Overall, what difference are we trying to make?
WHAT IS THE AIM?
When planning our communications it is important to consider what difference we are trying to make, and why. To help us consider this we can ask ourselves, am I aiming:
• Raise awareness about the scale of issue and what is being done to address it?
• Raise awareness of how to start a conversation about healthy relationships?
• Raise awareness about consent and how to talk about it?
• Address specific barriers that may be preventing specific individuals and groups from accessing help and support?
• Recognise ways in which individuals may be attempting to cope with the trauma they are experiencing for example by using alcohol or other substances
• Raise awareness about the wide-ranging impacts of sexual harm (ie the cost of sexual harm to society; what it can mean for children/young people their development, education and opportunities in life; what it means for the health service etc)?
• Encourage businesses to take action to prevent sexual harm and to support employees who may be experiencing trauma?
• Provide practical information and advice about self-care for individuals who have experienced or who are currently experiencing sexual harm?
• Raise awareness about how protected characteristics and intersectionality may affect individuals and what they need from services?
• Challenge and address the barriers, prejudices or discrimination that may be preventing individuals from accessing the help and support that’s right for them?
• Encourage individuals to access the right type of immediate help and support that they may need for their physical and emotional health and wellbeing?
• Encourage individuals to access the ongoing therapeutic support they may need for their trauma?
• Raise awareness about where there are gaps in services for individuals who have experienced sexual harm and trauma, and what is being done to address them?
• Raise awareness of help and support available for sex workers?
• Raise awareness about the types of individuals who work and volunteer in specialist services, and the specific help and support they can provide?
• raise awareness about what specifically happens when someone reports their experience?
• Raise awareness about organisations that provide services to individuals who are not, or who do not identify as a woman or girl?
• Help individuals to seek justice by reporting what has happened to them to the police, if that’s their choice?
•Improve how my organisation (or group of organisations) respond to, and try to prevent, sexual harm?
• Support other organisations to help prevent sexual harm?
• Challenge and address myths and stereotypes about sexual harm?
• Raise awareness of what ‘life after sexual harm’ can be like to support and inspire others?
• Encourage individuals to contact the police or adult/child safeguarding services if they suspect someone is being sexual harmed?
• Offer support to individuals who have been affected by sexual harm in other ways (for example young people who may have had a parent convicted of a sexual offence, or an individual who was born as a result of rape)?
• Ask individuals with lived experience of sexual harm and/or services for their views and opinions or to help us develop our plans?
Please note that the above list is not exhaustive.
