The Ballarat community saturation model is an initiative with the Ballarat community to prevent gendered violence. It’s about every part of the community coming together to take action and play a role in creating the conditions for a Ballarat where everyone is safe, equal and respected.
Right now, that isn’t the reality for any community in Australia.
Following a devastating period of violence against women in 2024, the Ballarat community rallied together calling for action. Responding to this call for change, the Victorian Government announced the development of a saturation model to prevent gendered violence in Ballarat.
Promising practice to prevent gendered violence has been delivered across Victoria for many years – including work in parenting and early years initiatives, schools, TAFEs, workplaces, community sports clubs, and beyond. The community saturation model is an opportunity to elevate this work to the next level, strengthening actions to prevent violence everywhere that people in Ballarat live, learn, work and play.
What is a saturation model?
A ‘saturation model’ means that all the different connections someone has in their community reinforce the same attitudes, beliefs and behaviours related to preventing violence. When prevention actions shaped by the community ‘saturate’ an area, and are connected and reinforce each other, evidence shows they have significantly more impact.
The specific actions included in the model are being designed with the local expertise of the Ballarat community, with a focus on addressing the gendered drivers of men’s violence against women. Key factors that reinforce the likelihood or severity of this violence will also inform the model, including the impact of alcohol and other drugs, mental health and trauma.
The model will build on existing prevention and early intervention initiatives in Ballarat. Strengthening these initiatives to reinforce each other will amplify their overall impact, to drive down rates of gendered violence over time.
This is the first initiative of its kind in Australia. Results from the Ballarat saturation model will improve Victoria and Australia’s understanding of what works to prevent gendered violence on a wider scale.
What is the evidence behind this model?
To achieve the sustainable change needed to prevent gendered violence, evidence is clear that stand-alone projects are not enough.
The Ballarat community saturation model is based on global evidence that demonstrates the impact of place-based, community-led approaches to preventing violence by ‘saturating’ an area with activities that reinforce each other. A review of Australian and international evidence from around the world found that initiatives with multiple components that reinforce each other have significantly more impact than those relying on a single method or implemented in a single setting.
What could the Ballarat community saturation model look like in practice?
The model is being designed with the Ballarat community. Saturation models can include programs and initiatives in schools, sports settings, workplaces, with community groups, for new parents, or for young people. They can also include initiatives that mobilise communities to take action, like social media campaigns, community meetings, or work with local media organisations.
Here’s an example of how someone in Ballarat might experience the saturation model:
- A young person receives Respectful Relationships Education at school, where their teacher is supported to deliver the curriculum with confidence and understands how to respond to disclosures and manage resistance.
- What they learn in class about healthy relationships is also modelled at their footy practice, where coaches and staff create a safe and respectful club culture, and where everyone enjoys equal and safe access to facilities and equipment.
- When they get home that night and scroll social media, they’re shown positive expressions of masculinity, respect for women, and celebration of trans and gender diverse identities.
- The education that young person is getting at school and seeing modelled in their community and online means that when a friend messages them a video of a girl at school that she didn't consent to being shared, they know how to tell their friend that isn't okay, and which adults in their life they can talk to about it.
- When messaging with their girlfriend or boyfriend that night they might start to feel worried about their behaviour or their relationship. But they’ll feel safe and supported to raise the issue and talk it through with someone they trust, like a parent, teacher or their footy coach. They’ll also know where they can get specialised support.
It could also look like:
- A new father and his partner participate in a hospital program for new parents on building equal and respectful relationships after the birth of their child.
- What the new dad learns about equality and respect in the parenting program is reinforced by his workplace. Parental leave, flexible work, policies ensuring a safe and respectful workplace, and diversity of staff and leadership define the culture of where he goes to work every day.
- The venue where he and his workmates get together after work also promotes safe and respectful behaviour amongst customers and towards hospitality staff.
- The culture of the new dad’s workplace means he feels safe and supported to share what he’s learnt about equal parenting and sharing the load at home with his workmates. It also helps him recognise some red flags in the way one of his colleagues is talking about their partner.
- The new dad feels confident in talking to his workmate about those red flags, and he can recommend a service his friend can reach out to for support. It’s a conversation he feels comfortable and safe to revisit.
How can I be involved?
To receive regular updates about the development of the saturation model, and ways to be involved in the co-design process, sign up to our mailing list.
Respect Victoria is always interested in speaking to local organisations and advocates in Ballarat. You can get in touch by emailing our team at practice@respectvictoria.vic.gov.au.