Hannah's Voice

Allied Justice has received funding from the Respect Ballarat Grants Program to support Hannah’s Voice, a community education initiative that prevents family and intimate partner violence through early intervention, legal literacy and respectful relationships education.

The funding will support the delivery of respectful relationships education in Ballarat secondary schools, with a focus on helping young people recognise early warning signs of harm, understand boundaries and consent, and access information and support pathways sooner.

Hannah’s Voice honours the life and values of Hannah McGuire, a 23-year-old Ballarat woman who was killed by her former partner in 2024. Hannah strongly believed that education is a shared responsibility among schools, families and young people, and that it can foster safer, more respectful communities. Her parents, Debbie and Glenn McGuire, support Hannah’s Voice to help drive long-term cultural change that helps prevent violence before it occurs.

In 2024, three women from Ballarat, Hannah McGuire, Samantha Murphy and Rebecca Young, died as a result of men’s violence against women. These deaths had a significant and lasting impact on families, friends and the broader community, reinforcing the need for stronger prevention and earlier responses.

Narelle Laing, Chief Executive Officer of Allied Justice, said the funding will support locally grounded prevention work informed by lived experience.

The Respect Ballarat funding will support the education component of Hannah’s Voice. The program uses a trauma-informed, strengths-based approach and comprises:

• Education for teenage girls focused on consent, boundaries, early warning signs and available support options.
• Education for teenage boys that promotes accountability, respectful behaviour and an understanding of legal consequences.
• Resources for families and carers to recognise concerns and respond safely and compassionately.
• Clear referral pathways to legal and specialist support services.

Hannah’s Voice brings together lived experience, community legal education and evidence-based prevention frameworks to support consistent, informed responses to gendered violence in Ballarat. The initiative is delivered by Allied Justice, a place-based community legal centre with extensive experience in family violence prevention, early intervention and legal response.

Allied Justice is deeply honoured to work alongside Hannah’s parents, Debbie and Glenn, to amplify Hannah’s values and to bring her legacy to life through education, prevention and hope for a culture of enduring safety and respect.