16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence.

International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women

This Life is Mine – Stories of Survival Book Launch
12 – 1:30pm | Cascasde Female Factory

Illumination for 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence
Burnie City Council | Paranaple Centre – Devonport | Australian Parliament House

Arch – Voices through Art 

Walk, Run or Train throughout the UN’s 16 Days of Activism 

Launceston 16 Days of Activism Walk 
12:30pm | Launceston Town Hall

Our Watch: Advancing Gender Equality through TAFE, Industry and Community Collaboration
11am – 12:20pm | Online

Esafety Commission – An introduction to tech-based abuse
12 – 1pm | Online

Feminist and Domestic Violence Vigil
4:30pm | Parliament Lawns, Hobart

International Women Human Rights Defenders Day 

World AIDS Day

International Day for the Abolition of Slavery

Art With Heart Exhibition Launch – Huon Domestic Violence Service
1pm | The Kiln Collective, Ranelagh

International Day of Persons with Disabilities 

Risks and rewards of online communities: the experiences of girls and young men
12 – 12:45pm | Online

International Volunteer Day for Economic and Social Development 

Recognising online coercive control in young people’s lives
1 – 1:45pm | Online

International Day of Commemoration and Dignity of the Victims of the Crime of Genocide and of the Prevention of This Crime

International Anti-corruption Day

The deepfake threat impacting girls and women: from awareness to action
1:30pm | Online

Human Rights Day

Illumination for 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence
Burnie City Council | Paranaple Centre – Devonport

Hobart Respects All: A Community Celebration 
11am – 1pm | Elizabeth Street Mall, Hobart

During 16 Days, people around the world wear orange and take action to end violence against women and girls at home, school, work, in public spaces and across their communities. Learn more about Orange the World (UN Women)

Here in Tasmania, we’re wearing orange because safety shouldn’t be a privilege.

You could choose a day for your workplace, school, club or family to wear orange together! Have a line ready for when people ask why you’re wearing orange! For example: “I’m wearing orange because safety shouldn’t be a privilege. Everyone in Tassie deserves to be safe, whatever their postcode, income or background.”

Don’t forget to share your orange on social media to spread the word, and tag @tasFSVA or TFSVA so we can watch Tassie turn Orange!

Be part of a collective working towards ending family and sexual violence in Tasmania.

By becoming a member of TFSVA, you can stay informed, connect with others and contribute to advocacy and change across our state. Find out more about TFSVA membership and how you can get involved here: Membership – Tasmanian Family and Sexual Violence Alliance

Knowledge is a powerful tool for change.

Take a few minutes to explore resources about family and sexual violence, respectful relationships, gender equality or prevention. Share something you’ve learned with a friend, colleague or family member or make one visible at your workplace to encourage bold conversations! Explore the below collection of resources and download one that interests you.

Department of Social Services (DSS): 16 Days of Activism 2026 kit
Free to download, share and display.

Our Watch: a 16 Days toolkit and social media tiles focused on the primary prevention of violence against women.

1800RESPECT: social media tiles, plus suggested captions and supporting text.

One Talk at a Time: Australia’s first national awareness raising campaign aimed at preventing child sexual abuse.

Stop it at the Start: talking with young people and helping to learn respectful behaviours that help prevent violence before it starts.

The Line: a primary prevention, behaviour change program aimed at people 14-20 to help support healthy relationships.

Not Perfect, Better: White Ribbon’s toolkit which challenges thinking around small, everyday actions we can all do to prevent violence for everyone.

Conversations can be a powerful starting point for change.

Talk with someone about gender equality, respectful relationships or the attitudes that contribute to violence. It doesn’t need to be a difficult conversation — sometimes simply asking a question or sharing something you’ve learned can make a difference. Start one conversation today that you might not otherwise have had.

These free Australian resources can help you get started.

Stop it at the Start: The Conversation Guide helps you talk confidently with young people about respect, gender norms, recognising disrespect, privacy and respectful relationships.

Consent Can’t Wait is a step-by-step guide to talking about consent with young people. Try chatting in the car, on a walk or even over text!

One Talk at a Time encourages adults to have ongoing, proactive conversations with young people that help prevent child sexual abuse.

The Line has tips for talking with teens about dating, sex, porn and boundaries.

Generation Respect helps you feel more confident talking with friends, family and colleagues about raising a respectful generation, including calling out disrespect when you see it.

1800RESPECT: Family and friends covers responding to disclosures, safety planning and support to report.

Our Watch: Know what to do when someone discloses also covers what to do if someone tells you they use violence.

White Ribbon fact sheet (PDF) explains why no one should be pushed into taking action, and the “one chance rule”

Across Tasmania, organisations and communities are coming together to mark the 16 Days of Activism.

Attending an event is a great way to learn, connect with others and show your support for ending violence. Check out what’s happening in your community and attend an event during the 16 Days.

To find an event near you head to our Events & Training Archive – Tasmanian Family and Sexual Violence Alliance.

