antiviolence.info

Campaigns

“Venues Reporting Violence” is a pilot developed by the Anti Violence Project to train venue staff (security, bar staff and management) to individually and collectively support patrons who approach them with reports of violence and encourage the reporting of this violence to Police on 000 and, when the person is safe, to the AVP’s online reporting service. This pilot is initially rolling out in four Stonnington licensed premises and shortly afterwards in two Moreland GLBT venues. This pilot is a direct response to violence occurring which is under-reported and often never reported. Victoria Police GLLOs are partners and this pilot will be presented at the Stonnington Liquor Accord where municipal partnernship will be encouraged and sought, and discussions will take place with the Moreland City Council for a similar relationship in that municipality. Planning for campaign extension beyond the pilot is underway.

Stop Homophobia Today! was the International Day Against Homophobia Campaign (IDAHO) in Victoria headed by the Anti Violence Project and partnered by Victoria Police, the ALSO Foundation, the Victoria Gay & Lesbian Rights Lobby, the Victorian Equal Opportunity & Human Rights Commission, Gay & Lesbian Health Victoria and other key organisations.

Speak Up! is a series of anti-homophobic harassment posters encouraging gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people to report acts of harassment or violence to Victoria Police. The first posters and other campaign materials were launched at the Melbourne Town Hall on 30th January 2008 during the Asia Pacific OUT Games Human Rights conference and the campaign is designed to raise awareness of the importance of reporting homophobic violence and increase the overall safety and well being of gay, lesbian and transgender people.

Research carried out in the United Kingdom suggests that only 10 per cent of homophobic violence is reported to police. Alarmingly, a similar trend has emerged in Victoria as documented by the Gay and Lesbian Health Victoria’s “Coming Forward” report.

Sergeant Scott Davis, Manager of the Victoria Police Gay and Lesbian Advisory Unit, said at the launch “Crime statistics show that 47 per cent of homophobic offences reported between 2001 and 2006 were assaults. A further 24 per cent were property damage while robbery, rape, thefts and harassment made up the remainder of offences,” He added “Victoria Police are taking the issue of homophobic violence very seriously – we want people to speak up as it encourages others to do so and sends an important message to perpetrators that their actions will not be tolerated.”

Our message to you is that when victims speak up, perpetrators can be stopped from doing the same thing to someone else.

Partnering the AVP in Speak Up! were the ALSO Foundation, the Victorian AIDS Council/Gay Men’s Health Centre and Victoria Police with the assistance of the City of Melbourne, Minus 18 and the Victoria Gay & Lesbian Rights Lobby.

“Gay Bashing is Gutless” was a campaign devised by the VicAVP to target masculinity, perpetrators and the intimate social networks surrounding perpetrators of violence including their male “mates” and female friends and sexual partners. The campaign image of an award winning boxer was designed to appeal to the heterosexual men who fit the profile of perpetrators of violence against the GLBT community, especially when amongst groups of their social peers.

Evaluation of the campaign, subsequent requests for materials and the distribution of these, has revealed a successful connection with the woman partners of heterosexual men committing violent acts against people they see as “weak” or “diminished power” than them – “If my boyfriend or husband can bash gays when he’s drunk then he’s likely to bash me too” is a defining comment from one women.

The VicAVP self-funds re-prints of the “Boxer” poster without government funding. To request copies, please email us.

The AVP’s partners in the “Gay Bashing is Gutless” campaign were the Lance Reichstein Foundation, VicHealth, Victoria Police, Crime Prevention Victoria and the City of Melbourne.