The YWCA Canberra and Menslink won the community and education categories of the 2014 ACT Partners in Prevention Awards Wednesday night.

But there were two awards missing from the presentation - no nominations were received for the workplace or sport categories.

Their absence was announced soon after key speaker Lieutenant General David Morrison spoke of the need for Australian employers to turn their attention to violence against their female employees.

The Chief of Army - who became the face and voice of his workplace's unflinching stance against sexism in a viral 2013 video message - said workplaces could become a victim of violence's only refuge.

"Many of us do not see violence against women as a workplace issue but as a domestic issue," he said.

"If leaders in the workplace can listen with compassion and without judgement, they often are the first break in the chain of domestic violence."

General Morrison said a cultural shift around how Australians conceived gender was essential to eroding an "us versus them" dialogue and the pressure placed on men to conform to an outdated notion of masculinity.

It's a problem being addressed by Menslink. It's Silence is Deadly initiative was awarded for doing just that.

The program has visited 40 schools this year to help young Canberra men learn the importance of talking through problems rather than reacting with violence.

Menslink chief executive Martin Fisk said the discussions helped break down the misconception that tough men did not express their feelings.

"It's not enough to tell men domestic violence is wrong - they know it's wrong, that's why they hide it," he said.

"What we're doing is getting men to be open about their feelings so when something goes wrong in their lives they'll actually phone someone - ring up a mate."

YWCA Canberra's Relationship Things project was also awarded for equipping teenagers with the knowledge and skills to pursue respectful relationships.

Executive director Frances Cummins said the program had been refreshed to address the impact of social media, particularly on young women, and sexual violence.

The group recently received a $10,000 Women's Grant to complete a website and mobile phone app, which will support school-based kits designed to fill a hole in the school curriculum.

"Young people still go to young people for information - we can provide a portal for that," Ms Cummins said.

Meanwhile, ABC ACT 7.30 journalist Adrienne Francis won the media award for several reports on violence against women and children.