Analiese Jackson
As you are probably well aware, there are many anti-violence campaigns that are active within New Zealand. While the most notable campaign advocating for people to come to terms with the notion that violence is unacceptable in our society is It’s Not Ok , which was initiated in 2005 by the Labour-led Government as a means to” increase awareness of family violence so that it becomes visible and talked about throughout New Zealand …[and] to create a social climate that supports behavioural change”.
Whilst this campaign has proven to be highly effective in highlighted the societal need for change, one of the major tertiary student initiated anti violence campaigns in New Zealand is Thursdays in Black. Established by the Women’s Education Coalition Aotearoa (now known as the Tertiary Women’s Focus Group or TWFG), the TWFG has been involved with the production of resources and the administration of the campaign on campuses around New Zealand for well over a decade and aims to highlight the various forms of discrimination and violence facing women in society.
Thursdays in Black is a campaign that has come to represent many other inequalities in
society including, but not strictly limited to the following: domestic violence; sexual assault; rape; incest; murder; female infanticide; genital mutilation; sexual harassment; and discrimination on the grounds of sexual orientation or gender; and the sex trafficking industry. According to the Thursdays In Black T-shirts (which are available to purchase on campus through Helen van Asch of the ASA), the idea behind wearing the colour (or shade, if you’re pedantic) of black on a Thursday is to signify that “… you are tired of putting up with rape and violence in your community. It demonstrates a desire for a community where we can all walk safely without fear of being beaten up, verbally abused and raped, of being discriminated against due to your sexual orientation, political affiliation, gender or ethnicity”, and all of the profits raised by this campaign go to an anti violence charity at the discretion of the Women’s Welfare Representative on campus.
Many campuses across the nation, including Massey University Albany, also get involved in the White Ribbon Campaign. White Ribbon Day, which is held annually on November 25th, is day promoting anti violence driven primarily by men who want to see the culture of violence inherent in New Zealand society stopped. According to the White Ribbon website, www.whiteribbon.org.nz, the campaign is aimed specifically for men, by men as:
“Violence against women is also a ‘men’s issue’ … It is men’s wives, mothers, sisters, daughters, and friends whose lives are limited by violence and abuse. It’s a men’s issue because some men’s violence gives all men a bad name. It’s a men’s issue because, as community leaders and decision-makers, men can play a key role in helping stop violence against women. It’s a men’s issue because men can speak out and step in when male friends and relatives insult or attack women. And it’s a men’s issue because a minority of men treat women and girls with contempt and violence, and it is up to the majority of men to help create a culture in which this is unacceptable.”
This Women’s Fest, check out the Thursdays in Black stall at the Market Stall and watch out for White Ribbons on your campus soon!