Respect and Responsibility - Statement of Intent

AT THE CLUB COMMITTEE MEETING HELD ON 15 MARCH 2016, THE COMMITTEE RESOLVED TO ADOPT THE CLAREMONT FOOTBALL DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL'S RESPECT AND RESPONSIBILITY STATEMENT OF INTENT, AS SET OUT BELOW.

The Claremont, Subiaco and West Perth District Football Development Councils and affiliated clubs hereby commit to the objective of the AFL’s Respect and Responsibility Policy to create safe, welcoming and inclusive environments for women and girls at all levels of Australian Football.

By committing to this goal, we understand that;

Violence against women is a violation of a woman’s right to physical and psychological integrity, to liberty, and all too often, to her right to life itself. It is any act of gender based violence that results in, or is likely to result in, physical, sexual or psychological harm to women.

We acknowledge that;

  • In Australia and around the world, 1 in three women will experience violence at some point in their life

  • That violence against women is the leading cause of death, disability and illness in young Victorian women aged 15 – 44;

  • One in five Australian women reported being subject to sexual assault at some time in their adult lives; and

  • Four in five Australian women who experienced sexual violence knew their attacker.

We understand that violence against women is a major public health and safety issue in Australia, and therefore affirm that our club understands its, and the wider football communities role in preventing violence against women before it occurs.

We further recognise that violence against women is caused by:

  • Unequal power relations between men and women and belief in rigid gender roles;

  • Holding a masculine sense of entitlement;

  • Belief in the male right to control relationships; and

  • Promotion of these beliefs through social structures, such as sporting clubs.

We underline our commitment to challenging these behaviours and attitudes that can cause, contribute to and condone violence against women.

We understand that creating environments where women feel safe, welcome and inclusive is both an individual and collective responsibility. In order to achieve this, we commit to:

  • Having an equal representation of women and men in senior leadership positions;

  • Actively recruiting women and girls to coaching roles;

  • Ensuring that all elements of the Member Protection Policy are adhered to at all times;

  • Communicate and enforce relevant Club and League Codes of Conduct;

  • Actively engage with the White Ribbon Campaign, or equivalent;

  • Adherence to our Responsible Service of Alcohol obligations; and

  • Enforcing Club and League Codes of Conduct, where applicable. 

West Coast Tigers