Police warn of family violence spike around AFL grand final weekend

Victoria Police have warned of a spike in family violence around the AFL grand final weekend.

The championship decider — the final match of the Australian Football League season — draws a huge television audience and long hours of drinking and gathering. Police say that mix brings more harm at home. Last year officers recorded 315 family violence incidents on grand final day, a 5 per cent increase, according to ABC News. In 2019, the spike reached 20 per cent.

Frontline and emergency services say they are prepared to respond over the weekend. Support services are also staffing up.

The Sexual Assault and Family Violence Centre described grand final day as one of the most dangerous days of the year for women and children. Its chief executive is Kerriann Campbell-Jones. The centre said police referrals to its service rise noticeably in the days after the long weekend, as people reach out once the immediate danger has passed.

Full Stop Australia, which supports people affected by sexual, domestic and family violence, is also bracing for a rise in calls for help.

No To Violence, which runs the national Men's Referral Service, a telephone and online counselling helpline for men, has joined the call for action. Chief executive Philip Ripper called for more funding for men's behaviour and support programs.

Researchers are also looking at the role of alcohol and gambling promotion in football. A report from the Foundation for Alcohol Research and Education released last month found every AFL and NRL club in Australia was sponsored by alcohol companies. The same report found every NRL club and five AFL clubs had gambling sponsors. Catherine Ordway is a sports integrity expert at the University of New South Wales, Canberra.

Police are urging anyone at risk to seek help early and asking family, friends and teammates to check in. If you or someone you know is affected, help is available through police on triple-0 in an emergency, and through national counselling and referral services.