David Mehan and Central Coast Community Women’s Health Centre CEO Sara Foster.

5 November 2025

 

CENTRAL Coast Community Women’s Health Centre has been awarded $4620 to support their project: 16 Days of Activism: Social Media Campaign for Standing Strong Against Domestic and Family Violence.

 

The funding will support a Men as Allies campaign to empower male community leaders to challenge harmful attitudes which drive gender-based violence.

 

Minister for the Prevention of Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Jodie Harrison said, “Domestic and family violence is unacceptable, and we are working with local communities to end violence in our state.

 

“Local organisations know what works in their communities and we are empowering them to take meaningful local action to stop violence before it starts. These projects reflect our community’s commitment to challenge violent behaviours and change the story for many women and families to one where violence does not exist.

 

“Primary prevention is about more than just raising awareness. It’s about reframing the culture that enables violence and making respectful healthy relationships the standard across schools, families and communities.”

 

Central Coast Community Women’s Health Centre is one of 20 organisations to receive funding under this program statewide.

 

Central Coast Community Women’s Health Centre (CCCWHC) CEO, Sara Foster, said, “As the largest and longest-serving provider of women’s health services on the Central Coast, last year (24/25) we supported close to 5,000 women and their children, and sadly domestic, family and sexual violence was a top presenting issue for these women and their families.

 

“Our Men as Allies campaign asks leaders from our community to speak out about what can be done to create a culture of respect and inclusion for all individuals and challenge the harmful attitudes and behaviours that contribute to gendered violence.

 

“It’s no secret that the Central Coast has some of the highest reported rates of gendered violence anywhere in NSW and these conversations are a critical part of raising awareness of this systemic issue and a powerful way to engage men and boys as part of the solution.”

 

Member for The Entrance David Mehan said, “Stopping domestic and family violence before it starts helps us build safer, happier and more stable communities.

 

“Central Coast Community Women’s Health Centre is on the frontline working to prevent gender-based violence in our community.

 

“I encourage everyone on the Central Coast to support the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence campaign.”

 

16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence is an international campaign that runs from 25 November to 10 December each year. This year, the Minns Labor Government is empowering local organisations to deliver community-based activities to address the primary prevention of domestic, family and sexual violence.

 

The NSW Government is taking a whole-of-community approach to stopping violence before it starts, by changing attitudes and behaviours that tolerate abuse in places where people live, study, work, play and socialise.

 

Funded activities include digital campaigns, training, community forums and marches, outreach, art and storytelling projects, and events that promote positive masculinity and challenge gender biases.

Recipients range from Aboriginal organisations, neighbourhood centres, outreach services, as well as women and family centres.

 

Each of the selected projects were carefully assessed according to grant guidelines and received between $2,500 and $5,000 to deliver local, community-led initiatives.

 

The grants support the NSW Government’s ‘Pathways to Prevention: NSW Strategy for the Prevention of Domestic, Family and Sexual Violence 2024–2028’, which outlines a long-term, whole-of-community approach to addressing the drivers of gender based violence.

 

This is part of the government’s wider efforts to bring down the rates of domestic and family violence in the state, which includes boosting support services for victim-survivors, strengthening protections through bail reform, holding perpetrators to account and earlier intervention.

 

For a full list of successful recipients and more information about the campaign, visit here.

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