For more information about this resource, its purpose, how it was developed, and a glossary of key terms, see the CARE in Action Background Information.
In rural and regional communities, long-standing and deeply held beliefs about gender roles can be closely tied to identity, tradition, and community life. Expectations around masculinity, family roles, and “how things have always been done” can make it difficult to question or challenge harmful attitudes and behaviours. In smaller, close-knit communities, raising these issues can also carry personal and professional risks, where people may fear conflict, social backlash, or damaging relationships.
These conditions can allow harmful behaviours to be minimised, justified, or left unchallenged, and can slow or stall prevention efforts. Addressing this requires approaches that are thoughtful, locally relevant, and able to challenge harmful norms, attitudes and systems and navigate resistance while maintaining trust and relationships.
In many rural and regional communities, gender equality and gender-based violence prevention work is often carried by a relatively small group of already engaged individuals and organisations. While this work is strong, it can be difficult to extend beyond these networks and reach broader sections of the community. Competing priorities, limited exposure to prevention approaches, and a lack of clear entry points can make it challenging for new audiences to engage in ways that feel relevant and accessible. As a result, prevention efforts may have limited reach, slowing the ability to influence wider attitudes and behaviours in communities and workplaces. Expanding engagement is critical to ensuring this work is shared more broadly and sustained over time, by building relevance, increasing participation, and creating collective ownership of prevention.
While there is progress in our understanding of what gender-based violence (GBV) is, the challenge for many organisations is moving from knowledge to action. This resource has been developed to support that shift. It brings together practical steps and real examples from workplace and community contexts, drawing on experience from across the Loddon Mallee region to support the prevention of GBV in everyday settings.
GBV is violence directed at a person because of their gender. GBV can be obvious and subtle. Click here for more information about different types of violence. GBV is most commonly experienced by women, trans, and non-binary people and is underpinned by gender inequality, particularly social norms, attitudes and systems that normalise violence against women, limit women’s independence, reinforce rigid gender stereotypes, and uphold dominant forms of masculinity linked to power and control. Reinforcing rigid gender stereotypes means men are impacted by ideas of how masculinity should look, feel, or sound, and when they uphold to these ‘rules’ around how to act they are at greater risk of using violence.
This resource provides practical, locally grounded approaches and place-based examples to support action across the Loddon Mallee.
We all need to take action to help prevent GBV and promote Gender Equality (GE). GBV has serious and lasting impacts on individuals, families, workplaces and communities, but it is preventable and requires deliberate action to create social change and eventually end it.
Local context matters. Living, working and socialising in rural and regional areas means close-knit communities, limited services, and persistent gender norms create both opportunities and challenges for prevention. Other factors such as age, sexuality, gender identity, and disability, shape how work towards social change is understood and implemented. CARE partners highlighted that in their communities, conservative gender norms remain prevalent, creating challenges for engagement and sustained prevention action.
This resource was developed by gathering the collective insights, wisdom and experience of CARE partners and regional stakeholders across the Loddon Mallee.
It builds on a four-part workshop series delivered to partners by WHLM on the gendered drivers of violence against women highlighting the need for more practical guidance to support prevention efforts in rural and regional contexts.
To explore and co-develop this resource a Project Advisory Group (PAG) was formed, with eight people from six CARE partner organisations (Centre for Non-Violence, Bendigo Community Health Services, Bendigo Health PHU, Dhelkaya Health, Bendigo TAFE and Macedon Ranges Shire Council), to guide the structure, focus and content of the resource.
Further insights were gathered through the CARE Forum (March 2026) and a regional call-out for examples, tips and reflections. Submissions consistently highlighted the importance of partnership in extending reach, sharing resources, and strengthening connections.
“I can’t stress enough how important partnering is to prevention work…”
— Macedon Ranges Shire Council & Omnia Community Health
“Partnerships assisted this project every step of the way.”
— Omnia Community Health & Bendigo Community Health Services
This resource reflects that collective approach, drawing on shared knowledge and practice across the region.
The ideas, tips and initiatives shared in this resource may be adapted and modified to suit your organisation or community, recognising that organisations are at different stages of their journey, and that meaningful change is a collective effort over time.
We can learn from each other to inspire, adapt and build on ideas or processes relevant to our community and workplace contexts. Preventing GBV and promoting GE requires sustained, practical action embedded in everyday practice as well as other creative ways to engage, inform and navigate resistance.
No matter where your organisation is on the journey, your contribution can make a difference. Find out how in the resource!
