Gender-based Violence Webinar
Territorial Women’s Ministries hosted a ‘Unite to end gender-based violence’ webinar on Tuesday 5 December, as part of the worldwide movement ‘16 Days of Activism to Eliminate Gender-Based Violence’. Wearing orange, a colour symbolising a brighter future free from violence, organiser Ingrid Barratt shared that one in three women in New Zealand are affected by physical, emotional and psychological violence from men.
Special guest Dr Natalie Thorburn from Women’s Refuge explained that gender-based violence is controlled and planned. ‘It is about social power,’ she said, ‘who has it or who takes it.’ She added that any behaviour designed to control or oppress, that makes a woman subordinate, is a form of gender-based violence.
Captain Nikki Mellsop, corps officer at Waitakere Central Corps, together with Rhonda Tama’ali’i, community caseworker also at Waitakere Central Corps, shared the practical ways they are supporting women in their community and shared stories of transformation and hope.
Ingrid closed the seminar with the reminder that we all contribute to the gender norms that we have grown up with and urges us to make it unacceptable to talk about women in disparaging ways. If you or someone you know is experiencing gender-based violence, The Salvation Army website provides a link to The Shielded Site. This site, developed in partnership with Women’s Refuge, supports people experiencing violence to get free, private information that won’t show up on their browser history.
To learn more about gender-based violence, listen to episode 15 on The DISTURBANCE podcast | Women (salvationarmy.org.nz) where Dr Natalie Thorburn shares her knowledge and expertise.
