A community organisation fighting to end sexual violence
Sarah Williams, University of Newcastle student, is the founder of What Were You Wearing (WWYW), a non for profit organisation providing education, awareness and advocacy on sexual violence.
At I2N’s Startup Stories at I2N Hub Honeysuckle on Wednesday 4th of October, Sarah shared how she's pioneered Australia's first-ever exhibition and music festival focused on sexual violence awareness. She also delved into what led to the creation of a Survivor Advocates Advisory Group, giving student survivors a powerful voice for institutional change.
Sarah explored how the journey of transforming society through education and advocacy has been so far and where it’s heading.
Catch up on Startup Stories with Sarah Williams.
Top Takeaways
- You don’t have to hit every achievement in the book before you can take a step back and be proud of the achievements you have already made.
- To be able to tackle such hard hitting issues, it is incredibly important that the team you have surrounding you are people you can lean on and it's important that you do lean on them to avoid burning out emotionally.
- 18-26 year old's are the worst age bracket for sexual assault offences – therefore more education needs to be implemented for this age range.
- It is much easier for people to direct hate comments and anger towards a face/person rather than a company – there are many benefits of keeping the business separate from who you are, in order to avoid this.
The University of Newcastle's I2N works with individuals and organisations from across the Hunter region and beyond to turn ideas and challenges into opportunity. As a leading driver of economic and business growth, the I2N cultivates an entrepreneurial mindset that is behind many of the region's most innovative businesses and leaders.
Keep up to date with future I2N events, programs and opportunities by subscribing to I2N's monthly newsletter or visit the I2N website.
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