In football and netball clubrooms across the Ovens Murray region next season, players will be hearing stories that create honest conversations about respect, equality, and culture in sport.

Not from coaches or teammates, but from two of Australia’s most respected athletes, AFL premiership player Ben Brown and Australian Diamonds netballer Kiera Austin.

Wangaratta Centre Against Violence’s (CAV) Tackling Consent program, led in partnership with La Trobe University’s Reducing Gender-Based Violence (ReGEN) Research Group, is one of nine projects selected nationally under La Trobe’s Partners in Prevention of Sexual Violence initiative.

La Trobe is the principal funder of the program, which will evaluate new approaches to preventing sexual violence through community and sporting environments.

A community sponsorship grant from the Rural City of Wangaratta adds a gender equity focus to the project, helping CAV engage both football and netball communities by including filmed stories from Ben Brown and Kiera Austin.

Their reflections on leadership, teamwork, and inclusion give young players an understanding of the benefits of being part of a safe and respectful club culture, and how they can play an active role in creating it.

“Sport has always been where communities come together,” said CAV chief executive officer Jaime Chubb.

“When respected athletes share their experiences, it opens space for genuine reflection and change.

"Hearing stories from their sporting heroes helps young players connect with the idea that great clubs build great culture, and that culture makes a real impact.

"We are grateful to the Rural City of Wangaratta for supporting this work and helping us bring a strong gender equity lens to the program.”

Jaime explained that while CAV receives government funding to deliver crisis response and recovery services for people affected by family and sexual violence, it does not receive any government funding for prevention work.

“This prevention program is made possible through grant and research funding from La Trobe University’s Partners in Prevention of Sexual Violence initiative, and through community support such as the Rural City of Wangaratta’s community sponsorship grant,” she said.

“That is why partnerships like these, with La Trobe University, local councils, and our sporting communities, are so vital.

"They allow us to do the proactive, educational work that helps stop violence before it starts.”

Tackling Consent will run throughout the 2026 football and netball season, giving local clubs practical tools to lead positive cultural change on and off the field.

Five clubs have already signed up, including the Kangaroos Junior Football Club, Centrals Junior Football Club, Wangaratta Rovers Football and Netball Club, Beechworth Football Netball Club and Benalla District Junior Football Club.

Only five spots remain for clubs to join the 2026 program.

For more information or to register your club, contact the Centre Against Violence on (03) 5722 2203, email education@cav.org.au, or visit centreagainstviolence.org.au/news/tackling-consent-project/.