Primary Prevention of Domestic, Family and Sexual Violence through Sport
Together, we can prevent violence before it starts.
Sport is a powerful force for change. Through the NSW Government’s Pathways to Prevention Strategy, we’re harnessing the influence of sport to challenge harmful norms, shift attitudes, promote inclusion and respect, and build safer communities.
The Strategy
Pathways to Prevention: NSW Strategy for the Prevention of Domestic, Family and Sexual Violence 2024-2028
Launched in September 2024, the Strategy is the first dedicated whole-of-government domestic, family and sexual violence primary prevention strategy.
This strategy recognises that lasting change requires collective action from all parts of society, including government, councils, workplaces, sporting organisations and community leaders. It is grounded in evidence and designed for long-term impact, with a focus on innovation and collaboration to build safer communities.
The strategy aims to address the drivers of domestic, family and sexual violence through place-based work across four high impact settings, local communities, schools, workplaces and sporting clubs and organisations.
What is Primary Prevention?
Primary prevention means stopping violence before it starts. It requires a service system that actively works to reduce the root causes of abuse and prevent risk factors progressing to violence. It is about programs that, over the long-term, help to shift the dial on community attitudes and behaviours underlying domestic, family and sexual violence.
Domestic, family and sexual violence is widespread in NSW.
Domestic, family and sexual violence is prevalent and has significant impacts on people, communities, workplaces and government across NSW. It can be physical or non-physical abuse, and it can include things that happen online or that use digital technology.
Visit Our Watch for the key statistics and quick facts on violence against women.
Overview of the Strategy
The Strategy guides NSW’s long‑term approach to primary prevention, supporting coordinated action across sectors to reduce the drivers of domestic, family and sexual violence.
Vision: All people and communities in NSW are free from domestic, family and sexual violence.
Objective: Domestic, family and sexual violence is prevented over time through changes to attitudes, social norms, practices and structures that underpin gender-based violence.
Progressing prevention in priority settings
Outcomes:
- The NSW community is supported to live in healthy and safe relationships.
- NSW has embedded primary prevention efforts across the community with a diverse range of partners and expanded the NSW evidence base.
Supporting Aboriginal-led prevention
Outcomes:
- Aboriginal families are healthy, safe and enjoy equity in their relationships.
- Aboriginal-led prevention in NSW is expanded, in collaboration with community leaders, led by skilled staff with ongoing opportunities for professional development.
Providing centralised support to prevention efforts across the state
Outcome:
- NSW has structures and systems to support good governance, collaboration and coordination across the primary prevention system to support reform now and into the future.
Pathways to Prevention
Strategy Initiatives
The sporting community can influence positive cultural change and support the prevention of violence. Under the Strategy the sporting community is well placed to influence positive cultural change and support the prevention of violence.
Under the Strategy, the NSW Government has identified sport as a priority setting with the potential to drive widespread positive change. The Office of Sport is delivering four key initiatives:
Building the Evidence Base
Multi-Sport Coalition
Multi-Year Delivery Partnerships (Grants)
Aboriginal-led prevention through sport
This literature review brings together national and international evidence on how sport can help prevent domestic, family and sexual violence. It identifies the key elements of effective prevention programs, highlights what is known about changing attitudes and behaviours through sport, and outlines the conditions that support meaningful, long-term cultural change. The findings help guide future investment, program design and partnerships across the sport sector.
Game on for Change - Literature Review Report for Publication (PDF, 640.25 KB)
This audit provides an overview of domestic, family and sexual violence (DFSV) primary prevention programs currently operating in sport settings. It examines what is happening across local, state, national and international sport, identifies strengths and gaps, and highlights the unique role sport can play in shaping attitudes, promoting respect and driving cultural change. The findings help build a clearer picture of what works, where further support is needed, and how the sport sector can contribute to safer communities.
Game on for Change - Program Audit Redacted (PDF, 1000.69 KB)
Multi Sport Coalition
In June 2025, a whole-of-sport partnership called the Multi-Sport Coalition was launched that unites the sports community in the prevention of domestic, family and sexual violence.
