The Promoting Respect and Equity Together (PRET) Strategy 2021–2025, led by Women's Health in the South East (WHISE), has achieved significant milestones in building a more gender-equitable and violence-free Southern Metropolitan Region.
"PRET has shown that when we work together across sectors, we can create deep and lasting change. This strategy has strengthened relationships, built skills, and inspired action across our communities, proving that prevention is not just possible, it's powerful," said Kit McMahon, WHISE CEO.
Over four years, PRET has strengthened partnerships, expanded sector engagement, and equipped hundreds of practitioners with the skills to prevent gender-based and family violence.
Developed with over 30 partner organisations, PRET takes a place-based and intersectional approach, uniting diverse sectors, including housing, legal services, Aboriginal services, disability advocacy, and local government, to address the systemic drivers of violence and promote lasting change.
Key achievements include:
- Welcoming 28 new organisations and 37 new practitioners into the prevention network.
- Delivering 14 learning forums to over 1,000 participants on topics from affirmative consent to healthy masculinities.
- Supporting 42 school-based leaders to embed Respectful Relationships education.
- Expanding collaboration, with bi-monthly working group attendance growing from 58 to 137 participants.
One innovative initiative under PRET was the Preventing Family Violence First Aid training, a practical, skills-based program designed to equip non-specialist staff with the knowledge and confidence to respond to, prevent, and refer cases of family and gender-based violence.
Evaluation results showed significant gains in participants' understanding and confidence and inspired a ripple effect of leadership, with nearly half of participants expressing interest in a "train the trainer" model to expand the program's reach.
As PRET enters its next chapter (2025–2030), WHISE and its partners will expand into new settings, strengthen leadership commitment, and trial innovative tools to drive a safer, more equitable region. This will include embedding gender equality and respectful relationships in early years education, continuing the whole-school approach in primary and secondary schools, connecting with tertiary institutions to share strategies for preventing sexual violence, and advocating for workplaces to proactively prevent sexual harassment.
PRET partners will also support parents to model equity at home, teach emotional regulation, and engage confidently with their children on consent, relationships and sexuality. Clear, accessible communication will build community understanding, support, and ownership of the prevention work underway.