If you’re running an event, think about who might find it hard to attend. Choose accessible venues, offer online options, include an Acknowledgement of Country, and think about cost, childcare, transport, interpreters and Auslan. Content about violence can be hard for some people, so share support numbers at every event and let people know they can step out at any time.

Whether you’re driving, walking or enjoying a quiet moment, listening to a podcast can be an easy way to learn something new.

Explore conversations about gender equality, violence prevention, respectful relationships or the experiences of victim-survivors. Choose a podcast episode that interests you and share it with someone else.

One Health Podcast – Preventing Family Violence
Namidja McKenzie, Chief People Officer at the Department of Health, interviews Bree Klerck, the Alliance’s inaugural CEO.

The Trap – Jess Hill
The Trap explores abuse that happens in private, and in public. This podcast is a fantastic place to begin exploring how and why family violence is so prevalent.

Rule of Thumb

A Tasmanian podcast. Season one looks at the legal system women face when leaving family violence. It uses real stories and practical strategies to show what family violence, family law and sexual harassment look like from the inside, so you can spot the signs and find the right words.

Small business, big impact.
A podcast series that helps small business owners support staff with paid family and domestic violence leave.

Berry Street – Addressing Family Violence
Covers coercive control, community attitudes and the drivers of violence.

Voices Towards 2050: Ending Gender-Based Violence
Hosted by Micaela Cronin, Australia’s first Domestic, Family and Sexual Violence Commissioner.

CEVAW Conversations (ARC Centre of Excellence for the Elimination of Violence Against Women)
Research-informed conversations with a focus on practice.

Family and sexual violence affects people and communities across Tasmania.

Understanding the prevalence, impacts and patterns of violence helps us recognise the scale of the issue and why prevention and specialist services matter. Take a few minutes to explore Tasmanian statistics on family and sexual violence. Share one thing you’ve learned.

National statistics

Our Watch – Quick facts Key statistics on violence against women in Australia, in a short, easy-to-share format.

Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) – Family, domestic and sexual violence. Australia’s most complete collection of national data, covering who experiences violence, who uses it, how services respond and the impacts. You can explore interactive dashboards.

Domestic, Family and Sexual Violence Commission – Yearly Report to Parliament. The Commissioner’s independent report on national progress under the National Plan.

Gender stereotypes shape our expectations about how people should behave, the roles they should play and the opportunities available to them.

Challenging these assumptions is an important part of creating a more equal and respectful society. Rigid gender stereotypes are one of the key drivers of violence against women, so challenging them is a simple, everyday way to help stop violence before it starts. Notice a gender stereotype in everyday conversation, advertising, media or at home. Think about how you might challenge it.

Stop it at the Start – decodes everyday excuses and helps you talk with kids about respect.

Our Watch – What are gender stereotypes?: if you want to learn more.

Our Watch – Change the Story: the national framework for preventing violence against women.

Safe and Equal – Rigid gender roles tip sheet (PDF): what rigid gender roles look like in daily life.

Jesuit Social Services – The Man Box 2024: the full study.

The Line: for young people, on masculinity and relationships.

Social media can be a powerful way to raise awareness and encourage conversations. How we talk about violence matters. The words and images we share can challenge harmful attitudes, or they can quietly reinforce them.

Sharing accurate information, helpful resources and positive messages can help reach people who might not otherwise engage with the campaign.

Throughout the 16 Days of Activism, we’ll be sharing information, statistics, resources and practical ways to take action. Help spread the message that Safety Shouldn’t Be a Privilege by liking or sharing our posts.

TFSVA Facebook

TFSVA Instagram

Family and sexual violence isn’t always physical.

Coercive control involves patterns of behaviour that seek to intimidate, isolate, manipulate or control another person. Understanding what coercive control can look like helps us recognise abuse that may otherwise go unnoticed.

Coercive control can be just as harmful as physical violence, and it’s often a warning sign that the danger is escalating. National research shows that people recognise non-physical abuse and coercive control less often than physical violence. The more of us who can recognise it, the sooner people get support.

Huon Domestic Violence Service – Red Flags booklet: the warning signs of an abusive relationship. You can listen to it in a variety of languages.

Engender Equality – Misidentification of the Predominant Aggressor in Tasmania: how coercive control can lead to victim-survivors being wrongly identified as the aggressor.

Jess Hill’s See What You Made Me Do – Listen to or read.

Men’s Referral Service – If you recognise some of these behaviours in yourself, help is available.

Safe from Violence Tasmania – Non-physical violence and coercive control

eSafety Commissioner: help with technology-facilitated abuse and tracking.

Across Tasmania, specialist family and sexual violence services provide critical support to victim-survivors and their families. They do extraordinary work, often with long waitlists and stretched resources.

These organisations also play an important role in advocacy, education and prevention. Learn about a local specialist service and the work they do. Consider supporting their work through donations, volunteering opportunities, following on social media or sharing information about their services. Members Directory Archive – Tasmanian Family and Sexual Violence Alliance

Some services take trained volunteers for things like admin, events, fundraising or sorting donations. Check GoVolunteer or Volunteering Tasmania.

