When media coverage of sexual violence activity sparked public controversy there was particular confusion among young people around the boundaries of sexual behaviour and how to prevent sexual violence.
In 2014, media coverage of sexual violence activity sparked public controversy, and there was particular confusion among young people around the boundaries of sexual behaviour and how to prevent sexual violence. The Ministry of Social Development (MSD) identified that a significant barrier for young people is the feeling they aren’t empowered to intervene.
At Ocean Design we developed a social media-based campaign aimed at preparing youth with the skills to identify and safely intervene sexual violence. The key to the approach was gaining in-depth understanding of the audience and sensitivities around this topic, through consultation and concept testing with stakeholders and community groups.
The results were evident in the active conversations exchanged between the target audience on Facebook and twitter, with 10,200 unique users reached on Facebook every 7 days. Social change will not happen overnight, but now with an established social media platform, the discussions and positive impacts continue to this day.
Collaborating with writer Chrissy Pettman and photographer Matt Grace to produce the artwork, it was recognised as a finalist at the NZ Best Design Awards