F.Y.I.

L’Oréal Paris launches Stand Up Against Street Harassment campaign

L’Oréal Paris has partnered with artists to launch the nationwide Stand Up Against Street Harassment campaign and intervention program.

The announcement:

Multiple ARIA Award-winning artist, songwriter and actor, Jessica Mauboy, swimmer and musician, Cody Simpson, former Miss Universe, presenter, and advocate, Maria Thattil, and writer, academic and activist, Tarang Chawla, join L’Oréal Paris to launch the nationwide Stand Up Against Street Harassment campaign and intervention program.

On Monday 29 August, Australia joins a global movement across 40 countries supporting people to Stand Up safely to street harassment.

78% of Australian women have experienced street harassment, personally, at least once, according to an Ipsos survey of 2,000 Australians aged over 18. 1

First Nations women, Black women, women of colour, women with disability, women with low income, trans women, and gender diverse and nonbinary people, are disproportionately impacted.

The Stand Up Against Street Harassment campaign and intervention program, an initiative by L’Oréal Paris in partnership with girls’ rights charity Plan International Australia, is focused on raising awareness about street harassment, and providing training in the 5Ds – Distract, Delegate, Document, Direct, and Delay – to support bystanders to safely stand up to street harassment when they see it.

Street harassment significantly reduces women’s freedom – it changes the way women live their lives. Some stop going out at night, or only go out with another person, some avoid public transport, some change the way they dress, or carry their keys in their hands, while others are hyper-vigilant in public spaces. This takes up a huge amount of mental and physical energy. The Ipsos survey found that 97% of women use strategies to avoid situations of street harassment.

L’Oréal Paris is committed to empowering women with the knowledge that they are not alone – street harassment is never their fault, and it is serious and harmful. The Stand Up campaign continues

L’Oréal Paris’ almost 111-year commitment to be a force for good in the lives of women, which is at the heart of the brand’s DNA. That’s why L’Oréal Paris is committed to supporting the community to stand up safely to street harassment.

Jessica Mauboy said: “As a performer, I understand – deeply – that public spaces including gigs, music festivals, concerts, events, are for everyone and should be safe for everyone. Street harassment is a form of violence and no form of harassment or aggression should be treated lightly.”

Street harassment is unwanted or intrusive behaviours that occur in public or semi-public spaces, including on the street, on public transport, in shopping centres, and more. Some common examples of street harassment include cat-calling, leering or staring, wolf-whistling, following someone, unwanted conversation, sexual comments, indecent exposure and public masturbation, and unwanted touching or groping.

Street harassment can occur as a form of sexual and gender-based violence, as well as a form of racist, homophobic or transphobic, or ableist abuse.

Tarang Chawla said: “We know that the vast majority of incidents of street harassment are perpetrated by men. So, as a man, I feel a responsibility to try to safely intervene when I see it. Not to be a hero, it’s not about that, but because by intervening, bystanders can help support women and communicate that we don’t tolerate street harassment.”

Bystander intervention is based on the idea that we all have a responsibility to prevent harassment in public spaces. That’s why L’Oréal Paris, with Plan International Australia, have come together to provide free one-hour virtual training sessions, led by six of Plan International Australia’s inspiring youth activists.

The training offers a methodology already proven around the world – the 5Ds – Distract, Delegate, Document, Direct, and Delay – to help bystanders safely intervene.

Cody Simpson said: “Safety should be a priority for bystanders to street harassment – however there are different ways to intervene, and there is almost always a way to intervene safely. The 5Ds give bystanders a range of intervention techniques.”

Maria Thattil added: “It is of the utmost importance that we challenge the narrative that victim-blames women and gender diverse folk and tells them to modify what they say and do to stay safe. Street harassment is never their fault. It doesn’t matter what you look like, it doesn’t matter what you’re wearing, it doesn’t matter what you’re doing, we should all be safe from street harassment.”

L’Oréal Paris has set a goal, by the end of the year, to train an Australian community of Upstanders – part of a global community of 1.5 million people – who understand that street harassment is a form of violence, and who want women, girls and gender diverse and nonbinary people to know that street harassment is never their fault – and they’re not alone.

Source: Two Birds Talking

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