The Safe Response Toolkit (SRT) Director, Camille Schloeffel, and Deputy Director, Bianca Nicotra, are extremely excited to be announcing our progress on the SRT and the positive impact we believe it will have on the community. We invite you to read about the SRT, what it aims to do, why we are creating it, its purpose and impact. To read about why we created this project and how it came to be, read here.
WHAT IT IS
The Safe Response Toolkit: A Toolkit for Sexual Violence Victim-Survivors and Their Supporters (SRT) is a physical and online resource that provides information to victim-survivors of sexual violence and their supporters about how to safely respond to sexual violence disclosures and access support services in Canberra. The SRT will be available online and distributed via hardcopy across the community, targeting legal, medical and education settings in Canberra.
The SRT has been made possible by YWCA Canberra through their 2021 Great Ydeas Small Grants Program. Camille Schloeffel, on behalf of The STOP Campaign, was awarded $2,500 to commence this project.
WHAT IT DOES
The SRT’s primary goals are to:
Raise community awareness about sexual violence,
Advocate for victim-survivors and their rights,
Inform victim-survivors, their supporters and the general community about the available avenues after an experience with sexual violence, and
Empower victim-survivors to seek help.
The information provided by the SRT of support services and reporting avenues allows greater autonomy and choice for victim-survivors. Ultimately, the SRT will help victim-survivors to heal and thrive.
WHAT IT INCLUDES
The SRT covers topics including:
Key definitions and concepts to understand sexual violence, sexual health and wellbeing,
How to safely respond to disclosures,
The process of reporting sexual violence to police and their investigations,
Criminal justice and legal avenues, including criminal, civil and restorative,
Options available in institutional, workplace and education settings,
How to access crisis and post-crisis support services for physical and mental health,
How to navigate the process of sharing one’s story publicly, and
Sexual violence advocacy and lobbying for change.
WHY WE ARE CREATING IT
The STOP Campaign is a grassroots, student-led organisation empowering young people to create and sustain positive cultural change regarding sex and sexual violence. We operate in learning communities through empowerment, education, activism and awareness. We are an intersectional feminist organisation of passionate volunteers, and rely on public donations to fund our initiatives and impact.
The Campaign has successfully implemented a number of projects in Canberra, ACT since our formation in 2018. These projects include the creation of educational materials and resources on safe sex and consent, sexual violence, and sex positivity; facilitating peer-led education sessions in university colleges; facilitating programs for young people (particularly victim-survivors of sexual violence) focused on empowerment and confidence; and building a platform for victim-survivors in our community to publicly share their experiences and journeys towards healing.
Our experiences leading the conversation around sex and sexual violence in university communities have highlighted how the issue the of sexual violence in Australia expands far beyond university communities. Our goal for the next 12 months is to expand our outreach and audience to the wider Canberra community, hence the creation of the Safe Response Toolkit.
PURPOSE AND IMPACT
The SRT is needed in the ACT because of the current lack of clear, trauma-informed and accessible information available for victim-survivors and their supporters regarding the personal, legal, and medical considerations when disclosing and reporting sexual violence. Information on these topics that is currently available in Canberra is often vague, outdated and spread across multiple different websites and platforms, making it difficult to access and understand.
The SRT will provide clear, accurate and easily accessible information about the process of seeking support following an experience of sexual violence. We hope that the SRT can alleviate some of the complexities involved in police, legal and health processes, in turn making the process of seeking support less intimidating, and ensure that victim-survivors ultimately feel empowered to access the support they need.
Addressing sexual violence in Canberra through this comprehensive resource will also work to destigmatise disclosures and encourage broader behavioural and cultural change.
If you are interested in learning more about the SRT and/or contributing to this important project, we welcome you to contact us on our social media, website or email at programs@thestopcampaign.org.au.
In solidarity,
Camille Schloeffel and Bianca Nicotra
Register to attend our free information sessions here: https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/safe-response-toolkit-information-session-tickets-185587425987
Or via Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/events/442890450592741
Комментарии