A school-based program that promotes gender equality and targets toxic masculinity will receive a $1.5 million funding boost to allow its expansion in Western Australia’s Catholic and other non-government schools. Source: The West Australian.
WA Premier Roger Cook unveiled the cash injection to the Respectful Relationships program as part of a new “multi-million dollar” package designed to stamp out family and domestic violence (FDV).
The announcement comes in the midst of the 16 Days in WA campaign, which has taken on added importance this year following a spate of horrific FDV murders.
“By working to shape the attitudes of our kids, we can prevent family and domestic violence before it begins,” Mr Cook said.
Expanding the reach of Respectful Relationships — which is run in just 81 of WA’s approximately 800 public schools — was a key recommendation out of a crisis summit in August.
The $1.5m funding top-up will allow domestic violence support charity Starick to develop new online content that will allow Respectful Relationships to be delivered more easily in independent and Catholic schools.
Starick will also use the money to create more culturally appropriate content tailored to young Indigenous people.
Rolling out Respectful Relationships was a Labor pledge ahead of the 2017 election as part of efforts to prevent the attitudes that can give rise to violence against women before they take hold in school children.
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School program Respectful Relationships, targeting toxic masculinity, to receive $1.5 million boost (By Josh Zimmerman, The West Australian)
