Change Is Up to All of Us

HEALTHY RELATIONSHIPS EDUCATION FOR SCHOOLS AND COMMUNITIES IN TASMANIA

This education involves learning about:

1. Building Communication Skills

This teaches young people how to express themselves clearly and listen to others effectively. It includes:

• Speaking up about feelings, needs, and opinions in a respectful way
• Learning to listen actively when others are talking
• Understanding that good communication means both talking AND listening
• Practicing how to have difficult conversations without yelling or shutting down
• Recognizing that everyone communicates differently, and that’s okay

Learn more: Respond not React – free training Relationships Australia (Tasmania)

1. Conflict Resolution

This helps students handle disagreements in healthy, non-violent ways. It covers:

• Understanding that conflict is normal in all relationships
• Learning strategies to calm down when angry or upset
• Finding solutions that work for everyone involved (compromise)
• Knowing when to walk away and cool off before continuing a discussion
• Recognizing the difference between healthy disagreement and harmful fighting

Learn more: Relationships Australia (Tasmania) Mediation brochure

1. Consent and Boundaries

This is about understanding and respecting personal limits – both your own and other people’s. Key points include:

• Consent means: Clear, enthusiastic agreement – not just the absence of “no”
• Understanding that consent can be withdrawn at any time
• Recognizing that being in a relationship doesn’t mean automatic consent to everything
• Learning to say “no” to things that make you uncomfortable
• Respecting when someone says “no” without pressuring them to change their mind
• Understanding that consent applies to everything – from hugs to photos to sexual activity

Learn more: Consent Can’t Wait Campaign

1. Emotional Intelligence

This helps young people understand and manage their own emotions while recognizing emotions in others. It includes:

• Identifying your feelings (angry, sad, anxious, happy, etc.)
• Understanding why you feel that way
• Managing strong emotions in healthy ways (not bottling them up or lashing out)
• Recognizing emotions in other people through body language, tone, and words
• Developing empathy – understanding how others feel
• Taking responsibility for your emotional reactions

Learn more: Relationships Australia (Tasmania) Online learning

Anglicare Tas Tuning Into Teens Parenting Program

Lifeline Tasmania Workshops

What happens now in Tassie schools?

Currently this education can happen in schools through

• Tasmania’s Respectful Relationships and Consent Education (RRCE) program in schools.
• NAPCAN’s Love Bites Respectful Relationships Program and
• Other local programs that are offered from time to time or as pilot programs

While resources exist and many schools are engaged with staff training, respectful relations and consent programs are not consistently implemented across all Tasmanian schools. Unlike some other states, these programs are not mandatory. All programs are delivered at the discretion of principals within their budgetary considerations.

What happens now in Tassie communities?

Unlike school-based programs for children and teens, community education targets adults and the broader public. It’s about reaching people where they live, work, socialize, and worship to build understanding of what healthy relationships look like and how to prevent violence.

Some training is happening in workplaces (as they implement Workplace Equality and Respect Standards) sporting clubs, health service providers, local government and community organisations. Free online resources are available from Laurel House, Lifeline, Relationship Australia (Tasmania), Engender Equality and Our Watch.

Some people might attend one workshop in their lifetime, some may read free online information. Tasmania has no mechanism to measure or ensure or encourage widespread community education on healthy relationships and family violence prevention. The current approach relies on:

• People voluntarily seeking out workshops
• Services providing free online information and training
• Employers choosing to provide training
• Short-term grant-funded projects
• Community events designed to create awareness

Learn more: Laurel House free training for clubs and community groups

Relationship Australia (Tasmania) Connected and Respectful Tasmania

Lifeline Tasmania Workshops

Why healthy relationship education matters in Tassie schools

Given Tasmania’s high rates of family violence, this education aims to:

• Break cycles of violence, by teaching healthy relationship patterns early and implementing anti-bullying and anti-harassment programs
• Help young people recognize unhealthy or abusive behaviours
• Build skills that prevent violence and recognise red flags in future relationships
• Create a generation that understands respect, equality, and safety in all relationships

Why healthy relationship education matters in Tassie communities

It reaches people beyond schools to:

• Adults who never received this education as children
• Parents who need to model healthy relationships for their kids
• Community leaders who influence others
• Professionals who can intervene early

It creates social change:

• When enough people in a community understand and reject violence, social norms shift
• People are more likely to safely speak up, intervene, and support victims
• Violence becomes less hidden and less tolerated

It’s culturally appropriate:

• Different communities have different needs, values, and barriers
• Tailored programs respect cultural context while promoting safety

WHAT CAN WORKPLACES DO?

