The Australian Government has used International Women’s Day this week (8 March) to launch the third phase of the national campaign to reduce violence against women and children.
Presiding over the launch, Minister for Women, Senator Marise Payne said the new Stop it at the Start campaign encouraged adults to “unmute” themselves.
“It empowers them to take actions that will have a positive influence on the attitudes and behaviour of young people,” Senator Payne said.
She was supported by the Minister for Families and Social Services, Senator Anne Ruston who said the campaign was critical in efforts to prevent family, domestic and sexual violence.
“Each and every one of us has a role to play in ensuring disrespectful attitudes and behaviour towards women are not learned in childhood,” Senator Ruston said.
“We all need to unmute ourselves when we witness disrespect and turn it into an opportunity to set the standard for what is and isn’t acceptable.”
Senator Payne said launching the next phase of Stop it at the Start on International Women’s Day sent a powerful message about the role everyone must play to ensure all women could fulfil their potential.
“We have made considerable progress towards gender equality in Australia but challenges remain, whether that be in the home or the workplace,” Senator Payne said.
“Stop it at the Start demonstrates to all adults that responding to disrespect can be a constructive, liberating and an important way to shape future generations,” she said.
The Stop it at the Start campaign began in 2016 as an initiative under the National Plan to Reduce Violence Against Women and their Children 2010-2022.
Senator Payne said evaluation research has found that the campaign was changing attitudes, with 42 per cent of adults taking action such as having a conversation with a young person about respectful relationships or changing the way they behave towards others.
