Shama launches videos to help ethnic communities talk about sexual violence
Tue 21 Jul 2020
Shama Hamilton Ethnic Women’s Centre has launched a series of videos featuring people from diverse ethnic communities talking about sexual violence in different languages, called Let's Talk.
Let’s Talk is a multi-language, multi-media community project with a vision to increase how often people talk with each other about sexual violence, and to make sure people are able to access help.
The brief videos focus on six messages about preventing and responding to sexual violence experienced by ethnic communities. The messages were developed by ethnic practitioners working in sexual violence treatment and prevention. They include referral information, legal information and examples developed from practice and knowledge of sexual violence in culturally specific situations.
The first 13 videos are available in several different first languages including Arabic, Farsi, Hindi, Japanese, Kannada, Korean, Malay, Spanish and Tagalog. Shama plans to develop more videos in more than 20 different languages.
The first series of videos answer questions on sexual violence such as:
- What is sexual harm?
- How to help if someone has been hurt sexually
- Preventing someone from causing harm
- What is child sexual abuse?
- What happens if a child tells you about abuse?
The Let's Talk project was developed in response to a need identified at the 2019 Connections! Hui. At the hui participants talked about the need for the right words and knowledge about what to say when talking about sexual violence.
Maria Cristina Rodriguez, Shama Ethnic Women’s Centre Director said “We want to make sure that our communities know about legal protections, and people who want help know where to go.” She went on to say:
“We know too that hearing a message or watching a video in your first language has a different connection in your brain. First language messages are more effective. This is even more true in a country where sometimes people do not hear their first language very often.”
Shama has three areas of work addressing sexual violence in ethnic communities. This includes a national sexual violence crisis coordination and therapeutic service. To stay up to date with their work, sign up for their Connections! newsletter.
People from ethnic communities who have experienced sexual harm, can get support from Shama during office hours on 07 843 3810, or call or text 022 135 9545 to speak to a social worker.
You can also call Safe to Talk | Kōrero mai ka ora anytime on 0800 044 334. Ask for the Language Line to speak in your first language.
Webinar on Let's Talk
Shama and TOAH-NNEST are hosting a webinar on 31 July 2020 with Shama Trustee and film practitioner-researcher, Arezou Zalipour, and three community champions. Shama worked with Arezou Zalipour to create the videos. Arezou and the community champions will talk about why they wanted to be involved, the power of first languages and how to get comfortable talking about sexual violence.
Related media
Explainer: When is illegal sex with a child not 'rape'?, Stuff, 16.09.2020
Jan Logie: Finding a way to disrupt our record on sexual violence, NZ Herald, 27.07.2020
Family violence survivor's long battle to remain with her children in New Zealand, Stuff, 19.07.2020
New sexual violence laws will help more victims come forward, Rape Crisis says, Stuff, 08.07.2020
Andrew Little: Fair trial rights aren't there to give wrongdoers some headway, NZ Herald, 07.07.2020
Lawmakers impressed after Muslim woman calls out rape myths, Newshub, 13.02.2020
Image: Matilda Wormwood from Pexels
