Australia - Wife beating down by 55 percent because of rugby

[dirtydog]

Normanton footballers tackle domestic violence
By Robyn Ironside

A QUEENSLAND rugby league team that suspends players who are charged with domestic violence has scored a national crime-prevention award.

The Normanton Stingers introduced the policy in late 2006 to help tackle the shocking rate of domestic violence in the remote Gulf of Carpentaria community.

Before the campaign, a third of the town's adult population was subject to a domestic violence order.

But, police said, that had been slashed by 55 per cent since the "hugely popular" Stingers came on board.

Coach Paul Stephens said that, under the campaign, players who commit domestic violence and are charged by police are suspended for a game.

"On the second offence they get suspended for three games and the third time, they're out of the team for good," he said.
Stephens said that, in two years, only one of the club's 50 players had been suspended for a game.
"He wasn't charged because his missus didn't make a complaint but he came to me and told me what he had done. I said: 'Well you can sit this weekend's game out'," he said.
The team's popularity was helping raise awareness of the issue with "almost every person in town" owning a Stingers shirt, Stephens said.
"They carry the logo 'domestic violence - it's not our game'. Every time you walk down the street you see at least one person wearing one," Mr Stephens said.
He said players even starred in a television advertisement to promote the message which led to some good-natured ribbing at games.
"Once one of our players was involved in a bit of push and tackle in a game against Richmond and someone called out: 'That's domestic violence.' The player said: 'This isn't domestic, and it won't be domestic when I see you after the game'."

He said the Australian Crime and Prevention Award being presented in Canberra today would take pride of place at the Stingers' clubhouse - along with their two Katter Cup trophies from back-to-back grand final wins.

Normanton police liaison officer Laurie West said the Stingers' policy was one a lot of other clubs would do well to adopt.

"I doubt the campaign would have been so successful if the Stingers hadn't got behind it. The whole town loves them and because of them, they're taking domestic violence seriously," Mr West said.

Normanton footballers tackle domestic violence | NEWS.com.au

Australian News headlines

[sabang]

Nice article- and great to see something that actually works. Just in case you are not aware, Normanton is an Aboriginal community.

[baldrick]

Normanton is an Aboriginal community.

norman'n has a high percentage of part aboriginal residents but I wouldn't term it to be an aboriginal comunity. it is a gulf town just down the road from karumba on the norman river. the norman river is one of the most crocodile infested creeks in australia.

[sabang]

I wouldn't term it to be an aboriginal comunity

Fair enough baldrick- it is a mixed town rather than an indigenous community. But-



Doomadgee Dragon's Alfred Ned is attacking in their Mid West Grand Final loss to Normanton Stingers

[dirtydog]

karumba

Isn't that where memock is from? He doesn't live there anymore, that could have helped the stats

[sabang]

Memock lived in Kununurra. Maybe 1000 km down the road.

[baldrick]

Karumba is a fishing town in the gulf of carpentaria

Doomadgee

I would term an aboriginal community

Kununurra. Maybe 1000 km down the road.

or about 3000 kays west

[Loy Toy]

Any community program and to stop domestic violence is wonderful and although the way it has been presented by the footy club (somewhat juvenile IMO) it has obviously worked.

Government run insititutions ahould look at this example as a bookmark and to move forward with some of our lesser educated and poorer community's.

Please don't consider my statement as a racial slur it is more a fact of life.

[jim1176]

Memock lived in Kununurra. Maybe 1000 km down the road.

Good size roads over there. Still considered neighbors or is that a different town

[Rigger]

Whats the world coming to, when you cant even give your wife a slap any more

[Norton]

Whats the world coming to, when you cant even give your wife a slap any more

Well, I hope them Stingers continue on a winning streak. If not I predict domestic violence will resume full throttle. Guys need something to take out the frustration of having their team lose. Kicking the dog will land you in jail whilst whacking the wife results in a 1 game suspension! Decisions, decisions.

[dirtydog]

I assume the bad news is that in the rest of Aussie land wife beating remains as popular as ever.

a third of the town's adult population was subject to a domestic violence order.

Although I can't imagine they have all been caught and charged in the rest of Australia

[gjbkk]

Its all to do with better protection for the wives

[jandajoy]

Quote: Originally Posted by sabang Kununurra. Maybe 1000 km down the road. or about 3000 kays west

You sure you know where Kununarra is?
It's about 10 km from Cairns. 30 minutes on the bloody overhead ski thing.

[sabang]

^ Thats Kuranda.

Kununurra-

Kununurra Visitor Centre, The East Kimberley

Is a long way from there.

[baldrick]

You sure you know where Kununarra is? It's about 10 km from Cairns.

if you turn left at smithfield roundabout you will get to Kuranda before you get to Kununurra

[Norton]

Oh joy! Think you Aussies are getting Kununurra's location sorted.

Future comments from Aussies related to seppo geographic ignorance will be duly ignored.