safe steps’ new “You Can Live Free from Family Violence” campaign will be featured across the Yarra Tram network as part of a new Community Partnership Program which gives eight community groups a share in $1 million worth of free advertising.

safe steps is the first Yarra Trams community partner to launch its campaign and to have its ads displayed across the front and back of 50 trams across the iconic Melbourne network.

safe steps CEO, Annette Gillespie, sees the partnership with Yarra Trams as a natural fit and hopes the positive anti-family violence message will resonate with the 180 million people who board Yarra Trams each year.

“Yarra Trams’ mission is to get women and children home safely. safe steps’ mission is to make sure they are safe when they get home,” says Ms Gillespie.

“In Victoria, unfortunately 1 in 4 women will experience family violence in their lifetime. Statistically, that’s 874,177 women who need to know how and where to get help.

Family violence is still affecting an alarming number of Victorian women and children, with calls to safe steps – Victoria’s statewide family violence response service – expected to reach over 100,000 this financial year.

The “You Can Live Free from Family Violence” campaign aims to encourage Victorians experiencing family violence to contact safe steps’ phone line 1800 015 188 or to seek information on safe steps’ website.

“If our campaign can reach and save the life of just one person experiencing family violence, it has worked.”

Read the full press release here.

safe steps Family Violence Response Centre CEO Annette Gillespie is available for comment.

If you or someone you care about is living with an abusive partner or family member, call safe steps Family Violence Response Centre 24/7 on 1800 015 188.