Share the Dignity – It’s in the Bag. For 2026, collection points are open at every Bunnings Warehouse in Australia from 6 to 22 November. Each bag gives hope and dignity to a woman or girl spending Christmas in a domestic violence refuge or homelessness shelter.

GIVIT. See exactly what local Tasmanian services have asked for, and give the item directly.

Hope in a Suitcase. Donate new items to help fill suitcases for Tasmanian children and young people entering out-of-home care.

Learning from researchers, practitioners and people with lived experience can deepen our understanding of family and sexual violence and what works to prevent it.

Register for TFSVA’s Speaker Series which offers opportunities to hear from experts working across research, practice and prevention, or watch a webinar or presentation on a topic that interests you

Content note: some of these include personal stories of violence. Support is available on the numbers at the bottom of this page.

Master Class in Battering Intervention Featuring Award Winning Filmmaker Deeyah Khan.

ABC – You Can’t Ask That: Domestic and Family Violence (Season 4, Episode 1).

ABC – You Can’t Ask That: Survivors of Sexual Assault (Season 3, Episode 1).

SBS – See What You Made Me Do (Jess Hill).

She Is Not Your Rehab (Matt and Sarah Brown).

Safe & Together Institute – Ask the Expert and Quick Takes.

eSafety. Multiple free resources available.

ANROWS. Multiple free resources available.

Our Watch webinar library. Multiple free resources available.

Knowing where to find support can make a difference.

Tasmania has a range of specialist services supporting people experiencing family and sexual violence, but navigating the service system isn’t always easy. TFSVA’s Service System Map provides an overview of services available across Tasmania and how they fit together.

Explore the Service System Map and familiarise yourself with the support available in your region. You never know when this information might be useful to you or someone you know. 

Workplaces have an important role to play in preventing violence and promoting gender equality. Creating safe, respectful and supportive workplace cultures benefits everyone.

Family and sexual violence doesn’t stay at home. It follows people to work. In Australia, 62 per cent of women who have experienced, or are experiencing, domestic and family violence are in the paid workforce.

Workplaces can be a lifeline: a place where someone feels safe, is believed and is connected to support. They can also help stop violence before it starts, by building a culture of respect and equality.

Share a resource with your colleagues, start a conversation about gender equality or find out what family and domestic violence policies and supports your workplace has in place.

Small changes can help build workplace cultures where everyone feels safe, respected and supported.

Fair Work Ombudsman – Family and domestic violence leave

Our Watch – Responding to disclosures

Respect@Work – Preventing workplace sexual harassment

1800RESPECT – Supporting someone experiencing violence

Our Watch – Responding to disclosures (workplace practice guide)

Our Watch – Managing resistance in workplaces

Small Business, Big Impact podcast

Our Watch – Managing resistance in workplaces

We all have opportunities to challenge disrespectful behaviour, sexism and harmful attitudes when we encounter them.

An active bystander is someone who sees or hears something disrespectful, harmful or unsafe and chooses to do something about it. It means recognising these behaviours and taking safe, appropriate action, rather than ignoring them. You don’t have to be a hero or confront anyone. Small actions send a big message: this isn’t OK here.

Learn one practical strategy for safely responding when you witness sexist comments, harassment or disrespectful behaviour.

If someone is in danger, call Triple Zero (000). Never put yourself or others at risk. Choose the safest action for the situation, which might be getting help or checking in later. If you see family violence, don’t confront the person using violence, because it can increase the risk to the victim-survivor.

Our Watch – Doing Nothing Does Harm

eSafety Commissioner– Report online harm

The 16 Days of Activism might be coming to an end, but preventing violence requires action every day of the year. Meaningful change happens when we continue to challenge harmful attitudes, promote equality, support victim-survivors and work together to create safer communities.

Preventing violence happens in the everyday choices we make: at home, at work, with our mates and in our communities. Think about what you’ve learned over the past 16 days and choose one action you’ll commit to continuing throughout the year.

Pick a pledge below, or come up with your own. Make yourself accountable by adding your pledge to Women’s Legal Service Tasmania’s Justice for Her Pledge Wall.

Pledge it, say it out loud, add it to the wall and use the Pledge Wall’s reminder to check in and reflect: Am I living my pledge?

• I will learn about family and sexual violence, coercive control and the barriers people face in accessing safety and support.
• I will believe victim-survivors, listen without judgement and help them access support.
• I will reflect on my own attitudes and behaviours, and take responsibility for changing them.
• I will talk with young people about respect, consent, equality and healthy relationships.
• I will challenge gender stereotypes and model equality and respect at home.
• I will speak up against sexism, disrespect and harmful behaviour, even when it’s uncomfortable.
• I will check in on people I’m concerned about and support others who speak up.
• I will encourage conversations about safety and respect in my workplace, community or sporting club.
• I will help create spaces where everyone feels safe, included, respected and heard.
• I will support local specialist services through donations, volunteering or sharing their work.
• I will advocate for better prevention, services and support across all of Tasmania.
• I will listen to and amplify victim-survivor voices, particularly those too often excluded or unheard.