The groundbreaking report on experiences of sexual violence amongst tertiary students from Thursdays in Black Aotearoa is out.
The report, ‘In Our Own Words’, is the first fully gender minority inclusive research report on sexual violence in this country.
In Our Own Words shows elevated levels of sexual violence toward every minority gender population.
An overwhelming 100% of transgender women respondents, transgender men respondents, takataapui gender minority respondents, and intersex respondents, reported experiencing sexual violence; including sexual assault and/or sexual harassment during their time as a student.
*Note: in the graphs above, ‘trans’ means self identifying as trans.
With over 1,400 respondents over all, In Our Own Words provides a solid evidence base from which to advocate for inclusive sex education, service provision, and resource allocation.
We are honored to have worked with Thursdays in Black from start to finish, throughout the development of the survey questions and the analysis of the data gathered. We commend TiB’s deep and active commitment to ending sexual violence against gender minority students.
In Our Own Words is an exceptional report that sets the standard for inclusive research, and will continue to be useful for many years to come.
[Image: A black banner with a red outline illustration of a wahine with moko kauae shouting into a megaphone. Text in the image reads: Student experiences of sexual violence prior to and during tertiary education 2017.
Today, March 31st, is international transgender day of visibility.
”It’s a day for the people of New Zealand to stand up and say we want everyone to be equal – to be respected as human beings, and to have access to human rights” says Ahi Wi-Hongi, National Coordinator of Gender Minorities Aotearoa (GMA), ”regardless of sex or gender.”
”Without resources such as safe housing, without freedom from violence, and without supportive communities, visibility is meaningless” says GMA spokesperson Adeline Greig. ”So often, trans women and other gender minorities are subjected to the public gaze in ways that harm us.”
“Visibility must go hand in hand with an acceptance of gender minorities as deserving of respect and rights” GMA youth spokesperson Kiran Foster says.
“Recently, gender identity was once again rejected from inclusion in the New Zealand Bill of Rights Act as a protected group; since then, Family First has released a document encouraging schools not to accommodate the needs of transgender students” Foster continues. “It is important that people are aware that we exist, because that enables them to make space for us in their world views and communities. But without that space, visibility is incredibly dangerous.”
”In Australia, the anti-bullying programme Safe Schools has come under vicious attack,” says Wi-Hongi, ”and we’re also seeing a targeted push-back against rising trans visibility in the USA, with 44 anti-trans bills introduced this year alone, 23 of which target transgender children.”
”However,” says Wi-Hongi, ”just yesterday in New Zealand’s capital city we saw the world’s first transgender woman symbol replace the ”green man” walking symbol on the Cuba st traffic lights. This year has also seen both Wellington High School and Onslow College take up the call of transgender students and their supporters and move toward genderneutral bathrooms. We’re seeing progress in the medical sector. We want to see visibility translate into positive actions which improve the lives of transgender and intersex people”
”The takeaway message,” says Wi-Hongi, ”is that visibility alone is not enough. The people of New Zealand are good, caring, and progressive people. We are world leaders – we led the world on women voting, we elected the worlds first openly transgender Member of Parliament, we are the only country in the world to protect sex workers by decriminalising their occupation,” Wi-Hongi says.
”Let’s continue to be at the forefront of human rights – let’s make 2016 the year we carry the torch for transgender and intersex whanau”.