Workplaces often see warning signs of family violence through changes in behaviour, performance, or attendance that others might miss. By recognizing these signs, employers can provide timely support that helps keep employees safe, maintain their financial independence (which is crucial for leaving abusive situations), and ensure the workplace itself remains secure. Early recognition and support can be life-changing—and sometimes lifesaving—for someone experiencing violence at home. They can:

• Implement respectful relationship, anti-bullying and anti-harassment programs in the workplace -promoting a strong message to all staff about a workplace culture of respect and safety and zero tolerance for bullying and harassment.
• Offer paid leave – Provide specific family violence leave so employees can attend court, find safe housing, see doctors, or handle other urgent matters without losing income.
• Be flexible with work arrangements – Allow changes to work hours, locations, or duties to help keep the person safe. This might include working from home, changing shifts, or temporarily relocating to a different office.
• Ensure workplace safety – Update security measures like changing desk locations, screening calls, alerting reception about restricted visitors, changing parking spots, or providing escorts to vehicles.
• Keep information confidential – Protect the employee’s privacy and only share information on a need-to-know basis with their consent.
• Train managers and staff – Educate supervisors to recognize signs of family violence and respond appropriately with compassion and without judgment. Train all staff in anti-bullying and anti-harassment policies including how the workplace deals with these behaviours.
• Connect to support services – Keep contact details for domestic violence services, counselling, legal aid, and emergency helplines available. Some workplaces have Employee Assistance Programs that can help.
• Have clear policies – Develop and communicate workplace policies about family violence support so employees know what help is available and how to access it.
• Be patient and understanding – Recognize that performance may be affected, and that leaving a violent relationship is a process that takes time. Offer ongoing support rather than one-time assistance.

Learn more:

Engender Equality : Recognising and Responding to Family Violence for Workplaces

Safe Work Australia: Factsheet, Family and Domestic Violence at Work

WHAT CAN HEALTHCARE PROVIDERS DO?

Healthcare providers are often the first professionals that victim-survivors come into contact with, and may be the only people outside the home who see the physical and mental health impacts of the violence. Early recognition means they can provide critical support, connect people to safety resources, and potentially prevent further harm or even save lives. Many victims won’t disclose abuse unless directly asked in a safe, private setting, so healthcare providers play a vital role in opening that door. They can:

• Create a safe environment – Make it clear through posters, brochures, or conversations that your practice is a safe place to discuss family violence. Ask about safety and wellbeing during appointments in a private, non-judgmental way.
• Ask the right questions – Gently inquire about home safety, especially if you notice signs like unexplained injuries, anxiety, depression, or missed appointments. Use simple, direct questions like “Do you feel safe at home?” or “Is anyone hurting you?”
• Listen without judgment – Believe what patients tell you, validate their experiences, and avoid blaming language. Understand that leaving an abusive relationship is complex and dangerous, so respect their decisions and timeline.
• Document carefully – Record injuries, symptoms, and disclosures accurately in medical records, as these may be important for legal proceedings later.
• Provide information and referrals – Keep updated contact details for local domestic violence services, legal aid, counselling services, and emergency helplines. Offer these resources in a way the patient can safely take with them or access later.
• Follow up – Check in at subsequent appointments, maintain continuity of care, and continue offering support even if they’re not ready to take action immediately.
• Prioritize safety – Help patients develop a safety plan and understand that their safety is the top priority, especially if they’re considering leaving the relationship.

Learn more:

Engender Equality: When Your Patient talks to You About Violence or Abuse

RACGP: Family Violence Toolkit

Australian Dept of Health: Training and Resources for health professionals responding to domestic and sexual violence

WHAT CAN SERVICE PROVIDERS DO?

