Intervention Showcase

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Changing attitudes and perceptions around sexual violence in Wrexham

He Says, She Says

Non Flash

Gencia was commissioned by the Wrexham Community Safety Partnership to help improve awareness of sexual violence and issues around consent in the area.

Background

Following a meeting, the partnership agreed that a local sixth form college represented a strong demographic fit to the core messages of the campaign.

One of the key issues identified around consent is knowledge of boundaries and addressing attitudes and perceptions became a primary focus of the campaign.

Objectives

  • To improve knowledge of issues around rape, consent and violent crime
  • To challenge attitudes around the subject by comparing perceptions with real life statistics
  • To promote respect
  • To stimulate thought and discussion around a range of real life scenarios
  • To offer young people lines of support and communication
  • To provide lasting awareness / memory of potential punishments and outcomes

Our Approach

Gencia suggested a quiz would offer a fun way to dispel myths around forced sex from both male and female perspectives.

The benefits of the quiz were that it could be done online, via mobile media (mobile / iPhone) while Bluetooth and traditional media supported key messages.

The He Says / She Says mobile application and website were built and an engaging communications campaign within the College and surrounding area followed during a selected week in Spring 2010.

The opportunity to win a free VIP night out would encourage entrants and ensure that the campaign would achieve as many finished surveys as possible.

He Says She Says

Campaign Delivery

He Says She Says Campaign Delivery

The campaign was delivered in Yale College Week Commencing 22 March and was supported by a wider media campaign which involved local publications, the BBC and Heart FM.

Posters, pop up stands, web banners, Bluetooth boxes and emails promoted the domain of the websites while free giveaways such as wristbands, lollipops and pens offered lasting brand awareness / reminders.

Outcomes

The campaign was hugely successful in generating awareness of the key issues and tackling some of the myths around rape and consent.

In just one week since launch, 2341 had taken part in the game. Of these 1243 were male and 1098 were female.

248 of the respondents entered the VIP competition and left their details.

The two biggest revelations from the campaign were:

1. That only 19% of females people think of people they know when they think of who their profile of a rapist is

2. That almost 40% did not know or did not feel there could be issues around consent if violence wasn’t present

While some of these statistics may be surprising, providing instant feedback to test perceptions is proven to lead to greater knowledge and contribute towards improved behaviours in the future.

In terms of response, mobile media and traditional media combined extremely well to gain a solid representation of young people and their thoughts and attitudes.

What they said

"This campaign has raised the bar even further by not only delivering a critical sexual violence message and local support links to a large portion of young people within Wrexham, but in also offering us crucial information on attitudes and knowledge of young people in our area."

"We are absolutely delighted with the campaign results."

Christine Elmitt, Domestic Abuse Co-ordinator within the Community Safety Team