Making a difference
up with: So I made sure her friends got her home – she was in no shape to go home with a stranger.
The posters will be put up in pubs and clubs. Other organisations that SASH has shown the posters to in Nelson are also keen to put them up.
‘‘We will put them up anywhere. Just give us a ring,’’ Sarah-Jane says.
SASH has also distributed the posters nationally through Te Ohaaki A Hine – National Network Ending Sexual Violence Together and the ‘‘response has been huge’’, SASH administrator Sinnet Frisk says.
‘‘Lots of organisations are interested in putting up the posters, including various events at universities and youth events,’’ Frisk says.
Sarah-Jane and Sinnet say they hope the posters will help start a debate in the community. Stepping in early, before things get serious, can prevent something really bad from happening.
‘‘It’s encouraging people to make that stand to intervene if they see a situation that doesn’t feel right.
‘‘If it doesn’t feel right it probably isn’t,’’ Sarah-Jane says.
While the posters are targeting sexual violence the message of being an ethical bystander transcends that. It is about taking responsibility and taking action to ensure others are OK no
matter the situation – be it an old person injured after a fall on the street or a lost child.
‘‘It’s something that we teach in schools as well, that we have all got a responsibility to take care of each other. It isn’t just looking out for your mates. But your small action can make a huge difference in someone else’s life,’’ Sarah-Jane says.
‘‘It’s really simple, but it’s a very powerful message,’’ Sinnet says.
‘‘I guess it is giving people the empowerment to feel they can do something for someone else.’’
SASH, was formerly known as Rape Crisis, and it is the organisation’s 30th birthday this year. Sarah-Jane and Sinnet say this campaign marks a shift for the organisation from dealing solely with victims of sexual violence to raising awareness about the violence and helping prevent it.
Sexual violence has huge effects in the community, and it has a huge financial cost to the country as well. Treasury has estimated that sexual offending costs the New Zealand economy $1.2 billion a year and is the country’s most expensive crime per incident.
The poster project is also an effective way to raise SASH’s profile and let people who need their services know that help is only a phone call away.
‘‘That first phone call is the hardest and we want to make ourselves as accessible as we can,’’ Sarah-Jane says.
She says they have had a 40 per cent increase in client numbers over the past 18 months. The number of individuals dealing with SASH has increased from 108 to 143 in the past 12 months.
‘‘We need to start to talk about sexual violence, that’s how we can make a difference and how we can change society’s attitudes around it,’’ Sarah-Jane says. ‘‘Sexual violence does happen. It’s not OK. But we are here.’’
SASH provides specialised support, advocacy, counselling and a 24-hour crisis line for women who’ve been raped or sexually abused. Phone: 03 548 2407.