Handle with Care is an education campaign which takes a difficult issue and makes it appealing through focusing on the preventative side of violence in the home - caring.

All New Zealanders, (not just those violating) need to care more about each other for the issue to be prevented. At a very basic level, humans are fragile – we need to be handled with care.

Through focusing on the positive, the campaign highlights the importance of the issue in a pragmatic way, creating a feeling of hope rather than despair. It serves as a reminder of why we should care and the types of things that we can do to show we do care.

Vision

• That it helps prevent violence in the home.
• That the Handle with Care campaign becomes established and recognised as the voice of ‘Caring’ for all New Zealanders.
• That it educates New Zealanders to the importance of caring and through its practical nature provides tools for change.
• That it generates funds for Preventing Violence in the Home in a socially responsible manner.

How does it work?

Primarily, the programme works as an education campaign aimed at reducing the incidence of violence in New Zealand homes.

This is achieved in 2 ways:

1. Raising awareness of the severity of the issue – ‘this is why we need to care more’
2. reminding people how to care - ‘these are the types of things you can do’

Secondly, it is a fundraising campaign, aimed at raising funds for the continued work of ‘Preventing Violence in the Home’. Funds are generated through selling products which represent ‘Caring’, particularly for women, and which are branded with the Handle with Care identity. Any fundraising activity carries a ‘how to care’ message which is important in fulfilling the educational objective of the campaign.

Ways to care

• Help someone else less fortunate than yourself.
• Make meal time a family time.
• Make time for your children.
• Call on an elderly neighbour to see if they are okay.
• Take steps to build a friendly neighbourhood by getting to know your neighbours.
• Set up a neighbourhood support group.
• Volunteer for an agency to reduce family violence in your community.
• Ask your employer to arrange automatic donations from your pay to go to agencies working to prevent family violence in your community.
• Call 111 if you think someone is in danger now. Don’t hesitate, just do it.
• Call Child, Youth and Family if you are concerned about children.
• Be observant. Look and listen for: Yelling, name-calling, threats, bangs and crashes, crying and screaming, bruises, frequent “accidents”. If you believe there is violence, ask questions.
• Make time to talk freely and in private with someone you are concerned for.
• Let a victim use your phone if she doesn’t have one or is unable to use hers safely.
• Store clothes and important documents for a friend or neighbour at your house to be retrieved if they need to flee suddenly.
• Be aware that people are sometimes looking for help even if they don’t directly ask for it.
• Donate your old cell phone to your local refuge or family violence specialist agency.
• Tell people that domestic violence is a crime and is against the law.
• Educate yourself about domestic violence and the resources available in your community.
• If someone you know is being abusive towards their partner or family, don’t ignore the abuse. Hold them accountable for their behaviour and actions.
• Cultivate a respectful attitude toward women in your family, relationships and at your workplace.
• When you feel angry with others, respond without hurting or harming them.
• Invite domestic violence advocates and specialists to talk at your school, business, church, or other community groups.
• Encourage your workplace to establish a trained contact person for employees to discuss domestic violence related issues with and to develop a domestic violence HR policy.
• Educate children about positive ways to resolve conflict.
• Educate young people on what a healthy relationship looks like.
• Encourage girls to become involved in self-defence, legal rights, leadership programmes and sport.
• Offer support, friendship, conversation, babysitting.