ON FRIDAY 1 July, the Carlton Football Club played its seventh annual AFL Carlton Respects Game against St Kilda at Marvel Stadium.

The game saw over 43,000 fans in attendance with many showing their support for the cause through social media, being a part of the pre-game activations and wearing a touch of orange — the international colour of harmony.

The Carlton Respects Game serves to educate the community about gender equality for the prevention of violence against women — a widespread problem within Australia where, on average, police are called out to a domestic violence incident every two minutes.

This year’s campaign was the most successful yet, with many people tuning in for the first Carlton Respects podcast, which can be found here.

The Club would like to acknowledge those who supported the campaign, with special thanks to those that contributed to the $40,000 raised through raffles, donations and guernsey auctions. These proceeds will go towards the development of the Carlton Respects Digital Learning Platform, which aims to educate students aged 8-12 on respectful relationships, values, emotions, gender stereotypes and equality.

We all have a role to play in creating an Australia free from violence. The Club continues to encourage all members of the community to speak up if they witness or hear disrespect towards women.

If you or someone you know is impacted by sexual assault, domestic or family violence, call 1800RESPECT on 1800 737 732 or visit 1800RESPECT.org.au. If you, a child, or another person is in immediate danger, call 000.

If you are in a position to help, a donation to the Carlton Respects program would be greatly appreciated to assist us in continuing our work in the gender equality space. To donate, click here.