To mark the end of the annual 16 Days of Activism Against Gender Based Violence campaign that took place from Monday 25th November to Tuesday 10th December, Prof Maria Mellins and the SMU Community Safety Partnership presented a talk for colleagues at Disney which drew on the theme - Time to Act Now.
Led by Prof Mellins, the group had an open discussion about the importance of understanding the continuum of gender based violence, addressing the root cause of abuse and the need to tackle engrained attitudes and behaviours. The discussion culminated in a workshop about identifying stalking behaviours and how to support people in seeking help.
The session also explored:
- The need to change the narrative and put the victim and survivor voice first, listen to those with lived experience and vitally address the behaviour and actions of perpetrators.
- The need to develop comprehensive education in our schools, colleges, and universities.
- How building partnerships can work to develop effective prevention strategies.
- Reflections on how to be an active bystander, as well as challenging harmful attitudes and beliefs.