16 DAYS OF ACTIVISM

November 2021: Breakfast meeting at Starfish Cafe, St Clair

Hamish Barron Head of the Sexual Abuse Unit
Southern District New Zealand Police Force.

Hamish gave some insight into the number of sexual abuse cases reported each week and the lengths that police go to support those reporting abuse and ensure they are listened too.
Approximately 25 people attended.
Building lit up: Otago Boy’s High School lit up the Clock Tower orange for the 16 days of the campaign.

November 2022: A Conversation with Louise Nicholas (postponed)

Buildings lit up: Otago Boy’s High School (pictured), Toitu Settlers Museum, Otago Museum were all lit up orange for the 16 days of the campaign.

February 2023: A Conversation with Louise Nicholas

Ingrid Leary MP was in conversation with Louise Nicholas at the Hutton Theatre. The rapport between Louise & Ingrid resulted in a truly enlightening conversation whereby Louise gave intimate details of what happened to her.

Venue: Hutton Theatre, Otago Museum. The event was free, and a gold coin donation was requested.
Sponsors: Dunedin City Council, Patricia France Trust, Eventspronto, Otago Daily Times.

Louise Nicholas is a survivor of sexual/violence/abuse. After taking on the justice system to pursue her allegations of rape by several police officers Louise began campaigning for the rights of survivors of sexual abuse. Between 1993 & 2006 after six gruelling court cases Louise became the public face of an issue that had largely remained hidden. Read More…

Louise has dedicated her life to supporting and advocating for the survivors of sexual violence. She is likely to have achieved more for people affected by sexual violence than any other single individual over the past thirty years and has been instrumental in effecting change within the New Zealand Police force on how they treat those reporting sexual/violence/abuse. In 2007 she was awarded The New Zealand Herald’s New Zealander of the Year award and was placed in the Top 10 of New Zealand’s Living Treasures.

Ingrid Leary MP: Lawyer, University Lecturer, Broadcaster/journalist. She set up the School of Journalism at the University of the South Pacific – Suva Fiji. Awarded the NZSSM (NZ Special Service Medal for her broadcasting work in the aftermath of the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and subsequent tsunami in Aceh. Represents the people Taieri in Parliament.

November 2023 Associate Professor Siouxsie Wiles MNZM

Charissa Nicol, Principle of Columba College Dunedin talked with Siouxsie on the impact social media and online bullying has had on her and her family. Siouxsie was a high profile scientist during the Covid pandemic and has received thousands of death threats and abuse from people online as well as being threatened in the street. She spoke of the ongoing abuse and the effect on her and her family. She no longer feels safe in New Zealand.

The event was held at St David’s Lecture Theatre, Otago University. Thank you to the Dunedin City Council and Patricia France Trust for their support.

Buildings lit up Otago Boy’s High School Clock Tower, Toitu Settlers Museum, Otago Museum were all lit up orange for the 16 days of the campaign.

November 2024 Campaign against Coercive Control

Leaflets & posters were distributed at the Otago Farmer’s Market and the Meridian Mall. Members of the public were very receptive to receiving information on Coercive Control with many being well informed. Information on Coercive Control can be found on zontaclubofmetropolitandunedin.com

Sponsors: Patricia France Trust

Thanks: Our sincere thanks to Women’s Aid (UK) who gave permission to use their graphics in our campaign. Women’s Aid were instrumental in Coercive Control being made a criminal offence in the United Kingdom.

Building lit up Otago Boys’ High School Clock Tower

8th MARCH – INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY/YELLOW ROSE DAY

Professor Joanne Baxter, Dean of the Otago Medical School. BHB MB ChB(Auck) MPH(Otago) FAFPHM FNZCPHM is a public health medicine specialist with research interests in Māori health workforce development, Māori mental health and health inequalities. Professor Baxter spoke on her journey from growing up in a small West Coast town leaving home at a young age to attend secondary school in Picton. With the encouragement of teachers and a local Kaumatua she applied to Auckland Medical School and was accepted. On arrival she felt out of her depth, isolated, anxious and alone. She had never been taught science at school and while having to keep up with her university studies she also had to teach herself subjects that she had never studied at school. Joanne excelled and is the first female Maori Dean of the Otago University Medical School. Her story was compelling and overwhelming at the same time.

Held in the ballroom Fables Hotel, Princes St, Dunedin. Very well attended and each attendee received a yellow rose.

ARE YOU SAFE posters

The Advocacy Committee were encouraged to create Are You Safe posters by members of the club. The staff at Dunedin City Council were extremely enthusiastic to have them placed in all public toilets owned by the Council. Regrettably, as this progressed through Council the management committee felt that it would encourage vandalism therefore they could not have them placed in public places they owned.
The Are You Safe posters were created with the input from several Dunedin organisations such as Women’s Refuge, OCASA, Asian Women’s helpline etc.