See also: Media releases and speeches

Annual Appeal 2013

WRC is reliant on donations to continue providing its essential services. We are holding our annual fundraising week from 8th to 12th April, with the street appeal on Friday 12th April.
Check out this video message from our annual appeal coordinator Tabby

We would like to invite you to support the WRC annual street appeal, by donating your time as a volunteer collector. The street appeal runs from 7:30am-6pm on Friday April 12th and collectors can volunteer for anytime during the day. The collections are run in Wellington City and at the Wellington Airport. Volunteer collectors are essential for the success of the street appeal; with your support we will be able to collect donations which will assist us in providing services to survivors and their loved ones.

If you're interested in being a volunteer collector, please get in contact with us - all the support we can get will be much appreciated! If you're also interested in running a fundraising event for WRC during our appeal week get in touch for more information!

Facebook event

Appeal week poster to print and put up at your work/school/community group

We are also running a Panel Discussion on rape culture and the criminial justice system for WRC members in the week after our appeal.  For more information click here

Contact:
Tabby Besley
Annual Appeal Coordinator
Wellington Rape Crisis
annualappeal@wellingtonrap ecrisis.org.nz
027 331 4507

Submission and meeting with Paula Bennett

Check out our submission to Government on our funding crisis and notes on our subsequent meeting with Minister Paula Bennett here.

Wellington Rape Crisis Art Exhibition and Auction

Tuesday, 27 November 2012

Wellington Rape Crisis Art Exhibition and Auction

Exhibition: 4 to 9 December @ Matchbox Studios 166 Cuba Street
Auction: Saturday 8 December 7.30-9.30pm, wine and nibbles provided

Join us for a week-long exhibition of artworks by over 20 artists and illustrators including Gemma Tweedie, Gemma Louise, Cesar Koene, Sarah Hudson, Julianna Venning, Devon Smith, Fleur Woods, Kelly Spencer, Rebeka Whale, Jamie MacDonald, Maz Hermon, Anthony Cabraal, Amber Varde, AEK, Maria Kovacs and Meta Assink.

Each artist has generously donated an artwork to be auctioned off, with all profits going to Wellington Rape Crisis.

The auction will be MC'd by talented local comediennes Jennifer O'Sullivan and Christine Brooks. Wine and nibbles provided, all are welcome.

Please see the Facebook event for photos of the artworks.

Wellington Regional Sexual Violence Symposium Registrations open

Wellington Rape Crisis is excited to be hosting the Wellington Regional Sexual Violence Symposium on 7 November.  We are still confirming all the speakers but have a wide range of workshops on offer and know the day will provide useful professional development, knowledge sharing and networking opportunities for those working in the Sexual Violence sector and other services that work with survivors.

Please see this poster for more information and a link for registering.  Spaces are limited so registrations are essential.

Come and work in Sexual Violence Prevention

The Wellington Sexual Abuse Network (WSAN) is looking for a Sexual Violence Prevention Coordinator (SVPC) to coordinate our primary prevention activities in the Wellington region.  WSAN incorporates the expertise of our 3 specialist agencies. We seek to stop sexual violence before it happens, using a community development approach.

To view the full job ad click here

To view the Job Description click here

Wellington Regional Sexual Violence Symposium - call for speakers/workshops

Wellington Rape Crisis is hosting a Regional Sexual Violence Symposium on WEDNESDAY 7 NOVEMBER 2012 at Saint Johns in the City, corner of Willis St and Dixon St,Wellington.

This Regional Sexual Violence Symposium will offer a space for sharing best practice, strengthening relationships and working together to ensure our community is in the best possible position to heal and prevent sexual violence. All relevant social services staff in the region will be invited and we consider this an opportunity to ultimately strengthen our services and those of other sexual violence professionals in the Lower North Island.

We are currently calling for speakers who would be willing to present workshops at this event. Two workshops at a time will be held from 10 - 11.30am, 11.45 - 1.15pm, and 1.45 - 3pm. We are unable to pay presenters but you will be granted free entry to the entire day, including morning tea, lunch and afternoon tea.

Please indicate your interest via email to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it if you would like to offer a workshop. At this stage we only require a brief 1-2 sentence outline of your idea rather than full workshop descriptions and we will get in touch for more information. If you have requests for a particular workshop topic feel free to send them through also. We will be calling for registrations in late September.

Please forward this information around your team and/or networks.

Call for submissions for Art Auction – all profits donated to Wellington Rape Crisis

We are looking for artists willing to donate art work to an upcoming art exhibition and auction. All sales proceeds of donated art work (both fixed price and auctioned art works) will go to Wellington Rape Crisis, excluding Matchbox Studios’ 25% commission.

The art exhibition will run from 3 – 9 December at Matchbox Studios, Wellington.  Opening night will be Tuesday, 4 December, 6.30 – 9pm with the auction to be held on Saturday, 9 December, 7 – 10pm. Entry to both by koha (free for artists).

