Stats Show Statewide Impact of Purple Friday

Reaching more than four million members, the initiative on 8 May extended across metropolitan, regional and remote communities — bringing new clubs and audiences into the conversation and strengthening the industry’s role in prevention.

Importantly, Purple Friday acted as a first step for many, engaging clubs and employees who had not previously participated in domestic and family violence prevention initiatives.

Throughout the industry, more than 3000 frontline staff were trained and supported with practical tools and resources to recognise and respond safely. Clubs also accessed a suite of materials, including the DFV Workplace Toolkit, staff information cards, helpline posters, checklists and digital assets — embedding awareness into day-to-day operations.

The campaign generated strong engagement in venues and beyond. Members around the state joined in by wearing purple, while a dedicated Your Local Club web landing page and interactive map recorded more than 1400 views, helping connect communities to participating clubs and support services.

The Purple Friday campaign delivered strong outcomes across both awareness and engagement, with participating clubs reporting overwhelmingly positive results. Thirty clubs have so far returned surveys about their experience — all confirmed they would participate in Purple Friday again, agreeing the initiative helped raise awareness of domestic and family violence.

Encouragingly, the campaign also translated into real-world impact. Four clubs reported instances where staff supported individuals affected by domestic and family violence, and in each case, staff felt confident responding appropriately. This highlights not only increased awareness, but a growing capability within clubs to respond to sensitive and critical situations.

Feedback from clubs consistently pointed to several key themes. Strong staff engagement and participation were evident across the network, alongside increased awareness and more open conversations about domestic and family violence. Many clubs also expressed a sense of pride in being part of a coordinated, statewide effort — reinforcing the industry’s shared commitment to social impact.

Overall, Purple Friday was extremely well received and successfully achieved its objective of raising awareness of domestic and family violence among participating clubs. It has laid a strong foundation for continued engagement and impact in the years ahead.

Clubs shared powerful reflections on their experience:

• “Great promotion and an opportunity for the industry to stand together and raise awareness. Vital that we maintain these events to build on our social license.”
• “Unfortunately, we have already had to use our DFV policy for a staff member. Thanks to this initiative, we were able to refer back to it and support them appropriately.”
• “I am proud to be part of this initiative. Patrons started asking ‘why are we doing this?’ and it opened the door for important conversations we can continue.”
• “A fantastic industry initiative. With over 200 clubs involved in the first statewide effort, it’s a great starting point for years to come.”

Purple Friday also delivered strong media reach, with coverage across print, online, radio and TV in metro and regional markets — reaching almost three quarters of a million people, including a live 2GB broadcast from Revesby Workers’ Club.

Clubs further supported our community partners DV Safe Phone, Escabags and StandByU Foundation, with apparel provider Paladin donating $15,000 raised from the sale of more than 4500 campaign items. 

More than a single day of awareness, Purple Friday has laid the foundation for ongoing engagement, demonstrating what can be achieved when the industry comes together with a shared commitment to safer communities.

Participating clubs who haven’t yet provided their feedback are encouraged to do so here.