Victoria students are among those targeted by a new nationwide campaign aimed at spreading the message that everyone has a responsibility to notice and prevent sexual violence.
Originally developed to coincide with the Rugby World Cup, the Who Are You? campaign has been renewed throughout late February and early March to coincide with university Orientation Weeks around the country.
Who Are You? a collaborative project by police, sexual abuse support groups and health services aims to encourage young people to be ‘ethical bystanders’ and to intervene in cases of unwanted sexual conduct.
It includes a short film, which presents a scenario in which a young woman is sexually assaulted, and several alternative scenarios where bystanders intervene to prevent the assault.
“It is not about being the hero or putting yourself at risk, but it is about preventing sexual violence,” says spokesperson Kim Lund from Sexual Abuse Assessment and Treatment Services.
“Offenders are most often known to the victim and the events leading up to anassault are often witnessed by others,” says Lund. These witnesses are in an ideal position to intervene which could save potential victims, most of which are young women.
“An estimated one in four women and one in twenty men in New Zealand will bevictims of a sexual assault at some point in their lives.”