A Lifeline in the Palm of Your Hand: working with DV Safe Phone

Why North Hobart is Saying 'No'
One in four Australian women have experienced violence from an intimate partner. We aren't just wearing purple; we are working to shift the culture.

In Australia, a call for help is made every two minutes due to domestic violence. Yet, for many, that call is impossible because their phone has been broken, taken, or is being monitored.
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We collect phones... they are wiped... they become lifelines.

At the Rotary Club of North Hobart, we believe that the best way to find ourselves is through service to others. This belief drives our commitment to building safer, more connected and more peaceful communities.

Across Australia, domestic, family and sexual violence is recognised as a problem of epidemic proportions, affecting individuals, families and communities at every level. The National Plan to End Violence against Women and Children 2022–2032 sets an ambitious vision: to end gender-based violence within one generation .

This vision recognises a simple truth — violence is not inevitable, and change is possible when communities, organisations, businesses and governments work together.
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A local response contributing to a national goal
In partnership with Hobart Airport and DV Safe Phone, the Rotary Club of North Hobart is delivering a practical initiative that contributes directly to this national effort.
By collecting donated mobile phones and facilitating their secure refurbishment, we are helping provide safe, untraceable communication for people experiencing domestic and family violence.
For victim-survivors, access to a phone is more than convenience — it is a critical pathway to:

• safety
• connection
• support
• recovery

This reflects the National Plan’s emphasis on person-centred, coordinated responses that enable individuals to access help when they need it most .
Supporting the full continuum of action
The National Plan highlights that ending violence requires action across a continuum — prevention, early intervention, response, and recovery and healing .
This project contributes across all four domains:
Prevention
By raising awareness and engaging the community in meaningful action, we challenge the social conditions that allow violence to occur.
Early Intervention
Access to a safe phone enables individuals at risk to seek help earlier, reducing escalation and improving outcomes.
Response
Through partnerships with Tasmania Police and frontline services, phones are placed directly into the hands of those experiencing violence.
Recovery and Healing
Ongoing access to communication supports individuals to rebuild their lives, maintain relationships, and move forward with dignity and independence.
Peacebuilding at the community level
Rotary’s approach to peacebuilding recognises that peace is built not only through global efforts, but through local action that strengthens safety, trust and respect.
This initiative reflects that philosophy by:

• restoring agency and independence
• strengthening support networks
• contributing to safe and inclusive communities

These are the foundations of lasting peace.
Partnership and shared responsibility
The National Plan makes clear that everyone has a role to play in ending violence .
This project demonstrates that shared responsibility:

• Hobart Airport providing leadership through community investment
• DV Safe Phone ensuring secure and professional device refurbishment
• Tasmania Police and frontline services delivering direct support
• Community members contributing through phone donations

Together, these partnerships reflect a whole-of-society response — essential to achieving generational change.
Supporting diverse communities
The National Plan recognises that violence affects people differently, and that responses must be inclusive, culturally informed and intersectional .
Through engagement with organisations such as Karadi Aboriginal Corporation and Safe Choices, this project supports pathways that are responsive to the needs of diverse communities, including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
Sustainability with purpose
This initiative also reflects a commitment to environmental sustainability. By diverting mobile phones from landfill and repurposing them for social good, we connect environmental responsibility with human safety and wellbeing.
This is sustainability in its truest sense — supporting both people and planet.
A shared vision for the future
​The National Plan sets out a future where all people are safe at home, at work, at school, in the community and online .
Projects like this show how that vision becomes reality — through practical action, strong partnerships, and a shared commitment to change.
At Rotary, we understand that peace begins in our communities.
It begins with safety.
It begins with dignity.
And it begins when we choose to act — together.

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