For many Australians, grand final weekends are some of the most anticipated times of the year. Friends and families come together, children wear their team colours and communities share in the excitement.
But for some in the community, mostly women and children, the period after the final siren or whistle is marked by fear rather than celebration.
New frontline data from Berry Street Yooralla shows that, over the past two years, we recorded an average 56 per cent increase in victim-survivors seeking help in the week immediately following the grand final weekend.
In Victoria, that is this week. Next week, it will be New South Wales and Queensland. In 2024, the increase was 45.2 per cent. In 2025, it was 67.5 per cent.
This pattern extends beyond our services at Berry Street Yooralla. According to Our Watch, Victoria Police prepares for a 20 per cent increase in family violence call-outs on AFL Grand Final day. The Men’s Referral Service reported increases in calls of 32 per cent in 2020 and 34 per cent in 2021.
Similar trends have been recorded around other major men’s sporting events. A La Trobe University study found a 40 per cent increase in family violence reports to NSW Police on State of Origin game nights. In England, research found a 47 per cent increase in alcohol-related family violence reports when the national football team won. These figures are confronting, but behind every number is a woman or child whose home may not be a safe place – whether it’s win, loss or draw.
It is important to be clear about what the data does and does not tell us. Football does not cause family violence, and most football fans do not use violence.
While alcohol, gambling, stress and heightened emotions can increase the frequency or severity of violence, they do not cause it, and they never excuse it. The person choosing to use coercion, control or violence is solely responsible for their actions.
Grand final weekends provide a highly visible moment to talk about a crisis that continues throughout the year. It is also an opportunity for all of us to better understand what family violence looks like and how we can respond.
Family violence is not limited to physical assault. It can include emotional abuse, threats, intimidation, financial control, sexual violence, stalking and isolation from friends or family. It may involve monitoring someone’s phone, controlling where they go or restricting their access to money.
Children are also deeply affected. The violence does not need to be directed at them. They are affected when their care givers are harmed or in fear and by what they are shown is acceptable behaviour by the person using violence.
The Australian Bureau of Statistics found that among women who had experienced violence from a former partner while living together, 69 per cent said children in their care had seen or heard the violence. Exposure to violence can affect a child’s sense of safety, wellbeing and relationships, long after an incident has occurred.
Talking to children and teenagers about family violence can feel difficult, but silence does not protect them. Age-appropriate conversations can help children understand that violence and putting someone in fear is never acceptable, that it is not their fault and that trusted adults are available to help. They deserve to be shown and taught about healthy relationships and personability.
We also need to think about the role each of us can play.
Women and children should not be expected to carry the burden of preventing violence against them. Men have an important role in challenging harmful attitudes, calling out disrespect and speaking with other men about accountability.
If someone shares their experience with you, listen without judgement. Do not blame them or pressure them to leaveAsk what support they need and help them connect with specialist services when they feel ready.
The way we speak about family violence matters too. Our language should centre the safety and choices of adult and child victim-survivors, and hold people who use violence accountable for their actions. Phrases that focus on alcohol, anger or the result of a football match as causes shift responsibility away from the person making the choice to use violence and give them less opportunity to change.
Grand final weekends should be safe and enjoyable for everyone. Recognising the increased risk is not about blaming football. It is about refusing to look away from what people are doing, frontline services are seeing and making sure people know that support is available.
The final siren should mark the end of a game, not the beginning of fear at home.