Olympian Sam Fricker joins campaign to stop young men disrespecting women

Olympic diver Sam Fricker has revealed how he has seen toxic behaviour in his diving career, and closer to home. Now, he has a message for young Australian men. See the video.

Adella Beaini

@adellabeaini

3 min read

March 20, 2025 - 2:03PM

National News Network

Sam Fricker joins anti-violence campaign

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Olympic diver Sam Fricker has seen first-hand the impact of disrespectful behaviour towards women.

“At a major competition, I witnessed an incident where a female athlete, around 24-25 years old, was disrespected by another diver,” he said.

“She was visibly uncomfortable, and it was clear that the behaviour was unacceptable.

“At the time, I was on another springboard and saw it happen from a distance.

“I checked in with her afterward to make sure she was okay and reassured her that what happened wasn’t right.

“I also reported it to the physios, support staff, and coaches so they were aware.

“In my experience, this kind of behaviour is rare in the diving world, which is a positive thing, but even one incident is too many.”

Closer to home, Fricker’s sisters Heidi, 21, and Holly, 26, have also been targets while walking home from school, being out in the CBD with friends and being alone.

“Like being catcalled on the street, which makes her (Heidi) feel uncomfortable and unsafe,” he said.

Olympic diver Sam Fricker has seen first-hand the impact of disrespectful behaviour on his sisters and a fellow female diver, leaving them shaken and unsafe. Picture: Jonathan Ng

“She’s also noticed that in group social settings, she’s sometimes ignored or spoken over, which can be frustrating.

“These might seem like small things to some people, but they add up and can make a big difference in how someone feels.

“The way I try to support her is by really listening when she talks about these experiences—not just hearing her but engaging in the conversation, validating her feelings, and reassuring her that these things aren’t okay. I think one of the most important things we can do is acknowledge when something is wrong and be part of the change, even in small ways.”

The 22-year-old – who has almost seven million followers across platforms – is taking matters into his own hands, calling on young Australian men to step up and hold their mates accountable.

He has partnered with TikTok and anti-violence group Our Watch to launch Respect: The GOAT campaign – urging young men to challenge toxic behaviour and equipping them with practical tools to take action.

And the numbers show just how urgent the issue is.

His experience is what led the Olympian to team up with TikTok and anti-violence group Our Watch for Respect. Picture: Tim Hunter

Sam Fricker with his sister Heidi. Picture: Supplied

New research from YouGov paints a stark picture: 90 per cent of Aussie men (aged 14-24) say they regularly see women being disrespected. Half have witnessed it online, while a third have seen it in public and the media.

And while 81 per cent of the young men want to step in, most don’t know how.

The study found young men in South Australia were most likely to have taken some form of action (76 per cent), compared to young men in Queensland who were least likely (57 per cent).

Nearly 1 in 5 young men in NSW (18 per cent) and WA (19 per cent) were afraid of being considered uncool.

“Disrespect can involve making sexist jokes or comments, interrupting or talking over women or pressuring women for dates or sex,” chief executive of Our Watch, Patty Kinnersly, said.

Our Watch CEO Patty Kinnersly. Picture: Chris Kidd

“Young men receive an overwhelming number of messages about how to be a man today, including online, in sporting clubs, schools, on social media and in popular culture.

“Many young men feel pressure to ‘prove themselves’, whether that’s about acting tough, being aggressive and always in control, or having as many sexual partners as possible.”

Ms Kinnersly hopes the campaign will help tackle this toxic culture while pushing social media platforms to take responsibility by equipping young people with the tools to call out disrespect when they see it.

“This isn’t necessarily about stepping in and saving the day like a knight in shining armour, it is about challenging everyday acts of disrespect,” she said.

“Some simple ways young men can take action include showing that disrespect is not OK – like using their body language or emojis. They can ask things like, ‘what do you mean by that?’ or ‘I don’t get why that was funny.’

“Another important action is to support women and girls and check in that they are OK.

“These actions may seem small but by taking action, young men can encourage people using disrespect to change their behaviour and give confidence for others to take action.”