More than 6000 school students and 41 schools have been recognised for their significant contribution to a pioneering respectful relationships program.
The students and schools were recognised at the recent Walk the Talk Awards, held by Women’s Community Shelters.
The Walk the Talk program educates high school students about respectful relationships, consent and domestic and family violence. It’s part of an effort to help reduce the concerning statistics about intimate partner violence in Australia, with one in four women and one in fourteen men experiencing it from the age of 15.
The Walk the Talk Awards were hosted at NSW Parliament House last week, with guest speakers including NSW Women’s Safety Commissioner Dr Hannah Tonkin and Professor of Sociology, Professor Steve Roberts.
The program includes a half-day workshop on respectful relationships. It’s aimed at students in Year 9 and 10 and delivered by Enlighten Education. Students also participate in real-life learning opportunities by providing service at a local women’s refuge.
Women’s Community Shelters has worked with over 23,000 students across Australia since 2019, focused on community action that can help break the cycle of violence against women.
It delivered a total value of $293,077 to Australian communities in 2025.
“At WCS we believe a generational change in community attitudes is needed to eradicate DFV, and research supports this,” said Director of Education at Women’s Community Shelters Dannielle Miller.
“Our goal is to help educate teenagers in a meaningful way that moves beyond theory and token gestures and into purposeful informed action, empowering them to be agents of change to create the world they would like to live in.”
“We have received such great feedback from participants, with 100% recommending the program and 97% rating it as excellent or very good,” CEO of Women’s Community Shelters Annabelle Daniel said.
“It’s incredible to see students engaging in the issue with such maturity and empathy. They’re not just learning about respectful relationships, they are living them and creating change within their schools and communities.”
The latest stats show rates of domestic violence for young people aged 18-19 are high, with around three in 10 reporting at least one experience of intimate partner violence.
One in eight 18-19 year olds have experienced emotional abuse, one in 10 have experienced physical violence and one in 12 have experienced sexual abuse.
Feature image: Students from Picnic Point High School with Julia Fleming (centre).
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If you or someone you know is experiencing, or at risk of experiencing, domestic, family or sexual violence, call 1800RESPECT on 1800 737 732, text 0458 737 732 or visit 1800RESPECT.org.au for online chat and video call services.
If you are concerned about your behaviour or use of violence, you can contact the Men’s Referral Service on 1300 766 491 or visit http://www.ntv.org.au.