Tautoko Mai Sexual Harm Support is calling on leaders in sports, legal, media, music and business industries to show their support for their employees by attending a landmark event aimed at preventing sexual harm and harassment within organisations. The recent disturbing and sexually violent statement made by high profile sportsman, Israel Adesanya shows this event is well overdue.

Tautoko Mai Sexual Harm Support, says the use of such explicit language to simply taunt a competitor in sports, has shone a light on a desperate need in Aotearoa for a significant change to the culture of downplaying sexual harm.

Tautoko Mai Chief Executive Officer Blair Gilbert says using the threat of a violent sexual attack as a flippant insult normalises what is actually a brutal crime. Put simply, sexually violent language is never ok, no matter what sport, industry or organisation.

“Our event is about supporting organisations to educate their teams or employees on what sexual harm is and how it can impact the people around them,” says Gilbert.

At the upcoming event, industry experts such as NZ Rugby Union’s Eleanor Butterworth will give insights into how their organisation has implemented change in a male-dominated workplace. Employment lawyer and 2018 Wellingtonian of the Year, Steph Dyhrberg will talk about a new paradigm for complaints processes, drawing on her experiences tackling sexual harassment in the legal profession and managing complaints for the Rugby Union.

Gilbert says the event targets people and culture leaders, management, change specialists and board directors who can create a gender safe culture including responding appropriately to the way it addresses sexual harm issues.

“There is no ‘one size fits all’ solution and we need organisations who are not afraid to confront this issue head on. Attendees will learn how to educate their teams, identify sexual harm, respond to complaints, how to support people in the workplace, and where to go for further advice”.

“Tautoko Mai is committed to achieving a society free of sexual harm,” says Gilbert.

Tautoko Mai Sexual Harm Support is a collective of highly trained counsellors, educators, social workers, nurses, doctors and clinical health practitioners specialising in sexual harm support services in the Bay of Plenty, Greater Waikato region and Whakatane.

“Organisational sexual harm can have far-reaching consequences. It impacts not only the people affected and their families, but also organisational reputation, productivity and culture” says Gilbert.

The event will be MC’d by Alison Mau (leader of the #metoo NZ Project, Investigative Journalist) and opened by New Zealand’s first ever Minister for the Prevention of Family and Sexual Violence, Marama Davidson.

From humble beginnings, Tautoko Mai Sexual Harm Support is now a significant organisation with 145 staff and contractors working to prevent sexual harm and support those impacted by sexual harm in the Bay of Plenty and Waikato regions (combined it is the second largest population group outside of Auckland). Sadly, since the outbreak of Covid-19, it has seen a staggering increase in the number of people reaching out for help.

The day-long event will be held at The Atrium at Wintec, Hamilton on Monday 14 June 2021.

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