reduce the likelihood of family violence.

Family violence includes domestic and partner violence and is experienced by all ages, genders, income levels and cultures.

Your feedback will help us plan actions that individuals, community groups and Council can take to prevent family violence before it starts by working together as a community to treat one another with kindness, respect and equality creates safe and positive relationships.

Please complete our survey before 5pm, 12 December 2023 to let us know what actions you are interested in being part of and what you would like Council to lead.

For more information, please email jason.rodwell@frankston.vic.gov.au

‘16 Days 4 Kids’ Activity Toolkit

Activities for kids are available at our local libraries and community centres.

The #16DAYS4KIDS 2023 campaign was created by WHISE, in collaboration with the Promoting Respect and Equity Together (PRET) Regional Partnership.

The toolkit has beautifully designed colouring-in pages, activities and resources. It aims to involve children by exploring what gender equality and respect means. Each design demonstrates how respect can be shown.

Teaching children about respect and gender equality is crucial for their personal and social development. It equips them with essential life skills, fosters positive relationships, and contributes to a more compassionate and harmonious society. By doing these activities, we create an opportunity to have meaningful conversations with children about these topics.

Launch Event – 16 Days of Activism with Phil Cleary

Friday 25 November 1pm – 2:30pm at Functions by the Bay
Council is hosting a special community presentation from former footy legend and independent MP on understanding the root causes of violence and how we can work together to stop violence before it starts.

‘Love Shouldn’t Hurt’ Presentation & Morning Tea (Women-Only Event)

Tuesday 29 November 9:30am – 10:30am at Karingal PLACE Neighbourhood Centre

Join us with experts from Peninsula Community Legal Centre for a facilitated discussion on why “Love Shouldn't Hurt” and what to look out for when your relationship doesn’t feel right. Access to referral and resources will be available.

FrankTALK with Jane Gilmore: Teaching Consent

Thursday 1 December 7pm – 8pm at Carrum Downs Library
Join us with author Jane Gilmore discussing her books ‘Teaching Consent’ on respectful relationships education and ‘Fixed It’ as a response to the media portrayal of men’s violence against women in Australia.

Strong Sisters Sports Festival

Saturday 10 December 12pm – 4pm at Belvedere Reserve (Oval 1)
The Strong Sisters Sports Festival initiative aims to motivate women and girls to reach their fullest potential by engaging in physical activity and strengthening their bodies and mind.

To empower women and girls to participate in sport, Council in collaboration with Strong Sisters is hosting a 'COME & TRY DAY' with a variety of local sports including footy, soccer, cricket, tennis, netball, archery and more!

Walking 16 K’s in 16 Days – Steps for Respect
Respecting Seniors Network in partnership with Zonta Melbourne South East and Zonta Mornington Peninsula led a walking campaign against:

• ageism
• sexism
• violence.

The Network encouraging participants to walk at least 16 K’s in 16 Days to raise awareness of older survivors of family violence.

Key messages from the campaign centered around ‘Respect Is’ were projected onto the Frankston Arts Centre during the week.

Cooking & Craft Workshops
Community members were invited to participate in the campaign by creating food dishes and or craft with orange as the key colour or ingredient and share an image on Facebook or Instagram using the hashtags #Frankston16DoA #16DoA #CookingWithOrange

Respect is.... L2P Program
In partnership with Women’s Health in the South East, Council worked with L2P mentor drivers to strengthen their knowledge and understanding around factors that contribute to gender-based violence and explore appropriate ways to respond to disclosures from learner drivers.

For more information about our L2P program please visit the VicRoads website.

FrankTALK with Ruth Claire
Award winning author of the acclaimed memoir, ‘Enemy’ and passionate advocate for the rights of women and children and a speaker on domestic violence. Ruth is open, inspiring, entertaining and believes honest discussion about the things that hurt us can be the beginning of real change.

Watch the FrankTALK here

Local Business ‘Respect Victoria’ Kits
Council partnered with local businesses and cafes by providing them with a ‘Respect Campaign kit’ containing stamps for take away coffee cups, containers and sandwich bags with the ‘Respect Women, Call It Out’ message, as well as bookmarks with support service contacts and posters to create awareness and encourage conversations about respect in the community.

Youth Crafting Against Gender-Based Violence
Frankston Youth Services had at least 8 young people involved in the campaign by decorating their homes and gardens orange over the 16 Days campaign to spread the Respect messaging in their local neighbourhoods.

Community Event: 45 Shoes – Call It Out For Her
An installation of 45 shoes to represent the women who have tragically lost their lives to violence in Australia this year. The event provides an opportunity to reflect on the impact of violence against women and how we can all play a role to stop this from happening by calling out sexism, sexual harassment and disrespect towards women in our everyday lives.

Community Presentation: Jax Jacki Brown on gender & intersectionality
The purpose of this event was to raise awareness of the diverse experiences of gender inequality through the exploration of intersectionality, with a focus on disability and LGBTQI and how society can construct multiple forms of discrimination experienced across the life course. Jax Jacki Brown provided a powerful insight into the reasons why society needs to change, rather than people with disabilities. 

Orange ‘ribbon bombing’ Activity — Zonta Melbourne South
Zonta bombed trees in the following locations with orange ribbons to raise awareness of gendered violence, and encouraged the community to take a ‘selfie’ hugging the tree (‘hug a tree’) and post on social media with the listed hashtags: Wells Street Plaza; Shannon Street Mall; and Davey Street out the front of the council build and Frankston Arts Centre.

Celebrating female participation and leadership in sports
The council hosted an event for local sporting clubs at the Frankston Yacht Club on ‘female participation and leadership in sports’. The focus of this campaign was to challenge social cultures and behaviours around female participation in sport by celebrating the achievements of local women. The guest speakers included:

• Sarah Hosking from Carlton Football Club, AFLW, who played in the inaugural match of the Women’s AFL Premier League and has a strong message for young women to follow their passion.

• Meaghan Densely, Commodore of Frankston Yacht Club, who was the first female and youngest person to become a Commodore of a yacht club in Australia, and spoke to the influence of sports clubs on building young people’s leadership skills.

• Students from Frankston High School spoke about their project on gender stereotypes, and showcased the experiences of one of its female students who has a promising cricketing career ahead of her, and who spent her childhood playing in ‘boys’ teams.

WHISE coffee cups campaign
Council worked in partnership with WHISE and the Frankston Mornington Peninsula Family Violence Network to deliver disposable coffee cups to local cafes, promoting the campaign’s key messages.

One Million Stars to End Violence
In 2016 the council collaborated with Vicinity, the retail asset management company, to host star weaving workshops at Bayside Shopping Centre in support of the One Million Stars to End Violence campaign. The focus of this campaign locally was to raise awareness within the community of the relationship between gender inequality and gendered (family) violence. Local cafes were also supported to distribute campaign coffee cups designed by WHISE

Gender Equity Storytime
Frankston City Libraries and all kindergarten’s located in Council-owned facilities were invited to participate in a Gender Equity Storytime during the 16DoA. The libraries and kindergartens each received a copy of Princess Smartypants by Babette Cole, a post of the UN Convention of Rights of the Child, frog stickers for the children to be handed out as part of the craft activity and a poster from the Let’s Stop at the Start campaign.

FMP Clothesline Project
In 2015 the council joined forces with the Frankston Mornington Peninsula Family Violence Network to launch the FMP Clothesline Project at Cube 37, with a guest presentation by Rosie Batty.