OUSA: Safety in Relationships

Safety in Relationships the Focus of OUSA Women’s Week

Lesley Elliot and Jan Craig – Domestic Violence Intervention Team Coordinator for the New Zealand Police – are among the speakers at a comprehensive exploration of safe relationships from a number of perspectives.

Lesley will present “Sophie’s Story: What we missed”, to help people recognise unsafe relationships and offer advice to concerned family and friends.
Jan Craig will outline how the New Zealand police respond to domestic violence incidents.

Other panel speakers are Lynda Kearns, a barrister specialising in Family Law, Heidi Cripps from Rape Crisis, and Darlene Gore from Te Whare Pounamu Women’s Refuge.

“As well as offering good factual information to people who may want to find a way out of a situation they are in, this discussion will offer good advice to everyone in our community about safe relationships to allow us all to better support each other” said Women’s Week organiser, OUSA Women’s Representative Shonelle Eastwood.

The panel discussion is on Monday 13 September from 3-6pm in Commerce 2.07 and all students, university staff, and interested members of the public are welcome to attend. A gold coin donation is requested; it will go toward a trust Lesley Elliot is in the processing of setting up to raise awareness of young women, their families and friends to the signs of abuse.

On Tuesday of OUSA Women’s Week a light-hearted debate on the topic “Megan Fox – A feminist for the 21st Century?” takes place at midday in the Union Main Common Room, with a free barbeque lunch.
“The debate will explore who can be a feminist in 2010.”

Patrons of the Albany Café in the University Link will be able to buy discounted coffee on Wednesday, to reflect the remaining pay disparity between men and women in similar jobs.

OUSA’s Women’s Week rounds off on Thursday with ‘Networking 101: the Women’s Edition” with guest speaker, family law specialist Jenny Beck. Networking 101 is a regular staff:student networking session organised by the OUSA Commerce representative Katie Bryan. It takes place in Commerce 2.07 at 5pm. Food and drinks are provided.

“OUSA Women’s Week is an important yearly event – it’s true we’ve come a long way since women got the vote but it’s still important to recognise and raise awareness about current women’s issues”

ENDS

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