I would like to inform you about a community education campaign primarily
aimed at non-violence men, using high profile Australian sportsmen to
deliver the message that violence against women is unacceptable, initiated
by the New South Wales (NSW) Strategy to Reduce Violence Against Women
(1). Sport was chosen as used as a promotional vehicle to increase the
visibility and authority of the message to the target audience, as a large
percentage of Australian men play or watch sports, and sportsmen are seen
as role models.
The campaign, launched in December 2000, is presently being evaluated.
Initial findings have been quite positive about the approach used and
support the research which underpinned the development of the campaign
strategies.
The overall goal of the campaign is the prevention or reduction of
violence against women rather than the promotion of services.
Campaign Objectives:
1. Increase the unacceptability of violence against women;
2. Stimulate discussion amongst men who would not normally discuss this
issue;
3. Encourage men to have a broader understanding of the sorts of behaviours
that constitute violence against women; and
4. Encourage men to have a broader understanding of the ramifications of
violence and abuse such as: effects on children, enhanced community fear of
men, social restriction of women etc.
Background to the campaign and strategies used:
Prior to the It's Against All the Rules campaign most similar public
education campaigns in NSW had focussed on the physical violence end of
the spectrum with particular focus on the criminal justice and social
welfare aspects of both domestic violence and sexual assault. The NSW
Council to Reduce Violence Against Women recognised that an approach that
encompassed the broader range of violence issues was required. After
consultations with key stakeholders and service providers, the campaign
sub-committee decided that the focus of the campaign would be broad, that
is, encompass the range of violence and abusive behaviours encompassed by
the NSW Strategy to Reduce Violence Against Women, although it was also
considered that some campaign activities may be more specifically focused.
Previous similar public education campaigns have tended to feature victims
of violence and provide information to victims on services available to
them. This campaign required a focus on changing attitudes that permitted
certain forms of violence to persist in the community, without portraying
or specifically targeting victims.
It was also envisioned that the concept for the underpinning slogan could
also be used for a range of NSW government anti-violence campaigns.
The campaign seeks to build upon the positive changes in community
attitudes. Specifically, the campaign seeks to enhance the community's
capacity to challenge and address the issue of violence against women.
Positive and constructive messages were favoured over simplistic
fear-based initiatives in order to build trust and optimism in the
community regarding the potential for change.
The campaign aims to influence the attitudes of men aged 21 - 29 years
using 'sport' as the promotional vehicle. The campaign is not directly
targeting perpetrators of violence.(2) The issue of violence against women
has tended to be split along gender lines with women at the forefront of
developing strategies and campaigns to address the needs of victims of
violence and challenges and changing community attitudes about violence
against women. Few men have felt either the interest or need to become
involved in dealing with the issue with some men feeling that they have
been excluded from the issue. The campaign seeks to communicate a message
that invites men to engage in the issue and discuss their role in reducing
and/or preventing violence against women.
Sport was chosen as a mechanism for promoting the campaign because:
* Males are highly involved in sport both as participants and as viewers
(for example, participation rates for males in the 18 - 24 years age group
is 77.8 per cent); (3)
* Using sports as a vehicle provides:
- a possible source of spokespeople (heroes of the target group);
- targeted placement of campaign messages (eg banners at sporting venues);
- sponsorship and support by sporting clubs and associations;
- Sports acts as a 'leveller' of other socio-cultural categorisations;
- Sports are a way of accessing not just men in the target group but
also the people who influence them (eg friends, fathers etc);
- There are a vast range of sports and other recreational activities
that are popular; and
- Sports provide an opportunity for men to gather in social groups.
The campaign contains four broad components:
* The development of advertising resources (including a logo, slogan, key
messages and visuals) and the placement of these materials for high profile
promotion;
* A public relations strategy, including the targeting of key statewide and
regional media;
* Regional and local implementation, including media advocacy and
community-based projects and development of other materials. This regionally
based strategy is one of the key elements of the campaign and the
implementation has been diverse; and
* An evaluation strategy.
