SPORTING players and officials stood tall to "stick their neck out" out on Saturday to mark the first White Ribbon Round.
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Sixteen seconds of silence before every match at grounds across the Hastings was a powerful statement on behalf of all sporting codes that violence against women is no longer tolerated.
Port Macquarie-Hastings mayor Peter Besseling said the campaign was about much more than just the players.
"It's a statement from everyone who's in the club whether they be supporters, players, officials," he said.
"Already today, with the White Ribbon tattoos, people are asking what are they all about - especially the kids. It's important we have those conversations and let people know it's not alright to have violence against women."
Cr Besseling said he had received a lot of feedback from the community asking how they could get involved.
"If we can do this in our community we are seen to be leaders in regional Australia and by tackling the issue it's going to benefit everyone. From a Port Macquarie-Hastings perspective I never doubted the people would get behind it because I know the community that we've got."
The match between the Port Macquarie Sharks and Wingham Tigers was the focal point of the campaign.
Lynne Hurkmans has been involved with the Sharks for more than 30 years and said it was important to get the message across about domestic violence.
"In my experiences players have always been extremely respectful towards me. They're showing the way as figureheads to let men around the area know that domestic violence against a woman is not okay ... it has never been okay."
David Russell said it was important to have awareness out in the community "or nothing will be done about it".
"There's an increasing amount of women who are being abused by their partner and some are even dying; we need to make a stand," he said.
Graham Wilson said it was encouraging to see the topic being discussed as a community as a result of the Australia-first campaign.
"It's good to see it being spoken about, but then you hear about that Roosters bloke and it doesn't help the overall cause, does it?
"I've had a friend who I spoke to about domestic violence and she said it was like she was trapped. We need to let people know that there's nothing wrong with talking about it. It's nothing to be ashamed of."
The Domestic and Family Violence Support Service spearheaded the White Ribbon Round campaign and yesterday, spokesperson Kylie Dowse said they could not have anticipated the overwhelming support the initiative received. Queensland Rugby League has flagged its interest in extending the campaign interstate.
"The uptake we saw from junior clubs across the region was amazing. To see grandfathers putting White Ribbons on the necks of their grandsons and talking about violence against women and the importance that women are safe was very special," Ms Dowse said.
"We are now really keen to grow something off the back of this initiative. We'd like to identify contact people within each sports club so that if any man who is a part of those associations notices issues with their own behaviour, then they will have someone there they can talk to."