Click here for more information

WRC able to open on Friday's due to huge community support

We are delighted to announce that Wellington Rape Crisis will be able to open our doors again on Fridays, after just one week of operating limited services.

Check out a message fromour Manager here

As you know, last week we were forced to cut our services by 20 percent due to funding difficulties. However, in the last week we have been absolutely overwhelmed by community support and have raised the $55,000.00 needed to open our doors five days a week.

A big part of this success was the dollar-for-dollar pledge by Hell Pizza, but we also received donations from over 550 individuals! To those of you who donated and shared our call our support, we are truly grateful.

While we are thrilled at the results of this fundraising, Wellington Rape Crisis is still not fully or sustainably funded and we will continue to rely on community donations and support in this difficult funding environment.

See the Media Release here

WRC forced to make cuts to services

From today, Monday August 13^th, Wellington Rape Crisis will be cutting back our essential services to 4 days a week.

This year is the 35^th year we have provided free counselling and social work support to female survivors of rape and sexual abuse. Demand for our services continues to increase: between 2011 and 2012 our client contacts almost doubled. We believe our services are vital to the Wellington community and are very sad to have to pull back our services at this stage.

Our agency is in this position due to an increased demand for our services, the continued cost increase of service provision (eg: rent, salaries, electricity) and static or decreased funding.

Wellington Rape Crisis has a predicted deficit to 31 March 2013 that we cannot cover by our reserves. The savings we would make from closing our doors one day a week would allow us to finish the year with a deficit we could cover by reserves.  If we are able to source additional funding we will be in the position to open our doors another day a week. We continue to work hard on numerous fundraising activities and funding applications as well as investigating ways we can work more closely with other agencies.

We need to raise $55,000.00 before 1st April 2013 to keep our doors open, otherwise we will be unable to sustain our essential services. To contribute to meeting our target, please make an online donation on our Fundy page or direct credit your donation to 06 0996 0408136 00.

To find out more and spread the word, please watch this video of me outlining the situation, share our Fundy page with your friends and community and look out for upcoming events in our newsletter and Facebook page.

Wellington Rape Crisis will continue to be open Monday – Thursdays to provide fee information, support and counselling to survivors of rape and sexual abuse and their support people, but will be closed on Fridays.

Volunteer Childcarer wanted

Do you have childcare experience and a few spare hours a week? We are looking for a volunteer childcarer to provide childcare to children of our clients when they are using our services. Email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it g.nz for more information

Successful AGM

Thank you so much to all of you that attended our AGM, it was great to see so many of our supporters together.  Key outcomes were;

• We passed some changes to our constitution, you can see the new version here
• We approved our audited accounts and new Annual Report, which you can see here
• We farewelled wonderful Governance Group members Karen Price and Nicole Skews and welcomed newly voted in Governance Group members Liz Robinson and Alarna Sharratt.

You can view the minutes here.

Wellington Rape Crisis AGM

All Wellington Rape Crisis supporters are warmly invited to attend the 2012 WRC Annual General Meeting.

2012 WRC AGM
Thursday 28th June, 5.30-7.30pm
Level 6, PSA House, 11 Aurora Tce

Join us for delicious nibbles, an update on our work, and a chance to network.

The agenda includes an update by Jan Logie, MP on her Sexual Violence Funding Campaign. Fiona McNamara, Co-Director of the WRC fundraiser performance of A Memory, A Monologue, A Rant and A Prayer will discuss the power of the arts to communicate issues around sexual violence.

All Wellington Rape Crisis supporters are all warmly invited to attend, but only full members receive voting rights. Click here for more information on becoming a Wellington Rape Crisis member before the AGM.

Those attending will be emailed relevant documents, including the annual report, audited accounts and profiles of those standing for the Governance Group.

Please RSVP to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it by Sunday 24th June.

WRC seeking nominations for Governance Group members

An opportunity to be part of a passionate, committed and feminist Governance Group and contribute to a community organisation working to end sexual violence and the harm it causes.

Positions

At the WRC AGM on 28 June 2012 four positions on our Governance Group will be up for election. 2 current Governance Group members are standing for re-election to the Group and two are vacant positions.

Who we are looking for

The overall the purpose of the Governance Group is to provide oversight of the agency and ensure it meets its constitutional and strategic aims.  We are looking for people with strong skills in the following areas:

· building and maintaining relationships

· influencing, negotiation

· planning, prioritisation

· leadership of people, including at Governance level

· strategic and logical thinking

· risk management

· financial planning, budgeting and reporting

· written and verbal communication

· experience in the sexual violence or wider community sector

· application of Te Tiriti o Waitangi

In particular, this year, we are seeking one person with clinical counselling/psychotherapy experience to join our Governance Group.

