This full day event brings together Year 9 students from schools across the Greater Geelong region for a series of workshops and a friendly netball competition with a respectful twist.

Topics explored include:

• Gender stereotypes
• Affirmative consent
• Active bystander intervention
• Help-seeking strategies

The workshops are followed by a mixed round-robin netball competition, designed to be fun, inclusive, and non-competitive.

Barwon Respect Cup empowers young people to take action against gender-based violence by promoting healthy relationships, affirmative consent, bystander intervention, help-seeking behaviours, and gender equity. Students learn to recognise harmful behaviours, speak up, and seek support whether for themselves or someone they know who may be in a disrespectful or unsafe relationship. Students will be encouraged to promote gender equity in their schools and the wider Greater Geelong community, helping to create safer, more inclusive spaces for all.

About the project partners

Barwon Respect Cup is led by the City of Greater Geelong and supported by a coalition of organisations that advocate for respectful relationships education and violence prevention in Greater Geelong.

The coalition includes: 

• The Sexual Assault & Family Violence Centre
• The Victorian Department of Education (Respectful Relationships)
• Barwon Community Legal Services
• AFL Barwon
• Kardinia Park Trust

Event details

In 2025, Barwon Respect Cup was held in term 4 on Thursday 27 November and contributed to the City's involvement in the 16 Days of Activism.

The event brought together over 100 students from nine schools across the Greater Geelong region. Read more about the day here.

16 Days of Activism 

In 2025, the Barwon Respect Cup was part of the City of Greater Geelong’s contribution to the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence. This global campaign runs annually from 25 November (International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women) to 10 December (Human Rights Day) and calls on individuals and communities to work together to prevent and eliminate violence against women and girls.

Students connected with peers from other schools and explored key themes around respect, inclusion, and gender equity.