Service providers across all sectors—from housing and financial services to healthcare and legal aid—often encounter victim-survivors who may not be accessing specialist domestic violence services. By recognizing family violence and responding appropriately, they can provide crucial early intervention, connect people to specialized help, and address the practical barriers (like homelessness, debt, or legal issues) that trap people in abusive situations. Their coordinated support and awareness-raising also ensures victims don’t fall through gaps between services and helps build a community-wide response to preventing and addressing family violence.

• Provide trauma-informed care – Understand how trauma affects people and deliver services in ways that prioritize safety, choice, and empowerment rather than re-traumatizing victims.
• Screen routinely and sensitively – Incorporate questions about safety and family violence into standard assessments across different service types (housing, financial counselling, legal aid, mental health, etc.), not just crisis services.
• Offer accessible, flexible services – Provide options like extended hours, mobile services, telehealth, or home visits to accommodate people who may have restricted movement or surveillance by abusers.
• Ensure safety and confidentiality – Protect client information, have secure communication methods, and implement safety protocols to prevent perpetrators from accessing information or locating victims.
• Connect to specialized support – Build strong referral pathways to domestic violence specialists, legal services, counselling, and emergency accommodation so victims get expert help.
• Take a whole-of-family approach – Consider the needs of children and other family members affected by the violence, not just the primary victim.
• Train all staff – Ensure everyone from receptionists to managers understands family violence, can respond appropriately, and knows how to make safe referrals.
• Collaborate across sectors – Work with other service providers, police, courts, schools, and health services to provide coordinated support and avoid victims having to tell their story repeatedly.
• Advocate and educate – Use your position to raise public awareness, challenge misconceptions, participate in community education campaigns, and advocate for better policies and funding.
• Address barriers – Work to overcome obstacles that prevent people from seeking help, such as language barriers, cultural sensitivity, accessibility issues, or lack of services for specific groups.

A growing number of service providers operating in Tasmania are developing policies for supporting customers being abused by a perpetrator of family violence and coercive control. Some examples are:

• • Commonwealth Bank
  • Westpac
  • NAB
  • Bendigo Bank
  • Taswater Assist
  • Telstra
  • Optus
  • Origin
  • Aurora Energy
  • 1st Energy
  • Energy Locals
  • CovaU Energy
  • Dodo
  • Iinet
  • AGL
  • TPG
  • Amaysim

WHAT CAN EDUCATORS DO?

Educators spend significant time with children and young people and may notice changes in behaviour, attendance, or wellbeing that indicate something is wrong at home. Early recognition allows them to provide support, fulfill their child safe organisation and mandatory reporting obligations to protect children and connect families to help. For children living with violence, school may be their only safe, stable environment, and an aware educator can make a critical difference in their safety and wellbeing.

• Recognize the signs – Watch for changes in children’s behaviour, attendance, grades, concentration, or emotional wellbeing. Also be aware that parents experiencing violence may seem anxious, withdrawn, or have difficulty engaging with school activities.
• Create a safe, stable environment – Schools can be a refuge for children living with violence. Provide consistent routines, emotional support, and a calm space where students feel secure.
• Respond with sensitivity – If a student or parent discloses violence, listen without judgment, believe them, and reassure them it’s not their fault. Never dismiss concerns or minimize what they’re experiencing.
• Follow Child Safe Organisation requirements – Educators work together with a child or young person, and their family, to find ways to solve any problems affecting the safety and wellbeing of a child.
• Follow mandatory reporting requirements – Educators are mandatory reporters in most Australian states. Report suspected child abuse or family violence to appropriate child protection authorities as legally required.
• Be flexible and understanding – Make accommodations for students affected by family violence, such as extensions on assignments, support with catch-up work, or adjustments to participation expectations when they’re struggling.
• Maintain confidentiality and safety – Protect privacy, ensure information is only shared with those who need to know, and consider safety measures like changing pickup arrangements or alerting staff about restricted contacts.
• Connect families to support – Keep information about domestic violence services, counselling, legal aid, and community resources available to share discreetly with parents or older students.
• Provide ongoing support – Check in regularly with affected students, maintain open communication with non-offending parents, and continue offering help throughout their time at school.
• Model respectful relationships – Educators should demonstrate healthy, respectful communication and behaviour in their interactions with students, colleagues, and parents. This helps children learn what respectful relationships look like and establishes positive relationship norms. This modelling is particularly important because children who witness family violence need to see that relationships can be based on respect and kindness rather than control and fear.

