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Domestic and Family Violence Awareness

Townsville City Council is committed to fostering a safe and healthy workplace for all of its employees and creating an environment where staff who may be experiencing Domestic and Family Violence (DFV) are supported. We are standing up, speaking out and taking action to end all forms of DFV and are a proud White Ribbon Accredited Workplace.

White Ribbon Australia is a part of a global social movement working to eliminate gendered based violence, striving for an Australian society where all people are safe, including in our workplaces. The White Ribbon Australia Workplace Accreditation Program is internationally recognised and to date has reached more than 600,000 employees nationally. White Ribbon Australia is a part of a global social movement working to eliminate gendered based violence, striving for an Australian society where all people are safe, including in our workplaces.

The White Ribbon Australia Workplace Accreditation Program recognises businesses that integrate violence prevention into their business practice. There are a number of criteria that each business is required to complete along with submissions of evidence to gain this accreditation. The program involves a commitment from Council to address issues of gendered based violence and sexual harassment, both at Council and in the wider community.

Council recognises we not only have a key role to play in supporting our employees, but also in educating and informing our community of services available.

Read the White Ribbon Accreditation media release here.

Some of our community initiatives include:

Red Bench Project

The Red Rose Foundation launched the Red Bench Project to build a permanent reminder that domestic violence occurs within all of our communities.

For more information and locations visit our Red Bench Project page.

Townsville says NO to domestic and family violence


Over the next 12 months, our ‘Say NO to domestic violence’ billboard will be making its way around Townsville as Paradise Outdoor Advertising and Council team up to say NO to domestic and family violence.	In partnership with Go Transit and Sunbus, over the next 26 weeks, this same message will be cruising the streets on a bus to help spread awareness.

Signs to combat violence/Behind Closed Doors

Townsville City Council and Zonta Townsville Inc have collaborated to create awareness and support signs for all Council owned public Toilets. The signs detailing services available for people experiencing DFV have been installed in over 180 public toilets to date, with many more businesses agreeing to join the campaign in the future.

View New Signs in Council toilets share important message media release 22 September 2020

Community Safety Plan

The Community Safety Plan 2019-2020 was endorsed at a Full Council meeting on 27 August 2019. The objective of the Plan is to bring together existing programs, identify trends and issues in the community and develop appropriate responses to maintain public safety.

Council’s White Ribbon Workplace Accreditation has been incorporated into its Community Safety Plan. Providing support to staff through its Employee Assistance Program (EAP), rolling out strategies and policies regarding DFV and continued awareness campaigns that demonstrate the commitment Council are making to stand up, speak out, take action and end all forms of family violence.

Browsing Safely

Computers store information about the websites you visit. That means bills you pay and purchases you make are tracked, and messages or emails can be found and read. You should always consider that a computer might be monitored when you use it and be careful with what you send others or post online.

Safe computers can be found at your local library, Internet cafe, shelter or workplace; avoid using shared home computers or your phone when researching things like travel plans, housing options, legal issues, and safety plans. Using safe browsing practices like privacy mode (in browsers) or using a VPN, can help prevent abusive partners from tracking your Internet history.

For more information on browsing safely, visit the eSafety Commissioner website.

1800 RESPECT has a mobile app called Daisy, which can be used wherever you are in Australia and can link you to a range of support services. For more information on this mobile app and other mobile safety apps, visit 1800 RESPECT.