Out for a good time? Look out for each other. Violence against women, non-binary and gender diverse people is a community problem.
Everyone in the community, from schools to sporting clubs, can play a role in changing the structures, norms and practices that lead to violence against women.
We as a community have a responsibility to make sure everyone gets home safe.
Whether it’s checking that your mates are behaving themselves on a night out or walking a mate home, we’re in it together.
As women, girls and gender-diverse folk, we’re constantly being told how to take care of ourselves on a night out. So we’re not going to repeat that here.
What we don’t often hear about is how to make sure you’re not part of the problem.
We all love having a good time but having a few drinks doesn’t entitle you to treat anyone with disrespect.
You might notice that your behaviour — or that of a friend — is crossing the line. Or that two of your mates, who seem to be enjoying themselves, are definitely over the limit.
Being an active bystander in these situations could mean keeping an eye on unattended drinks, walking a mate home or being the designated sober person that night.
Every year, between November 25 — the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women — and December 10 — International Human Rights Day — there are 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-based Violence.
This year we’ve created a series of posters for you to print out at work, home or your local library, and to put up in your kitchen, community hall, meeting room at work — wherever you like. Help create a world where women, nonbinary and gender-diverse people are safe, respected, empowered and able to make genuine choices in their lives.
Violence towards women, nonbinary and gender-diverse people is a community problem. Everyone in the community, from schools to sporting clubs, can play a role in changing the structures, norms and practices that lead to gender-based violence.
Some of these actions will be individual and some will be collective: gender-based violence is a structural issue that we all need to work together to address.