Sam Mostyn launches ‘The Line’

AFL Commissioner, Sam Mostyn on Tuesday joined Minister for the Status of Women, Kate Ellis at the Sydney Cricket Ground to launch ‘The Line’, a social marketing campaign to encourage respectful relationships in an effort to reduce the incidence of relationship violence.

Officially launched in June last year the Gillard Government ‘The Line’ Campaign is a four year drive using social, youth and multicultural media to reach young people.

The campaign aims to promote the development of healthy and respectful relationships through changing attitudes and behaviours of young culturally and linguistically diverse people.

As part of the ongoing campaign, the Sydney based event featured the album launch for young hip hop duo, Pez Matuse and Maya Jupiter. Their album is a collaboration of ten other talented young artists which will target youth with key messages about respect and responsibility.

Ms Mostyn along with the Minister Ellis also addressed more than 40 young men from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds attending the third annual AFL NSW/ACT Multicultural and Indigenous Camp about what respect means to them.

“The Line is all about getting young people to think about what is acceptable in a relationship and what crosses the line,” Ms Ellis said.

“It’s about having respect – respect for others, but also having respect for yourself.”

With more than 52,000 Facebook friends, the Line Campaign has already started a wide reaching discussion among young people, about what makes a respectful relationship.

To compliment the Line Campaign, the AFL delivers the ‘Respect and Responsibility’ program to more than 3,500 young people, aimed at reducing violence and promoting equality and respect in relationships.

“For our organisation, the ‘Respect and Responsibility’ Policy, along with partnering with programs like ‘The Line’ is about working together to shift attitudes,” Ms Mostyn said.

“We need to ensure that people throughout the Australian Football industry are not only aware but are also equipped with the tools to recognise that violence against women and behaviour that harms or degrades women and those close to them, is never acceptable.

“Camps such as the AFL NSW/ACT Multicultural and Indigenous Camp that we are hosting here in Sydney this week is just one of the avenues where we are able to provide to educate and reinforce our beliefs in creating safe, supporting and inclusive environments not only across our football community but the broader community as well.”