By LACHLAN MOORHEAD
PLAYERS from Doveton Football Club will wear the white ribbon symbol with pride this season when they step out of the locker room and onto the field.
At a special presentation night to be held on Saturday, the players will be given their new jumpers adorned with the white ribbon symbol, an official recognition of the club’s commitment to the campaign to stop violence against women.
The Doveton Football Club – including its under-17, under-19, reserve and senior sides – has committed to wearing the ribbon in each of their matches for at least the next three years.
Club president Shane Viney said it will be the only club in Australia whose players will wear the ribbon on their jumpers for every game of the season.
The white ribbon will also adorn the club’s polo shirts.
Last year there were more than 7000 reports of family violence in the City of Casey, City of Greater Dandenong and Cardinia.
Mr Viney said he wanted his club to lead the way in promoting the anti-violence cause, particularly in Casey and specifically Doveton, where perceptions were at their worst.
“At the end of the day there’s a massive amount of violence outside the gates of the footy club that you don’t hear or see,” he said.
“The jumpers are a good thing for the community.
“It can start with a footy club, we have 50 kids at the club and if we get through to even half of those kids then we’re doing OK.
“That’s all you have to do, your bit.”
Mr Viney pledged the club’s support for the campaign after Cranbourne police Sergeant and former Doveton player Graeme Stanley approached him and club legend Steve Henwood with the idea.
All three men are now members of the City of Casey’s Challenge Family Violence program which brings together prominent male figures from the community to educate them about violence against women.
“Doveton hasn’t enjoyed the greatest reputation over the years and the significance of involving its football club in this program is identifying to the community that there’s a cultural change occurring now when it comes to domestic violence,” Sgt Stanley said.
The family violence co-ordinator for the Casey, Cardinia and Greater Dandenong municipalities said Casey’s Family Violence program not only covered physical violence but more broadly the “deprivation of liberty”.
“I ran into Steve and Shane and recruited them into the program.
“I thought that if we were going to take that measure of having white ribbon jumpers we needed well respected members of the group to be a part of it,” he said.
“For them to represent the cause is very pleasing.”
For more on the White Ribbon cause, visit www.whiteribbon.org.au.
