Raising awareness in your community

As a religious or community leader, you can use your position to raise awareness about domestic and family violence. Raising awareness is an important part of preventing it from happening.

You may want to do something similar to the examples provided here or use this information to plan your own promotional activity. You could also think about how you could raise awareness about domestic and family violence in your day-to-day leadership.

Promotion through sermons or public community announcements

Why is this important?

Talking about domestic and family violence can be difficult as it is a sensitive topic. But these messages can make a positive impact on the community.

It may encourage other leaders and members of the community to spread awareness. It also may encourage someone to speak about their own experience in relation to domestic and family violence.

Guidelines for promoting your message

• Make sure your message is as clear as possible
• Use phrases like ‘Violence is never acceptable’, or ‘Victim-survivors are not responsible for any violence they experience’
• Talk about what makes a respectful, equal, and healthy relationship or family. Learn more about healthy relationships
• Use sacred texts, scriptures and practices from your faith to promote equal and respectful relationships and families.

Raising awareness on social media

You can also use social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter or Instagram to spread awareness.  Here are some sample messages that you can include in your post:

• Safe families treat each other equally and with respect.
• End family violence and protect our children.
• Stopping your partner from seeing their family is abuse.
• It’s not ok to put anyone down, not even as a joke.
• Violence against women and children affects everyone.
• Everyone has the right to be safe. Make your homes and communities a safe place.
• Children see, children do – make your influence positive!
• Good relationships have a foundation of trust and support for each other’s differences.

You may also want to promote helpful contacts.

When should you plan your promotional activity?

Some dates that may be appropriate for delivering your message are:

• International Women’s Day, March 8
• Harmony Day, March 21
• World Health Day, April 7
• Mother’s Day, the second Sunday in May each year
• International Day of Families, May 15
• Father’s Day, the first Sunday in September each year
• International Day of Peace, September 21
• Week without Violence, the third week in October each year
• White Ribbon Day, November 25
• International Human Rights Day, December 10
• 16 days of Activism Against Gender Violence, November 25 to December 10

Other days that are significant in your community such as festivals and feasts may also be good opportunities to raise awareness about domestic and family violence. 

Promotional Poster

You can download a promotional poster in a PDF format by clicking the following link: Poster template (PDF, 916 KB)

This poster has been designed to promote the 1800 Respect helpline. You can add your organisation’s contact details within the poster. Alternatively, you can use this content in this poster to create your own.