Upstander community mobilisation underway for Atu-Mai violence prevention programme

Le Va’s Atu-Mai Upstanders have begun their next wave of innovative community mobilisation activations, working to prevent sexual violence in different spaces including schools, community organisations, clubs and churches across Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland.

Community leaders, trained through the Atu-Mai Upstander programme, are delivering workshops and hosting talanoa (conversations) in their communities to raise awareness for the prevention of sexual harm.

Their activities cover topics like building healthy relationships, understanding boundaries and consent, and creating healthy gender norms.

Le Va’s senior manager for violence prevention, Paul Tupou-Vea, says he is proud to see community leaders breaking the silence around topics related to sexual violence.

“Traditionally there are cultural barriers that make it uncomfortable to talanoa about sexual harm or sexual safety,” he says.

“That makes it all the more important and powerful when we start to shine the light on these issues.”

The Atu-Mai team held several sexual violence prevention training sessions in 2024 to share knowledge about the causes, risks and protective factors of sexual harm in our communities, focusing on how we can all work together to bring about change.

Le Va’s Atu-Mai community engagement leads have been working alongside to support our Upstanders.

One of the leads, Charles Lavea, says his work with men and fathers has helped, especially when it comes to healthy masculinity norms.

“Men and fathers having a safe space to talanoa openly is a powerful step towards transformation,” he says.

Charles added that when men feel safe to share, reflect and challenge harmful norms without fear of judgement, that’s when real change starts to take place.

“By strengthening leaders’ capabilities, we create environments where respect, consent, and positive masculinity become the norm,” he says.