'It's not OK' shines a light on family violence: New Zealand's multipronged campaign succeeds at building awareness and understanding among many target groups.

Family violence is a major social problem in New Zealand. Half of all murders are committed by a family member, and on average, 14 women, 10 children and 6 men die as a result of family violence each year. Police deal with approximately 70,000 calls about family violence, but many thousands of cases go unreported.

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Yet qualitative research, including interviews and focus groups with perpetrators and the general public, showed that New Zealanders didn't have a clear understanding of the nature and scope of the problem. There was a strongly held belief that family violence referred to physical violence only. From perpetrators, there was widespread disassociation ("That's not who I am"), justification ("I was provoked") and minimization ("I never hit her").

The research showed a need to demonstrate that family violence is a serious issue for all New Zealanders, and to begin to mobilize social change. In 2005, the government established a multi agency Taskforce for Action on Violence Within Families to address the issue. The result was the Campaign for Action on Family Violence--the "It's Not OK" campaign, which is currently funded through 2010.

The campaign had an ambitious task of connecting with all New Zealanders:

* Perpetrators: those who needed to stop violent behavior

* Victims: the direct and indirect targets of violence

* Influencers: those who help create an environment of intolerance for family violence and support for violence-free lives (including social, work and cultural networks, and media commentators)

* The "system": those involved in the process of education and enforcement around family violence

* Activists: those working for change nationally or locally

Goals and objectives

The vision of the task force was for all families to have healthy, respectful, stable relationships, free from violence. The key objectives of the "It's Not OK" campaign were:

* To increase awareness of family violence so that it becomes visible and talked about throughout New Zealand.

* To increase understanding of family violence and its many effects.

* To increase the personal relevance of family violence so that New Zealanders acknowledge that we can all help do something about it.

* To promote a greater propensity to act against family violence for victims, perpetrators, families and influencers.

* To create a social climate that supports behavioral change.

Solution and implementation

With its key message, "It's not OK--but it is OK to ask for help," the campaign emphasized the possibilities for change, not blame or shame. The campaign had three interrelated elements: community action, communication/mass media, and research and evaluation.

For the mass media, two series of TV advertisements were developed in 2007. The first featured local celebrities and ordinary New Zealanders, men and women, voicing short messages about what's not OK, including "It's not OK to teach your kids that violence is the way to get what you want" and "It's not OK to blame the drink." The ads concluded with a positive message: "It's not OK--but it is OK to ask for help."

The second series of commercials, shown six months later, featured four men, not actors, telling their personal stories. Three talked about how they stopped being violent after many years of abusing partners and families. The fourth talked about how he influenced a friend to "man up" and stop abusing his partner.

Prior to the campaign, coverage of family violence in the media was typically negative, contained myths and offered no details on how to find help or support. To remedy this, the task force set up family-violence workshops for journalists and journalism schools, and offered media training to spokespeople for community groups working to address family violence, to provide them with the skills to get their messages into local media. In addition to a web site (www.areyouok.org.nz), a free hotline was set up to provide information and advice and to connect callers to services in their own areas, where appropriate.

Another element, the Community Action Fund, helped to embed the campaign in local communities. Through the fund, some 93 projects were established in the first year of the campaign, giving rise to a range of community change projects throughout New Zealand (see "Change in Action," right).

Measurement and evaluation

Formative research was conducted prior to the campaign, and tracking surveys were conducted at regular intervals after the launch. A face-to-face survey of 2,500 people and a community study were carried out, measuring attitudes and the impact of the campaign. Media audits were also conducted prior to the campaign and at intervals after the launch.

The campaign has already made a difference:

* Police as well as health and social service agencies say it's easier to raise family violence issues with clients.

* Community organizations have seen increased morale and understanding of their work.

* Police and nongovernmental organizations report a significant increase in the number of people, particularly men, seeking help to change their behavior, and in the number of women who say it's OK to leave violent relationships.

An independent research company conducted a survey on the reach of the campaign in November 2008. The survey found that:

* Campaign awareness registered 95 percent.

* Almost one in four people (24 percent) said their views on family violence have changed as a result of the campaign, and 22 percent said they have taken some action.

* Two-thirds felt the campaign helped them to understand more about behaviors we should not tolerate.

* The campaign had a strong impact with Maori and Pacific peoples. The highest total recall of the campaign was by Maori females and Maori males (99 percent and 98 percent, respectively).

* Reported action was significantly higher for Pacific peoples. Overall, 55 percent of Pacific males and 58 percent of Pacific females surveyed reported taking some action.

* The media advocacy program was highly effective in changing the way family violence is reported. Stories now include comments from more experts and provide information about where help and information can be found.

Change in action

Other "It's Not OK"-related projects included:

* The Blow the Whistle campaign, which ran in the city of Tauranga during the Rugby World Cup. Blow the Whistle used sporting slogans to promote healthy attitudes and behavior toward women, children and families. It targeted male spectators through pubs, sports clubs and local rugby events. Whistles were distributed at local rugby matches, with the message "Blow the whistle on violence." Posters, coasters and whistles, along with information kits, were distributed to pubs, rugby clubs, and gym and fitness centers.

* Promotions in Christchurch. The "Family Violence--It's Not OK" message was displayed on the back of a shuttle bus that circles the city center all day, every day. Other activities included a planning day where local organizations brainstormed ways to support the It's Not OK campaign, such as putting the "It's Not OK" logo on their letterhead and in their newsletters, hanging posters in the workplace, and providing information to staff about family violence.

--G.S.

Gael Surgenor is service development manager with Family and Community Services, Ministry of Social Development, in Wellington, New Zealand.