Take a Stand Program

Take a Stand is an award-winning program that supports workplaces to prevent and respond to domestic violence, by taking a stand against sexism and promoting a respectful and safe workplace for all.

The first of its kind in Australia, Take a Stand continues to lead the way as a workplace bystander program to prevent domestic violence and other forms of violence against women.

What is Take a Stand?

Take a Stand is a positive bystander program that engages all levels of the workplace in preventing and addressing domestic violence. Drawing on the latest evidence, Take a Stand promotes safe, productive and respectful workplaces. 

Take a Stand recognises that workplaces are significantly affected by domestic violence and can also play a key role in changing the culture that allows it to occur. The program is flexible and can be tailored to your workplace. We also offer an adapted version of the training focusing on addressing sexual harassment.

The program was the first of its kind in Australia. Since 2007, Take a Stand has been delivered to thousands of employees in diverse workplaces, including large corporations such as Linfox and Aurizon, not-for-profits such as Oxfam Australia and government agencies, including local councils and Victoria Police. As a result, employees in these workplaces have been equipped with skills and tools to speak up against behaviours and attitudes that support domestic violence.

Impacts

Evaluations show that the program:

• Assists workplaces to show leadership through executive commitment, policy and procedures to address domestic violence
• Equips managers and human resources staff to support employees affected by domestic violence 
• Increases employees’ understandings and confidence to discuss domestic violence with their colleagues and managers
• Provides employees with the skills to act as positive bystanders so they can take a stand against sexist jokes, comments and other behaviours that support domestic violence
• Promotes a safe, productive and respectful workplace for all

Review

At Women’s Health Victoria we are passionate about delivering education and training programs that are evidence informed and draw on workplace best practices. We are committed to ensuring that the content in our courses is current, relevant and appropriate to today’s workplace and that our approaches to supporting workplace capacity building meets the needs of today’s workforce, especially as it relates to working remotely and with flexibility to support potential ongoing COVID – 19 restrictions.

In 2021 we are reviewing the Take a Stand delivery approach to embed online learning and provide more flexible approaches to building the capability of workplaces to prevent and address violence against women through workplace action.

We look forward to launching our new Take a Stand Program in 2022.

If you would like to be part of this review or the pilot delivery of the updated Take a Stand Program please contact us.