Universities turn to sport to strengthen action on gender-based violence

Australian universities are using the reach and influence of university sport to strengthen gender-based violence prevention across their club communities.

RISE eLearning (Respect, Inclusion, Safety & Equality), is now being rolled out nationally, providing practical training for the student leaders, volunteers and staff who shape club culture across universities.

Funded by UniSport Australia and developed by the Our Watch Institute, the 45-minute online module supports universities in building prevention capability as part of their broader response to the National Higher Education Code to Prevent and Respond to Gender-Based Violence.

University sport has provided the platform to develop and activate RISE, drawing on its extensive network of clubs, student leaders and volunteers. The opportunity, however, extends beyond sport, with RISE providing universities with a practical resource that can be used across their broader club communities.

University clubs are an important part of student life. Presidents, captains, committee members, volunteers and other student leaders help establish expectations, influence behaviour and shape the experience of their members.

UniSport Australia CEO Mark Sinderberry said the experience of working across university sport had helped demonstrate the influence clubs and their leaders can have on culture.

“Universities have clear responsibilities to prevent and respond to gender-based violence, and meeting those responsibilities requires action across the whole university community,” Sinderberry said.

“Through university sport, we see every day the influence that club presidents, committee members, captains and volunteers have on the culture and experience of their communities.

“Those lessons have helped shape RISE. While our experience comes from sport, the principles are relevant to clubs across our universities, wherever students come together, take on leadership roles and influence the people around them.

“RISE gives universities a practical way to build prevention knowledge and capability among those leaders and extend that impact across their broader club communities.”

Our Watch Institute Director Cara Gleeson said prevention needed to occur in the environments where people spend their everyday lives.

“At the Our Watch Institute, we believe prevention happens where people live, learn, work, play and connect. That’s why we’re excited to work with UniSport. UniSport knows sport doesn’t just reflect our culture, it actively shapes it,” Gleeson said.

“The positive respectful and equitable values, behaviours and attitudes we see in sporting environments, influence our relationships, families, universities and schools, workplaces and communities.

“By investing in our RISE eLearning offering, UniSport is taking practical action to help prevent gender-based violence while strengthening the culture of university sport in line with the National Code. Together, we have an opportunity to create safer and more inclusive environments where everyone can participate and thrive.”

Universities are already beginning to put that approach into practice.

RMIT University Chief Operating Officer and Vice President Fiona Notley, who has completed RISE, said clubs provided an important setting in which student leaders could influence culture.

“University sport is a powerful part of student life. Clubs bring people together through shared identity and leadership, making them an important setting to model respect and challenge harmful behaviours,” Notley said.

“Presidents, captains and committee members set the tone. Their actions can help members feel safe, included and confident to speak up or seek support.

“Completing RISE is part of leading well. It is a practical investment in the safety, wellbeing and culture of your club.”

Monash Sport Director Brett Lavale said RISE helped move the conversation beyond awareness towards practical action.

“This is an important training module that builds our knowledge and understanding of gender-based violence and the different ways it can occur in sport and physical activity settings,” Lavale said.

“Importantly, this training is about more than awareness. It is about recognising these issues, bringing them to the surface and understanding what we can each do to help prevent and respond to them.

“Creating safe, respectful and welcoming environments is a shared responsibility, and this training supports our commitment to ensuring that everyone at Monash University can participate in sport and physical activity free from violence, discrimination and harm.”

The national rollout will continue across UniSport member universities, with participation and completion monitored to help universities understand how widely RISE is being adopted across their club communities.

RISE is designed to complement universities’ broader prevention and response strategies. It supports universities in addressing the expectations of the National Higher Education Code by building prevention knowledge and capability among the people who lead and influence university clubs. RISE eLearning is available now to club managers, office bearers, committee members, captains, volunteers, student leaders and university staff.