Frontline services warn of AFL grand final domestic violence risk

Police and domestic violence services are preparing for a spike in family violence incidents ahead of the AFL grand final this weekend.

Victoria Police issued a warning this week, reporting a 5 per cent increase in family violence incidents on AFL grand final day last year, with 315 incidents overall.

It said in 2019, there was a 20 per cent spike in incidents.

"We know there is a heightened risk for family violence during major sporting events," a Victoria Police spokesperson said.

"This is because we see families come together and offenders may use periods of extended contact to increase their abusive behaviours."

Domestic violence victim-survivor Pip Rae vividly remembers watching major sporting games at home with her ex-partner.

"You would see the yelling and the screaming and the unpredictable outbursts and the swearing and the aggressive language and … the stomping around, slamming of the doors," she said.

The former police officer, who now helps other women going through domestic violence, said the experience was familiar for many women she worked with.

"If one of the children gets upset or there's some sort of argument that spills over from that, that's all it takes for domestic violence to trigger off," she said.

Alcohol consumption fuelling violence

Experts say that while domestic violence occurs year-round, the additional stress or disappointment around a big game coupled with gambling or alcohol consumption can be a dangerous combination.

"Women and children are harmed at a much higher rate at these times of high intense feelings, either winning or losing, and that's extremely problematic when we have a gender-based violence crisis in this country," said Dr Catherine Ordway, a sports integrity expert at the University of New South Wales, Canberra.

"What we've known for a long time is that there's a correlation between the use of alcohol, major sporting events and domestic violence."

The Foundation for Alcohol Research & Education released a new report last month, which showed every AFL and NRL club in Australia was now sponsored by alcohol companies, while every NRL club and five AFL clubs also had gambling sponsors.

Dr Ordway said she believed sponsorship links between sporting codes and the alcohol and gambling industries were leading to increased risk of harm.

"We don't need alcohol to enjoy sport, and it's really important that we have a good hard look at the sponsorships of alcohol and the infiltration of advertising," she said. 

'One of the most dangerous days of the year'

Frontline services, including Full Stop Australia, are bracing for a rise in calls for help.

The Sexual Assault and Family Violence Centre said grand final day was "one of the most dangerous days of the year" for women and children, and police referrals to its service rose noticeably in the days after the grand final long weekend.

"We prepare for events like the AFL grand final well in advance," said CEO Kerriann Campbell-Jones.

"Our teams strengthen safety planning processes, make sure emergency accommodation is ready, and coordinate closely with other services.

"That a specialist service has to prepare for a national sporting event in this way is a great shame."

Philip Ripper is the chief executive at No To Violence, which operates the national Men's Referral Service, a telephone and online counselling helpline for men.

He has called for more funding for men's behaviour and support programs to address the problem before it escalates into a crisis.

"We need to intervene much earlier. We shouldn't be leaving police as our first response," he said.

"There are men's behaviour change programs that have existed across this country for 30 or 40 years. They run on the smell of an oily rag and they are under-resourced and the availability is patchy at best."

He agreed cultural change amongst the sporting community was vital too.

"I think it's fair to say the culture within AFL clubs needs re-examining again. But this also goes right down to local sporting clubs, places where men and women come together," he said.