The Coalition of state sporting organisations, professional sporting clubs, and other key industry stakeholders, and the NSW Government aims to build the capacity of the sporting sector to recognise and address the drivers of domestic, family, and sexual violence (“DFSV”). The Coalition’s objective is to leverage its collective influence, to advance gender equality and promote key messages related to primary prevention.
The Coalition is chaired by NSW Women’s Safety Commissioner Dr Hannah Tonkin with national violence prevention organisation Our Watch CEO Patty Kinnersly and Sport NSW CEO Stuart Hodge appointed key Coalition partners.
To date, the MultiSport Coalition has convened several codesign sessions to develop a Primary Prevention Model that can be applied across elite, community, team and individual pathways. The model is grounded in evidence, trauma-informed practice and culturally inclusive principles, and will guide the development of programs and products over the coming years. This shared approach positions the sector to deliver prevention activity that is consistent, impactful and aligned with community expectations.
The Multi-Sport Coalition launch
From left to right: Former Australian Socceroo and human rights advocate Craig Foster, The Hon. Stephen Kamper MP, Western Sydney Wanderers Football Club CEO Scott Hudson, Women’s Safety Commissioner Dr Hannah Tonkin, The Hon. Jodie Harrison MP, Minister for Prevention of Domestic, Family and Sexual Violence, South Sydney Rabbitohs CEO Blake Solly, and author, broadcaster and advocate, Marlee Silva.
The Multi-Sport Coalition, signed, shared commitment.
From right to left: Dr Hannah Tonkin, Marlee Silva, The Hon. Jodie Harrison MP, The Hon. Stephen Kamper MP and Craig Foster.
The signed shared commitment statement of the Multi‑Sport Coalition.
Multi‑Sport Coalition members and partners attending the launch.
Message displayed on the Stadium Australia screen: Multi‑Sport Coalition for the Prevention of Domestic, Family and Sexual Violence.
Group of people discussing themes at the Multi-Sport Coalition event.
Post it notes brainstorming ideas at the Multi-Sport Coalition event
Dr Hannah Tonkin, chairing the Multi‑Sport Coalition Launch.
Game on for Change Grant Program
The Program aims to empower all levels of the sporting sector to play a leading role in the prevention of domestic, family and sexual violence.
Through this Program, the Office of Sport is building the capacity and capability of the sector to address the gendered drivers of domestic, family and sexual violence leading to positive change in knowledge, behaviour, values, attitudes and skills, helping to build respectful relationships and safer environments through sport.
See more here: Game on for Change | NSW Government
The Game on for Change Grant Program is now closed.
Aboriginal-led Prevention
Through genuine Aboriginal led prevention, we work in partnership with local sporting clubs to strengthen and expand initiatives that address the gendered drivers of violence in Aboriginal communities.
The Office of Sport Primary Prevention team and the Aboriginal Outcomes Team attended the Koori Tournament and Koori Knockout to begin early conversations with community about what primary prevention means in an Aboriginal context. A consistent message emerged:
- Aboriginal communities already hold strong cultural foundations of respect, gender equality and collective responsibility
- These principles are embedded in culture, and our role is to support and amplify them through true Aboriginal led prevention.
13YARN (13 92 76)
A national, 24/7 crisis support line for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, staffed by Aboriginal counsellors.
NSW Aboriginal Legal Service (ALS)
Provides culturally safe legal support, community outreach and referrals.
Link-Up NSW
Supports Aboriginal people separated from family, community or culture, including Stolen Generations survivors.
1800RESPECT (1800 737 732)
National 24/7 counselling, information and support for people impacted by domestic, family and sexual violence.
NSW Domestic Violence Line (1800 65 64 63)
24/7 crisis counselling, safety planning and referrals for people experiencing domestic and family violence in NSW.
Full Stop Australia
Specialist trauma counselling and support for sexual, domestic and family violence.
Kids Helpline (1800 55 1800)
24/7 counselling for children and young people aged 5–25.
Headspace
Mental health and wellbeing support for young people, including culturally safe services in some locations.
Play by the Rules
Resources for safe, inclusive and respectful sport environments.
NSW Office of Sport – Safe and Fair Clubs Resources
Guidance for clubs and associations on creating safe, respectful and inclusive sporting environments.
