THE CARLTON Football Club recently held its ninth annual AFL Carlton Respects Game, marking another significant milestone in the ongoing commitment to achieve respect and equality for a future free from violence.

The Carlton Respects initiative, established in 2016 in response to the alarming statistics around family and domestic violence, continues to drive awareness and action through education, partnerships, and leadership.

This year’s campaign theme, "Respect for a Brighter Future," resonates deeply with the Club’s mission. The statistics remain sobering: in 2024, one woman every four days has lost her life to family or domestic violence, and two in five women have experienced physical violence since the age of 15. These figures underscore the urgent need for initiatives like Carlton Respects, which aims to stop violence before it starts.

Carlton Respects encompasses three core programs: the ‘Road to Respect’ school program, Workplace Charter, and AFL/AFLW Awareness Raising games. Each program uses the power of the Club to foster a culture of respect and equality.

Road to Respect is the cornerstone of Carlton’s efforts. This free digital learning platform and face-to-face primary school program aim to help students manage their emotions, seek help, break down unhelpful gender stereotypes, and develop respectful relationships.

The program has received overwhelmingly positive feedback from schools and communities and this year, we celebrated the schools and facilitators involved in Road to Respect with a special Guard of Honour experience at the MCG.

The awareness-raising efforts have also gained significant traction. A powerful video featuring Marc Pittonet and Harriet Cordner -  which garnered over 350,000 views on social media -  highlighted some of the realities of gender inequality in society.

The campaign's visibility was further amplified through extensive media coverage involving 10 AFL players, three AFLW players, AFL and AFLW Senior Coaches, and Carlton Football Club Co-Vice President and CEO of Our Watch, Patty Kinnersly.

The Carlton Respects pre-game “Shine the Light” activation was a powerful moment of silence. The MCG lights were switched off, and the crowd shone their own lights in solidarity to honour the women and children who have lost their lives to family or domestic violence.

This moment was accompanied by the powerful artwork, "The Lost Petition" created by Dans Bain and carried by families of victims, survivors of violence and advocates for the prevention of violence. This moment of pause serves as a stark reminder of the gravity of the issue and fuels determination to create genuine change.

The awareness created by the Carlton Respects game has led to almost 200 new school nominations and much-needed funds to support the expansion of the Road to Respect program.

The Race to Respect event, held at quarter-time, was a resounding success, contributing to the $400,000 total raised for the Carlton Respects program. This success is a testament to the generosity of the Clubs’ partners and the Carlton community.

Carlton extends its sincere thanks to Gold Partner, Bupa, who donated $1 to Carlton Respects for every match attendee, rounding up to an incredible $80,000. Thanks also to Silver partners – AHB Group, Hyundai, and Anaconda, who donated $1000 to Carlton Respects per match goal (Carlton and Geelong), and Bronze partners C+M Build Group, Onelove, Great Southern Bank and AMPOL who donated $1,000 per Carlton Goal.

Finally, thank you to our supporting partners Delaware North, Mirrabook, Virgin Australia and Penfolds, and Carlton Respects Program Partner Alfasi Group, who helped to support the delivery of the gameday and further fundraising for Carlton Respects. 

The funds raised will be instrumental in enhancing the impact of Road to Respect, with the ambitious goal of reaching 27,000 students by 2027. This expansion will allow us to continue Carlton’s commitment to educating young minds and fostering attitudes of respect and equality from an early age.

The Carlton Respects initiative is more than a campaign; it’s a collective movement towards a future where respect and equality are the norms, not the exceptions.

Carlton’s power as a Club lies in primary prevention, and through the support of industry and lived experience experts, we are making strides towards changing attitudes, raising awareness, and promoting behaviours that lead to a more gender-equitable future.

We are proud of the impact we’ve made over the past nine years and remain committed to playing a role in driving change.

As we reflect on this year’s AFL Carlton Respects game and we prepare for the upcoming AFLW Carlton Respects game, we are inspired by the support and engagement of the community and partners.