Men who use violence are being urged to seek help amid the wave of alcohol consumption and gambling linked to footy finals fever that leaves vulnerable women and children at increased risk.

With AFL and NRL premiership deciders being played out over back-to-back long weekends, police, domestic violence services and other first responders are bracing for what is expected to be an influx of calls for help.

Victorian police last year saw a nine per cent increase in family violence over the state's three-day grand final weekend compared to 2023, with a total of 796 incidents.

Domestic violence services are also likely to see a spike in demand.

No to Violence, an organisation that works with men who engage in physical abuse within their families, estimates a near 35 per cent increase in ref

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