Former AFL star Ben Cousins, previously convicted of aggravated stalking and multiple restraining order violations, is speaking in Ballarat this week as part of a statewide tour, angering women’s health organisations and advocates in a city where the incidence of family violence not only outstrips the state average, but is rising at a faster rate.
What happened? Cousins is currently touring for the live show RAW: Ben Cousins - Live Like Never Before. He is scheduled to speak at the George Hotel in Ballarat tomorrow night (Wednesday September 16).
The show is advertised as Cousins opening up “like never before - sharing about life behind bars, exile from the AFL community, the turning point, and the unfolding journey to redemption”.
Why does it matter? In the past 10 years, Cousins has been convicted of several offences, including stalking. He was imprisoned in 2017 and 2020, with a magistrate in 2017 saying he had subjected a former partner to “nine months of terror”.
Reaction: Acting Women’s Health Grampians CEO Kate Diamond-Keith told the Brolga Cousins speaking in Ballarat would send the message that the community “is accepting of a perpetrator and of them being elevated”.
“We really need to think about the importance of accountability, and what our community considers acceptable”, she said. “I think we need to be a community where respect and accountability are valued, and most importantly demonstrated. And Ben Cousins coming to Ballarat and speaking at this event is not demonstrating that.”
A 2025 report from charity and community group the Ballarat Foundation, found family violence in Ballarat had increased by 28 percent in 2025, against a state-wide increase of 8.9 percent.
Ballarat had just under 3,000 family violence incidents in the year ending December 2025.
Naming the victims: These statistics were one of the reasons the She Matters mural was installed on Hancocks Lane in March, showing the faces of all Australian women murdered since 2024, with new names added regularly.
The project was founded by Sherele Moody from Australian Femicide Watch, which monitors domestic violence-related death.
She told the Brolga on Tuesday afternoon that hosting the Ben Cousins event “tells people that it is okay to perpetrate violence and still get a pedestal”.
“I am appalled to know a man who harmed a woman … is performing at a venue just a quick walk from the She Matters mural,” Moody said. “There are many high profile sportswomen in Australia. Surely the talent pool is bigger than Ben Cousins?”
Tickets to Ben Cousins’ show are $50, or $100 including a photo. The Brolga has sought comment from the George Hotel and will update this story as required.
If you or someone you know is experiencing family violence, help is available 24/7 by calling 1800RESPECT on 1800 737 732.
In Western Victoria, Meli, Sexual Assault and Family Violence Centre, Emma House, Orange Door and Child and Family Services Ballarat are also available to provide resources and support.
Header Image: Tourism Midwest and promotional poster