Sporting Club Involvement

Sport is a critical channel for embedding respectful relationships, gender inclusion and the prevention of violence against women. Millions of men, women, boys and girls play or are involved in sport at some point in their lives and as a result sport is a powerful vehicle for growing safer and more respectful communities for all women.

Gender inclusion and respect should be incorporated into sporting events, programs, education and communication to develop a sporting culture which recognises and supports women at all levels of sport and also promotes the positive role men play in fostering gender equality.

Through utilising the positive influence of sport, White Ribbon provide tools, training and resources to mobilise clubs and associations in embedding respect and equality across Australian sporting culture.

We currently partner or collaborate with over 20 elite clubs and associations while hundreds of grassroots clubs across Australia utilise White Ribbon to drive respect in their clubs and communities.

Find out more about our Sports Engagement Strategic Overview by downloading the PDF here.

• As of 2018, 12.7 million Australians participated in sport or physical activity at least three times per week¹.
• An estimated 40% of women in sport said their gender has negatively influenced how people value them in the workplace in 2018².
• As of 2018, 38% of women in sport experienced gender discrimination in their workplace².
• As of 2018, 30% of women in sport experienced inappropriate behaviour from the opposite sex in the workplace².
• Only 24% of CEOs across the 63 national sporting organisations in Australian are women³.

Additional Resources

Our Watch

This Evidence GuAide summarises and recognises the work sporting organisations undertake to prevent violence against women by identifying ten key elements of promising practice in sport settings.

Male Champions of Change

The Male Champions of Change Sport Group involves CEOs of national sporting organisations in Australia working together and within their organisations to advocate for gender equality.

VicHealth

This toolkit is specifically designed to help State Sporting Associations to become workplace leaders in promoting gender equity and respect for women.

References

[1] Sports Australia (2018), Sports Aus: Annual Report 2017-2018, Australian Sports Commission, Australian Government, Canberra, Australia. Retrieved from: https://www.sportaus.gov.au/annual_report/attachments/35091_Sport_Australia_Annual_Report_20172018_WEB.pdf

[2] Women In Sports (2018), Beyond 30%: Workplace Culture in Sports, Comic Relief and Sport Wales, Wales. Retrieved from: http://www.womeninsport.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/Beyond-30-Workplace-Culture-in-Sport-report.pdf?x99836

[3]   Palmer, K 2019, ‘The Fight for Gender Equality in Sport is Far From Over’ The Sydney Morning, viewed 10 July 2019. Retrieved from:  Heraldhttps://www.smh.com.au/sport/the-fight-for-gender-equality-in-sport-is-far-from-over-20190307-p512bt.html