The Making of the Safe Response Toolkit (SRT)
Behind the scenes on The STOP Campaign’s biggest project yet!
In June of this year, the STOP Campaign launched its biggest project yet: the Safe Response Toolkit (SRT).
So, what exactly is the SRT?
The SRT is a resource providing information to victim-survivors of sexual violence (SV) and their supporters about how to safely respond to SV disclosures and access support. The resource is trauma-informed, collaboratively researched, and created with the guidance of relevant legal, medical and support-service authorities.
Its purpose is to provide accurate and accessible information about SV to empower and educate our communities. It includes explanations of what SV is, how it can be reported, available legal avenues to take, and so much more.
How was it made?
The SRT has been in the works since 2021! Volunteers worked across 6 teams: Research, Content & Design, Stakeholder Engagement, Advertising & Communications, Events, and Web Design, led by members of the STOP Campaign. We spoke to some contributors to get a behind-the-scenes insight into the SRT’s creation and what it means to them.
Bianca was the Deputy Director of the SRT and first came up with the idea:
“The SRT for me is a symbol of power, autonomy, activism and progress. I genuinely feel like it will make a positive impact in many victim-survivors' lives, but also help the wider community in understanding sexual violence and lessening the taboo of talking about such topics.”
Sophie was a Research team lead, and also drafted most of the content for the SRT:
“The SRT means a lot to me, because it was such a mammoth task and fills such an obvious gap in sexual violence response and policy in the ACT…The SRT reminds me of the power and influence of volunteer advocacy, and the amazing resources that can be produced by dedicated and hardworking advocates. If the SRT helps one victim-survivor on their journey after experiencing sexual violence, even in a minor way, it will have achieved its purpose.”
Celinawas a Content & Design team lead:
“I’m most proud of our focus on being trauma-informed, the use of accessible fonts for people who are neurodiverse and our use of break pages throughout. I hope the SRT will help victim-survivors autonomously navigate their journey after their experience. I’m grateful to have worked with so many incredible, passionate and inspiring people.”
Sejaywas a member of the Research team:
“Victim-survivors should be supported as much as possible and the SRT is one key way that survivors can gain some clarity on the next steps that they can take… It was really rewarding to see all our hard work transform into something meaningful.”
Zoewas a member of the Research team:
"To me, the SRT means hope. Hope that the community will better understand and support those affected by sexual violence. I hope that this resource will save lives and encourage supporters and victim-survivors to seek help and enable them to better navigate this complex system.”
Sashini was a member of the Content and Design team:
"The processes, systems and emotions involved in seeking help due to sexual violence are intimidating and difficult to navigate. To me, the SRT provides information, transparency and support that I believe has the power to save lives."
A common theme across responses was the immense pride felt by contributors, both for themselves and the SRT team. Many contributors also found it to be an invaluable opportunity to learn more about sexual violence issues and pass on this information in an accessibility-conscious and trauma-informed way. The creation of the SRT entailed countless hours and effort from many people. It is truly a testament to the power of passionate individuals and grassroots organisation in creating change for the better.
Note: Responses have been edited for length and clarity.
For more information on the SRT, you can visit the SRT website at https://www.saferesponsetoolkit.com.au/
In solidarity,
The STOP Campaign Team.