Rape Prevention Education - Debbi Tohill
Rape Prevention Education has been around for quite a long time, originally called Rape Crisis Auckland. Almost 18 years ago, there was a need for more work in prevention.
Bodysafe was first written as a one-hour program that went into schools, and over the years, it has grown into a four-module program. RPE works mainly in schools and currently looks after 15 - 25 schools a year. RPE works with young people, teaching them about healthy relationships and consent, how to seek help, and some bystander intervention.
Debbi Tohill - Executive Director
Mother of 2, Nana of 6, Debbi is passionate about organisational development and brings a wealth of experience in workforce development, training, and research. Debbi joined RPE in 2015 and has over 20 years of experience in the not-for-profit and public sector. Working in the area of the prevention, ultimately what Debbi wants to see is that RPE does not need to exist anymore. Debbi believes that education is key and that the work RPE does in schools and communities can really make a difference.
Debbi met HEART through Cristy Trewartha. She was invited to a HEART meeting and it pretty much started from there. She loves how community-driven HEART is. Debbi shares of her experience with that, that the opportunity to work with HEART opens a new audience for us and ensures us that we can make sure that if people receive disclosures of sexual violence, that they know how to respond appropriately because we know it’s really important that people get the right response otherwise they may not go on to seek further help that they need.
Words of advice from Debbi: “To anybody who has experienced sexual violence, there is some really great help out there and it’s important to do that in your own time, when you feel ready to accept that help. Know that there are people out there who will help you through your journey.”
Lesley-Ann Guild - Programme Manager
Lesley-Ann has a background working with young people of diverse sexes, sexualities, and genders and more than a decade working in sexuality education. Lesley is really excited to hear more talk about prevention, from government all the way to communities. She hopes "to see that continue to grow, to see more and more energy, resources, and time put into prevention and creating the spaces that make people safe and give them what they need to strive."
Lesley also connected with HEART through Cristy when she was working at Family Planning. What Lesley has witnessed about HEART over the years, is that it has become more and more actively owned by the community. There are more people in the community involved, and she wants to see that keep growing so that it does stay as something that’s really community-owned, where the community gets to have this vehicle instead of all these random services coming in.
Words of advice from Lesley: “To anyone who wants to create change or see a change in their community, and maybe feels a bit powerless, is to connect - even if you're not sure of anything you can offer, even if all you think you can do is dry the dishes at an event, get involved, ask someone, or offer, or just come along. Most people have a lot more to offer than they think they do. Every small piece, every person that gets involved, helps to create that change and helps it to grow."
Click through to the website for Rape Prevention Education for more information on this Partner Organisation of the HEART Movement.