Applying

If you are interested please email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it for more information (JD, Governance Policy etc) and details on the nomination process.

Self nominations are due by Thursday 14 June and will require you to provide a short profile. You must be a current member of WRC to stand for the Governance Group, information about joining can be found here.

V-Day Wellington 2012 presents a fundraiser for Wellington Rape Crisis

A Memory, A Monologue, A Rant and A Prayer: Writings To Stop Violence Against Women and Girls

Co-edited by award-winning The Vagina Monologues author Eve Ensler, A Memory, A Monologue, A Rant and A Prayer is a collection of personal and powerful monologues by world-renowned authors and playwrights.

In this special V-Day performance, Members of Parliament, Metiria Turei, Jan Logie and Grant Roberston, teamed up with Wellington actors, Erin Banks, Hannah Banks, Uther Dean, Ricky Dey, Ally Garrett, Isobel MacKinnon, and Salesi Le'ota to raise awareness about violence towards women and girls, under the direction of Fiona McNamara and Stevie Wildewood. At turns brutal, funny, tragic and profound, these monologues form a collective and defiant voice calling for an end to this global violence.

V-Day is a global activist movement that generates broader attention for the fight to stop violence against women and girls. It was established by Eve Ensler and a group of women on Valentines Day, 1998. You can find out more about V-Day at: www.vday.org

Thank you to all those involved in the V-Day play, it was a real success, see reviews here

http://www.stuff.co.nz/life-style/love-sex/6831297/How-sexual-violence-hurts-men-too

http://wotzon.com/diary/LMcQuillan/?m=201204

http://www.theatreview.org.nz/reviews/review.php?id=4742

This year, give the gift of healing.

Just the thing for last minute, but meaningful gifts.

$100 will pay for one counseling session for a survivor of rape or sexual abuse

Your gift is tax deductible and can be made in your name or the name of someone else via our secure Fundy website page.

Best of all, you can celebrate your holidays knowing you have made a contribution to a woman’s journey towards healing.

Head over to Fundy and you’re just few clicks away from that feel-good feeling.

Wellington Rape Crisis provides free counselling, support and information for survivors of rape and sexual abuse and their families, friends and whanau.

Wellington Sexual Abuse Network:Sex & Ethics Aotearoa/New Zealand "Train the Trainer" Programme

Sex & Ethics is an award-winning innovative and strengths-based sexual and dating violence

Sex and Ethics is a primary prevention programme developed by Assoc. Professor Moira Carmody, University of Western Sydney, Australia. The "Train the Trainer" programme offers the first step in training potential educators to deliver the Sex & Ethics programme within their communities.

Facilitated by educators trained and accredited by Wellington Sexual Abuse Network, the five day Sex & Ethics Aotearoa/New Zealand: "Train the Trainer" programme will train participants in facilitating and delivering the six week programme, including evaluation, setting up a programme in your own community, and probationary and accreditation processes.

We welcome potential educators from a range of backgrounds and locations across Aotearoa/New Zealand.

When: March 19th-23rd 2012

Venue: Royal New Zealand Police College, Porirua

Cost: $500 including food and accommodation (+$100 for the Sex & Ethics workbook)

We are pleased to offer this discounted price thanks to Ministry of Justice funding.

To receive an application pack, which includes acceptance criteria, contact Liz Willoughby-Martin at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or 04 801 8970. Please book early as there is a limit of 20 places.

Wellington Sexual Abuse Network wins Community Education Award

We are very pleased to announce that WSAN is one of 2 winners of the national Dymanic Community Learning Awards for 2011.  You can read more about it here

http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/ED1110/S00130/wellington-scoops-adult-learning-awards.htm

Wellington Rape Crisis Fundraising Evening

Thanks so much to those of you that came along to hear Dr Jan Jordan speak on the topic of "‘Responding to Rape: Is the Crisis over?"  We had a great turnout and there was some very interesting and passionate discussion.  If you want to learn about future events then join us on Facebook here or email us on This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Sexual Violence Prevention Coordinator role

Friday 16 September 2011

The Wellington Sexual Abuse Network (WSAN) is looking for a Sexual Violence Prevention Coordinator to coordinate our primary prevention activities in the Wellington region.  To apply click here.

Thanks to OK Health Services

Friday 16 September 2011

Big thanks to OK Health Services who provided awesome workstations assessments to all our staff for free, you can check out what they do at www.ok-health.co.nz

Thanks to Godfreys

Monday 22 August 2011

Thanks to Godfreys Wellington for donating us an awesome new vacuum for our centre.

'Who are you?' campaign

Friday 19 August 2011

Check out the 'Who are you' campaign that Wellington Rape Crisis has been involved in through WSAN at www.whoareyou.co.nz

This has one video and then several radio ads using the ethical bystander concept playing during the rugby world cup.

Click here to go to a blog by one of our staff with more information on why we support the campaign and the ethical bystander concept.