Planned Area of Action

Area of Action 13

Public education/awareness

Responsibility
Lead 
Other
DCYFS, Health and MSD FVFG (sub-group to be established)
Action details

Develop a comprehensive family violence prevention education/communication strategy and then conduct regular family violence prevention public awareness campaigns, using a variety of media, aimed at

  • promoting a consistent message that violence in families/whanau is unacceptable;
  • promoting healthy relationships and safe behaviour in families/whanau, with a particular emphasis on the safety and well-being of children;
  • promoting healthy gender roles and responsibilities and non-violent concepts of masculinity;
  • raising general awareness of the nature, causes and effects of various forms and types of violence in families/whanau; and
  • encouraging individuals to take safe and responsible action when they are aware of violence in families/whanau.

As part of the development of the comprehensive family violence prevention education/communication strategy

   1. establish a process for engaging communities, key sectors and a range of diverse groups

  • in promoting intolerance to violence in families/whanau; and
  • for raising awareness and understanding of the nature, causes and effects of various forms and types of violence in families/whanau; within their specific communities, sectors and groups;

   2. involve positive Maori role models in developing and implementing specific strategies aimed at promoting intolerance to violence in whanau, hapu and iwi and encouraging healthy relationships and safe behaviour in whanau, hapu and iwi with a particular emphasis on the safety and well-being of tamariki and mokopuna;
   3. involve positive male role models in developing and implementing specific strategies designed to promote healthy gender roles and responsibilities and non-violent concepts of masculinity;
   4. develop specific strategies to improve access to information and programmes particularly for women and children, which educate them of their rights, how to identify situations of risk and their safety choices;
   5. identify methods for improving public information on existing family violence services;
   6. promote information/guidelines on 'what to do' when individuals are aware of violence in families/whanau, with a particular emphasis on the safety and well-being of children;
   7. maintain action to promote positive non-violent parenting, including providing information about alternatives to smacking;
   8. develop parent education resources aimed at raising parents' awareness of children's access to violence in media, encouraging them to take responsibility for children viewing violence and educating them about safe TV, video and video game viewing;
   9. maintain education resources for children and young people which promote healthy relationships and balanced views of gender roles and responsibilities; and
  10. develop specific education resources and programmes for whanau, hapu and iwi based on traditional Maori views of gender roles and responsibilities.

Link to goals and objectives

Goals 1, 3, 4 & 5. Objectives 1(i), 1(ii), 1(iii), 1(iv), 1(v), 1(vi), 3(ii), 3(iv), 4(1)(ii), 4(1)(iii), 4(2)(i), 4(2)(ii), 5(i), 5(ii), 5(v).

Timeframe

Developing the comprehensive family violence prevention education/communication strategy will start in July 2002 and the overall action will be staged and progressed over a four-year timeframe.

Rationale

Any strategy to prevent violence in families/whanau needs to raise public awareness of the devastating effects family violence has on individuals, families/whanau, communities and society as a whole and enhance society's capacity to more effectively and appropriately understand, identify and respond to it. The media, written literature and information, education in schools, and community advocacy are key instruments through which a comprehensive communication/education strategy could be delivered.

Preliminary targets
  • To have developed a comprehensive family violence prevention education/communication strategy by December 2003 that has considered and reflected the identified tasks for development.
  • To have conducted a number of well targeted and focused family violence prevention public awareness campaigns by June 2006.
  • To have raised public awareness and understanding of family violence by June 2006.
Preliminary measures
  • Scoping and timeline for the development of the education strategy completed.
  • Stocktake of existing family violence prevention campaigns undertaken and completed according to the timeline.
  • Consultation with relevant stakeholders and communities undertaken and completed according to the timeline.
  • Education strategy is completed on time.
  • Outcomes of consultation are reflected in the education strategy.
  • Identified action tasks are reflected in the education strategy.
  • At the end of the five-year timeframe research indicates increased public awareness and understanding of family violence.
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