Stop it at the Start campaign
Responsible government
- Commonwealth
Fourth Action Plan actions
- Primary prevention is key
- 1 Advance gender equality and respect for women through effective primary prevention initiatives.
What are we doing?
Stop it at the Start is the signature Council of Australian Governments (COAG) national primary prevention campaign that aims to contribute to a reduction in violence against women and their children.
The campaign aims to reset young people’s attitudes by motivating their adult influencers – parents, family members, teachers, coaches, employers and other community role models – to play a role. It encourages influencers to reflect on their own attitudes, and have conversations about respectful relationships and gender equality with young people aged 10–17 years.
The Stop it at the Start campaign will continue under the Fourth Action Plan.
For more information, go to the Stop it at the Start website.
- The Commonwealth Government will provide $16.7 million 2019–20 and 2021–22 to continue Stop it at the Start, with contributions from state and territory governments.
What have we achieved so far?
The third phase of Stop it at the Start ran from 14 March – 31 July 2021.
While behavioural change takes time, evaluation research indicates the Stop it at the Start campaign is already having an impact.
The Phase three evaluation research found that 68 per cent of influencers recalled the campaign, with 73 per cent of those people taking action as a result, such as:
- having a conversation with a young person about respectful relationships
- reconsidering the way they behave towards others
- changing the way they behaved towards others.
At a population level, this means that 49 per cent of all influencers took an action as a result of the campaign.
What is next?
- The 2021-22 Budget provides $24.1 million over two years (2021-22 to 2022-23) to develop and deliver the fourth phase of the award-winning national primary prevention campaign, Stop it at the Start.
- More information can be found at www.respect.gov.au
What difference will we make?
Stop it at the Start aims to contribute—along with education, policy and regulatory initiatives to reduce violence against women and their children.
It is required to successfully influence a positive change in young people’s attitudes towards violence against women and gender equality. It aims to intervene before attitudes and behaviours develop that may lead to violence.
Social marketing has a growing presence in primary prevention efforts to address the causes of violence against women. It can provide messages about attitudes, behaviour, relationships and give people the skills to challenge sexist beliefs.
A multi-layered approach is essential for achieving long-term change. The campaign advocates for changes in social norms.
The campaign aims to encourage communities to:
- stop their own beliefs and behaviours that perpetuate the cycle of violence against women
- start preventative conversations with young people around their attitudes and behaviours
- take ownership of the issue, and make a positive change.