It is your right to be safe and respected when you are at a concert, festival, bar, nightclub, pub, work or anywhere.
Raw Lines is an urgent and community-focused social media initiative developed by Mushroom Group and supported by the Victorian Government that raises awareness of the inexcusable and despicable rate of sexual harassment and violence in our society. In 2022, an independent review in Support Act’s Raising Their Voices report found that sexual harassment and bullying was widespread in the Australian music industry. It is unacceptable to say or do nothing. Calling out abuse and sexist jokes is crucial to creating a safer and more respectable community for all. It is everyone’s responsibility to contribute to creating a safer environment.
Five revered Australian musicians, including Ella Hooper, Mo’Ju, Ngaiire, Hatchie and Scott Baldwin of The Rubens, have led this important community initiative to raise awareness on sexual harassment for youth. 1 in 5 women and 1 in 16 men have experienced sexual violence since the age of 15. 1 in 2 women and 1 in 4 men have experienced sexual harassment in their lifetime. These statistics are even higher for people with disabilities, LGBTIQA+ and First Nations Communities.
Raw Lines Support Services is an excellent guide to helpful and informative resources that offer a deeper understanding of harassment, how to take action and the various support services available to everyone. The vast directory of support services is reflective of our diverse community. If you need help immediately, there are several crisis support services that are available to you 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and most offer online chat and email correspondence alongside telephone counselling. If you are in danger, please call 000.
Accessible at any time, 1800RESPECT (1800 737 732) is a free, confidential and 24/7 crisis support service for people who have experienced domestic, family and sexual violence.
Lifeline Australia (13 11 14) has long been a reliable 24/7 crisis support for people in severe distress and has been pivotal to suicide prevention services.
For assistance with safety plans and accommodation, Safe Steps (1800 015 188) is a 24/7 family violence response centre that provides specialist support services for anyone experiencing or afraid of family violence.
Another support service that provides after-hours crisis response is Sexual Assault Crisis Line (1800 806 292), which is a confidential, crisis counselling service for people who have experienced sexual assault.
For young people aged 5 to 25, Kids Helpline (1800 55 1800) is the best free, confidential and 24/7 online and phone counselling service.
For our LGBTIQA+ (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Gender Diverse, Intersex, Queer, Asexual, BrotherBoys, SisterGirls) communities, Rainbow Door (1800 729 367) is a free specialist helpline providing information, support, and referral for all LGBTIQA+ Victorians, their friends and family.
Rainbow Door supports people of all ages and identities with issues that may include suicidal thoughts, family and intimate partner violence (including elder abuse), alcohol and other drugs, relationship issues, sexual assault, social isolation, mental health and wellbeing. Rainbow Door is also connected to interpreter support services and Auslan interpreters.
Run by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Crisis Supporters, 13YARN (13 92 76) offers free and confidential crisis support 24/7 from any mobile or pay phone to our Indigenous communities.
Yarning SafeNStrong (1800 959 563) is the Victorian Aboriginal Health Service’s free and confidential 24/7 counselling service and telephone crisis line for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples, which offers support with social and emotional wellbeing, financial wellbeing, medical support, and drug and alcohol counselling and rehab services.
Additionally, Victorian Aboriginal Child Care Agency is a state-wide Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisation that helps Aboriginal children and families while Djirra (1800 105 303) provides culturally safe, holistic, specialist family violence services and offers personalised emotional, cultural and practical support to Aboriginal women and children who are dealing with family violence.
For our migrant and refugee communities, InTouch (1800 755 988) is a free and confidential support services for migrant and refugee women who are experiencing family violence.
For anyone experiencing family violence or who need assistance with the care of children and young people, The Orange Door provide free and confidential help and will work with you to identity the support you need, help you make a safety plan, and connect you to services that can help and support you to access funding.
For men seeking counselling and advice, Men’s Referral Service/No to Violence (1300 766 491) is a free confidential telephone helpline that assists men who have anger, relationship or parenting issues and helps them change their abusive and violent behaviour.
In order to effect change in the music industry and our broader community, we all have to speak up and take action to protect ourselves and each other.
It is our right to feel safe and our responsibility to uphold that right for one another.
Enough is Enough.
For further information, visit Raw Lines – at www.rawlines.com.au
If you have experienced sexual abuse and need someone to talk to, you can call 1800RESPECT or Lifeline Australia for support and counselling or visit the list of resources provided by Raw Lines. This article was made in partnership with Mushroom Group.
