Lyrical warning to halt sexual violence

University of Otago students (from left) Michelle Keating, Danielle Rolls and Lydia Bernard (all...
University of Otago students (from left) Michelle Keating, Danielle Rolls and Lydia Bernard (all 18) perform a song to raise awareness about sexual violence. Photo by Craig Baxter.

Keeping an eye out for your peers is the key message of an Otago University Students' Association campaign aimed at stopping sexual violence.

OUSA student advocate Philippa Keaney said its ''Are You That Someone?'' campaign was about encouraging young people to look out for and look after each other.

''It's putting onus on young people to think about situations where sexual violence could occur and ... stepping in [safely] and intervening,'' Ms Keaney said.

For the student population sexual violence was a problem which was at times connected with drinking alcohol.

Examples of when people should intervene, included checking whether a ''really wasted'' friend did actually want to ''hook up'' with the guy she was with while she was so incapacitated, she said.

The message was particularly pertinent for campaigner and Otago University student Danielle Rolls (18), who recently had someone intervene when she got into trouble outside Starters Bar in North Dunedin.

She had been pulled out of the bar by a man when a stranger passing by intervened and asked her whether she was all right, Ms Rolls said.

This defused the situation and could have prevented it from getting worse, she said.

The campaign, which is running until tomorrow, included a photo booth where people could take ''happy snaps'' with friends or partners, a hot-water bottle giveaway, pop-up theatre and a ''positivity tree'' where people were asked to share their thoughts on what made a positive relationship.

vaughan.elder@odt.co.nz

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