Minister Vicki Ward returned to Ballarat Town Hall on April 17 to announce a $250,000 free from violence grant, designed for municipal government programs, to the City of Ballarat.

Grant applications were made well before the horror the Ballarat region has experienced in the past three months, headlined by the violent deaths of Rebecca Young, Samantha Murphy and Hannah McGuire which police have alleged to be at the hands of male perpetrators.

Minister Ward was in Ballarat for the evening vigil on April 12.

She said the funding had not been fast-tracked, nor was a response to the events that had occurred here, but simply City of Ballarat's application's had been strong.

"Ballarat is not alone," Minister Ward said. "This is happening in communities across our state, across our country, but what you've experienced in the last couple of months is uniquely horrific.

"I cannot imagine in various layers of trauma in the community as they try to work through what they've witnessed. It's heartbreaking.

"...My absolute condolences to all of you for what you've experienced, but also for the work ahead in your community."

RELATED COVERAGE: We need to shift the dial: male leaders to start tackling gendered violence

Under the grant, City of Ballarat has plans to employ a dedicated worker for an initial three years to drive programs focused on violence prevention, in particular violence against women. The council is also developing a family violence prevention strategy in partnership with frontline welfare agencies in this space and the city is creating a guide to prevention gendered violence, including an organisational health check.

Ballarat's rate of family violence is 28.7 per cent higher than the state average and City of Ballarat will play a key role in helping councils across the region also tackle the issue, which in some areas has rates of violence double the state average.

RELATED COVERAGE: 'Women are feeling unsafe and distressed': leaders urge all to take a stand

Minister Ward said violence was a choice - no-one had to choose violence - and it was particularly pertinent males understood their role in confronting this issue.

"It has to be a whole-community response. It is everybody working together and the biggest player in this are men," Minister Ward said.

"If men are not there championing this, if men are not there helping make change happen, it won't happen."

Minister Ward said there had been a significant spike in calls for help according to welfare agencies assisting women in family violence situations in the Ballarat region the past two months.

She said it was vital to continue to measure family violence prevention and intervention supports at the grassroots and councils were well-placed to do that.

City of Ballarat mayor Des Hudson said from his experience in proactive policing, that measuring success was always difficult but could be garnered from shifts in attitude.

"We need to understand that violence is not just the physical - it can be financial, it can be restrictions on hanging out with the girls," Cr Hudson said. "Controlling behaviours come in many different forms and each is dangerous in a family violence lens."

Cr Hudson said challenging under-reporting and stigma were also key concerns that needed greater awareness.

While this latest funding is centred on council, Cr Hudson said the city employed about 1150 people and was a large demographic of the community. He hoped in turn, the lessons staff are learning were conversations they could take into their community and sporting groups.

"All of our community has been asked over the last little while, 'what can we do, how do we show leadership?'," Cr Hudson said.

"What are the opportunities for us to turn this around...people have their lives taken away from them and there are ripple effects on their immediate family and their friends and their connections.

"The number of males that walked through the streets of Ballarat [for the Friday vigil] was really heartening to see people that want to stand up and say we as blokes can make a stand. We have to own it.

"It is an issue that males have to take ownership of to encourage others to be better, to be courageous, to have a prickly conversation when people are hearing comments that causes some area of concern.

"We need to be the person who's willing to intervene, to step up to the plate into that space and challenge behaviors, challenge stereotypes to hopefully be about respecting women in all areas of our lives."

If you or someone you know is in need of crisis support, phone Lifeline 13 11 14.

Help is also available, but not limited, via the following organisations. The key message is you are not alone.