The peak body for specialist sexual assault services, SASVic, is calling on the AFL to donate to the services that provide support to victim survivors of sexual violence.
The AFL has failed to create a culture that condemns men's violence against women. The sector is sadly not surprised to see players in the news once again linked with allegations of sexual violence.
SASVic CEO, Kathleen Maltzahn says, "Victim survivors of sexual violence deserve the same degree of care alleged perpetrators get."
The response of the AFL, and from much of the media, has been to focus on the impact on the players, the club and the football season, with the Sydney Swans CEO saying the club was supporting its players "through this really challenging time for them."
Maltzahn says, "Where is the empathy for the victim survivor at the centre of these allegations? If the AFL is going to 'support' alleged perpetrators, it should donate to the services that support victim survivors of sexual violence."
SASVic also calls attention to the obscene financial disparity between the multi-billion dollar institution that is AFL and specialist sexual assault services.
Maltzahn says, "If you’ve recently been sexually assaulted, you can contact a sexual assault service and they will do everything they can to wrap around you... But you know how much a sexual assault service is paid for a crisis response, to see a survivor at any time of the day or night? $500. That doesn’t allow us to do what survivors deserve."
According to the AFL, in 2025, 58 players were paid more than $1 million.
Finally, Maltzahn says, "And the government is not off the hook. With the Victorian state election 100 days away, please call on your local candidates to confront the enormity of sexual violence in our community."
You can find SASVic's election platform here: SASVic’s State Election Campaign 2026 - SASVic
About us:
Sexual Assault Services Victoria (SASVic) is Victoria’s peak body for specialist sexual assault and harmful sexual behaviour services.
We work to promote rights, recovery and respect for victim survivors and other people impacted by sexual violence and harm. We seek to achieve this by working collectively to change the attitudes, systems and structures that enable sexual violence to occur.
Specialist sexual assault services in Victoria:
Contact details:
For further comment please contact Brett de Hoedt of Hootville Communications on 0414 713 802 or [email protected].