Strategies
- Create a public message and campaign materials that encourage men to
be a part of violence prevention;
- Implement a communication strategy to generate publicity and promote
the campaign;
- Provide information to men on how to prevent violence against women;
- Provide information to other organisations and community groups on men's
role in preventing violence against women.
Using the principles of social marketing, the campaign project
incorporates such strategies as advertising in the mass media, public
relations activities, community-based programs and events, use of
spokespeople or role models, engagement of local businesses, local media
and regional activities and events.
Implementation:
Paid advertising was carried out on busses and radio stations in Sydney,
Wollongong and Newcastle between January and April and the implementation
of regional campaigns, which have been varied in both timing and style are
continuing in most areas around the state.
Campaign materials used throughout the state were:
- Posters- on bus back as well as smaller versions available for display
in community centres, businesses etc
- Information Booklets for organisations interested in being involved in
the campaign
- Radio Advertising, some paid radio advertising and also community
service announcements in local radio stations
- Stickers
- Bookmarks
- Coasters
Regional Implementation:
State and regional implementation has been extremely varied, including
local launches and activities. A number of these launches and activities
linked in with other local or regional sporting, social or community
events. The activities are wide ranging, very creative and have generated
a lot of media and public interest and support.
Most of the following activities received media coverage in the local
press and local radio coverage and some have received coverage on local
television. Many of the events included regional sportsmen/spokespeople,
all sportsmen/spokespeople were given information and briefing sessions
prior to their active involvement in campaign activities.
Lessons Learned/ Evaluation
The major successes have been in the implementation of the regional
campaigns where more in depth messages about the impacts of violence can
be conveyed, local people can be actively involved in developing campaigns
that are culturally appropriate and regional spokespeople can facilitate
the call to action for the local population.
The results of the evaluation will soon be published and will be available
through the Violence Against Women Specialist Unit and our website.
http://www.lawlink.nsw.gov.au/cpd.nsf/pages/vawsu_index
The evaluation process was conducted in 25 separate locations around NSW,
involving 593 respondents to both surveys and focus groups.
The evaluation aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of the strategies used by
assessing the:
- Penetration of Campaign Message
- Provocativeness of Campaign Message
- Understanding of Campaign Message
- Strengthening Attitudes
- Identifying Violent Behaviours
A very encouraging outcome at this stage is the anecdotal feedback from
community and government groups and from the Regional Violence Prevention
Specialists that there has been a lot of interest from men in supporting
the campaign. Indeed at times the support has been a surprise to the
workers, some of whom had not worked with partners such as sporting clubs
and sporting teams prior to this campaign.
It is not surprising, however, there has also been some backlash - men
asking "what about violence against men" or that some women 'ask' for or
'deserve' violence. Naturally these attitudes exist in the community and
the campaign is aimed at providing an opportunity to confront these
attitudes. It is clear that messages on the posters need to be accompanied
by more detailed information in order to address such entrenched
attitudes.
Foonotes:
(1) The NSW Strategy to Reduce Violence Against Women is a co-ordinated
statewide program which aims to reduce the incidence of violence against women
and provide support and advice to those women who experience violence. The
strategy is funded by the NSW Attorney General's Department, Department of
Community Services, NSW Health, NSW Police Service and supported by the
Department for Women.
(2) Perpetrators of violence are being targeted by other strategies, for
example,
- There is an emphasis on criminal justice system responses to violence
(eg pro-arrest policy, use of AVOs etc);
- NSW Police Service are focussing on offenders in their domestic
violence community education campaign;
- The NSW Government is investigating the efficacy of intervention programs
for perpetrators through a pilot project. The pilot is being managed by the
Violence Against Women Specialist Unit, and began in July 2001.
(3) Australian Bureau of Statistics, 1997-98, Participation in Sport and
Physical Activities, Canberra, Cat. No. 4177.0
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