Learn more: DECYP Tas, Feel safe. Are safe. Our Practice Approach

Compulsory safeguarding training for all DECYP workers and volunteers

WHAT CAN COMMUNITY ORGANISATIONS DO?

Community organizations can reach people that formal services might miss and help shift community attitudes about what is and isn’t acceptable in relationships. Raising awareness helps victim-survivors recognize they’re experiencing abuse, shows them they’re not alone, and lets them know help is available. It also educates the broader community to recognize warning signs, respond supportively, and challenge behaviours that enable or excuse violence—creating a culture where family violence is less likely to occur or continue unnoticed.

• Run education campaigns – Host workshops, seminars, and public events that explain what coercive control is, how it differs from physical violence, and why it’s harmful. Many people don’t recognize controlling behaviours as abuse.
• Use social media and local media – Share information, stories, and resources through Facebook, Instagram, local newspapers, and community radio to reach different audiences.
• Partner with local groups – Work with schools, sports clubs, faith communities, businesses, and other organizations to spread awareness and coordinate efforts.
• Distribute information materials – Create and share posters, brochures, fact sheets, and resource cards in accessible language that explain warning signs and where to get help.
• Organize community events – Hold events during awareness campaigns like 16 Days of Activism or White Ribbon Day to engage the community and start conversations.
• Train community members – Offer training sessions so people can recognize signs of coercive control and respond supportively when someone discloses abuse.
• Share survivor stories – With consent, platform the voices of survivors to help others understand the reality of coercive control and its impacts.
• Advocate for change – Push for better laws, policies, and services that address coercive control and support victim-survivors.
• Make resources visible and accessible – Ensure helpline numbers and support service information are widely available in community spaces like libraries, health centres, and shopping areas.

Learn more: Laurel House free training for clubs and community groups

Relationship Australia (Tasmania) Connected and Respectful Tasmania

Lifeline Tasmania Workshops

WHAT CAN FAITH COMMUNITIES DO?

Faith based organisations such as Anglicare, Catholic Care, Uniting, the Salvation Army and St Vincent de Paul play a major role in supporting Tasmanian victim survivors by directly offering domestic violence support programs and/or more general welfare assistance with the consequences of family violence and coercive control such as homelessness and poverty.

Faith communities hold significant influence and trust within their congregations, and many people turn to religious leaders first when facing personal crises. By supporting victims and raising awareness, faith communities can help to challenge myths around family violence and coercive control. Their moral authority also helps shift community attitudes and makes clear that family violence contradicts core values of respect and dignity, creating safer environments for everyone. They can do this by:

• Creating a culture of safety – Make it clear through sermons, teachings, and conversations that family violence is unacceptable and contradicts core values of love, respect, and dignity. Emphasize that abuse is never justified by religious texts or traditions.
• Training faith leaders – Ensure clergy, pastoral care workers, and community leaders can recognize signs of abuse, respond with compassion, and provide appropriate referrals rather than simply encouraging victims to live with the abuse or pray harder.
• Providing confidential support – Offer a safe space for people to disclose violence without judgment, and connect them to specialized domestic violence services, counselling, and legal support.
• Challenging harmful interpretations – Address any religious teachings or cultural practices that are misused to excuse controlling behaviour, justify abuse, or pressure victims to remain in dangerous situations.
• Educating the congregation – Run workshops, discussion groups, or awareness campaigns about healthy relationships, coercive control, and available support services. Include these topics in youth programs and marriage preparation courses.
• Partnering with local services – Build relationships with domestic violence organizations so you can make informed referrals and coordinate support for families in your community.
• Supporting in a practical way – Offer tangible help like emergency accommodation, meals, childcare, or financial assistance to help people leave abusive situations or rebuild their lives.
• Speaking out publicly – Use the moral authority of faith communities to advocate against family violence and promote respectful, equal relationships in the wider community.

Learn more: What works to address violence against women and family violence in faith settings: an Evidence Guide