16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence 

13 November, 2024. Estimated read time: 3 minutes

Did you know that globally, 1 in every 3 women will experience violence in their lifetime? In New Zealand, 55% of women will suffer physical or psychological abuse in their lives. Given that it is estimated that 85% of victims never report their abuse, these figures only scratch the surface. (See “Everything you need to know about gender-based violence” in the resources below for more information). 

We want to make the planet a safer place for women and girls, and so you are invited to join us in the “16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence.” 

Why 16 days, you might ask? Why not a week or a month? 

This period starts and finishes on important dates. It begins on the 25th of November, the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, and ends on the 10th of December, Human Rights Day. On these days, and the period in between, communities around the world will call for the prevention and elimination of violence against women and girls. 

But what is activism? If I join in, do I have to hold a sign and join a protest? 

Not necessarily, but you might. Activism can look like protesting, but it can also take many other forms. Activism is about being active and doing something that will help bring about change. It could be raising awareness through social media, signing petitions, writing to your MP, fundraising, speaking up, putting up posters, writing a blog, or giving your time to support groups that work in this area. 

The point is, we are invited to do something, rather than doing nothing and hoping that others will fix the problem. 

One way you can do something is to share the resources below. 

The Shielded Site helps people experiencing family violence to get information in such a way that won’t show up on their browser history. All they need to do is click on the Shielded Site logo, which can be found at the bottom of the Salvation Army website as well as on many others. But, in order to use this service, people need to recognise the logo – and that’s where you can help! We have free, printable posters and bookmarks that you can use in your corps and centres to promote the Shielded Site. 

You might also like to read and share the booklet Women’s Ministries have produced entitled, “Everything you need to know about gender-based violence.” 

In addition to these written materials, we have created several video clips, including Erica’s personal story, and helpful tips on understanding anger, and keeping ourselves safe. 

Resources 

Everything you need to know
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