FAMILY violence advocates have highlighted workplaces and sport as starting points to tackle the issue.
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Leaders in the field spoke at the Wimmera Leading Change Breakfast in Horsham on Tuesday.
Australian Sex Discrimination Commissioner Kate Jenkins spoke about gender equality and economic security, and how they related to family violence.
She said women retired with half as much savings as men, and homelessness was a major problem among older women.
“When you raise that people say, 'How can that be – we've had laws and as a boss I don't pay women any less',” she said.
“But it accumulates over a lifetime, from a young age when girls are encouraged into caring professions that pay less, through to when they take leave for having children.”
Ms Jenkins said ensuring gender equality in sport through inclusiveness and safety was also essential.
Commentator and advocate Phil Cleary said spending years as a football coach taught him a lot.
Saturday marks 30 years since Mr Cleary’s sister was killed by her partner.
He said he wanted to see more women involved in sport at all levels.
“Bring me back in five years and I’d like to go down to your local football and netball clubs and you can show me the position of women,” he said.
“I’d like to be there on a match day, and see female coaches or women standing alongside the coach doing the data and the science.
“And at quarter-time when the coach looked to his people for the data, Kate would be there holding up the science that matters to young men.
“And the boys would be thinking, ‘She’s on top of this stuff – she knows it like us’.
“There’s equality emerging in your community.”