SPEAK OUT: Supporting Peers to End Abuse
Regardless of:
One in three 12-20 year olds in Australia experience physical or sexual violence in their intimate relationships (Australian Institute of Criminology: Young Australians and Domestic Violence, 2001). The majority of this violence is perpetrated against young women. Many young men normalise sexual coercion and are tolerant of violence in intimate relationships (Victorian Health Promotion Foundation, The Factors Influencing Community Attitudes in Relation to Violence Against Women: A Critical Review of the Literature, 2006). | Quick Links
Projects
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 The 'Relationship Tree' created by students at North Albany Senior High School | What is SPEAK OUT
SPEAK OUT (previously the Domestic and Dating Violence Peer Education Program) is a violence prevention program targeted at secondary school students. The main aims of the program are to:
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To achieve these aims SPEAK OUT uses three
distinct strategies: teacher training, classroom based education
integrated within the Health and Physical Education curriculum and Peer
Education.
Teacher Training
Informing teachers about domestic and dating violence is important for creating a no -violence culture within schools as it enables teachers to:
Teacher Training
Informing teachers about domestic and dating violence is important for creating a no -violence culture within schools as it enables teachers to:
- Participate in open discussion about relationship violence;
- Respond appropriately to disclosures about violence and to know who and how to refer students; and
- Informs
teachers about how to best role model respectful attitudes and
behaviours e.g., challenging jokes/comments/attitudes that normalise or
justify gendered violence.
Classroom Activities
SPEAK OUT provides classroom presentations about healthy and unhealthy relationships, domestic and family violence, dating violence, sexual assault, safety and support services. These presentations have been developed to integrate within the Health and Physical Education curriculum for years 8-10. It is important to stagger violence prevention responses over a number of years. |  Peer Educators from Kent Street Senior High School (2009) |
Peer Education
SPEAK OUT seeks to educate and train students from years 9 and 10 to act as Peer Educators within their schools. The Peer Educator's role is to act as contact point for information about domestic and dating violence and support services and to conduct awareness raising activities that promote healthy and safe relationships.
SPEAK OUT in Practice
SPEAK OUT was first piloted as the Domestic and Dating Violence Peer Education Project in 2007 in two regional Western Australian secondary schools - Cecil Andrews Senior High School in Armadale and Coodanup Community College in Mandurah. An evaluation was undertaken with students being surveyed both at the begining and end of the program. Feedback was also sought from the Peer Educators. A final report was produced by Dr Deirdre Davies (Just4Research & Consultancy) and can be downloaded below.
SPEAK OUT seeks to educate and train students from years 9 and 10 to act as Peer Educators within their schools. The Peer Educator's role is to act as contact point for information about domestic and dating violence and support services and to conduct awareness raising activities that promote healthy and safe relationships.
SPEAK OUT in Practice
SPEAK OUT was first piloted as the Domestic and Dating Violence Peer Education Project in 2007 in two regional Western Australian secondary schools - Cecil Andrews Senior High School in Armadale and Coodanup Community College in Mandurah. An evaluation was undertaken with students being surveyed both at the begining and end of the program. Feedback was also sought from the Peer Educators. A final report was produced by Dr Deirdre Davies (Just4Research & Consultancy) and can be downloaded below.
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Since then the project has been delivered in an additional six schools across Western Australia. A short video was made with the students and staff at Kent Street Senior High School who undertook the program in 2009.
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This video provides some more information on the SPEAK OUT program and can be viewed below.
For further information on the SPEAK OUT program
Contact:
Jackie Newbigin
Project Officer
Women's Council for Domestic and Family Violence Services (WA)
P: 08 9420 7285
E: jackie@womenscouncil.com.au
Contact:
Jackie Newbigin
Project Officer
Women's Council for Domestic and Family Violence Services (WA)
P: 08 9420 7285
E: jackie@womenscouncil.com.au
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