Toolkit
- Feb 20
- 3 min read
Updated: Jul 28
There is no denying that violence against women is a global epidemic. Most people already know this. They are aware of it. But how deep does this awareness go? And what comes after it? This toolkit is not a list of rules or a promiss of easy answers. It is an invitation to practice listening differently, and to discover how small, everyday actions can help build a world with less violence against women.
Listen
Awareness
Many women spend a significant part of their lives managing risk: changing routes home, sharing their location with friends, curating/censoring what they wear, holding keys between their fingers, avoiding certain places or people. Because these behaviours are so normalised, they often go unnoticed.
Action
The next time a woman shares an experience of discomfort, harassment, or fear:
don't interrupt
don't minimise
resist the urge to immediately solve the problem
Try saying:
"I believe you"
"That sounds difficult"
"Tell me more"
"I'm listening"
Reflection
Listening is a simple action that can make someone feel seen and valued.
Notice
Awareness
Most sexism doesn't look like violence. It looks like jokes, assumptions, interruptions, dismissals, and moments that seem too small to matter. Yet these moments help create the culture that violence grows from.
Action
don't laugh at or ignore sexist jokes
question comments that diminish or stereotype women
pay attention to who feels comfortable and who doesn't
What we normalise shapes the world we live in.
Reflection
What behaviours do you tolerate simply because everyone else does?
Interrupt
Awareness
Most people who witness problematic behaviour do nothing, not because they agree with it, but because speaking up feels uncomfortable. Silence, however, can be mistaken for approval.
Action
change the subject when a conversation turns sexist
lightly disrupt this behaviour by asking, "what do you mean by that?"
say, "that's not funny"
check in privately with someone who seemed uncomfortable
You don't have to be confrontational to interrupt a harmful moment.
Reflection
When was the last time you stayed silent even though something felt off?
Take Responsibility
Awareness
Most people have, at some point, said or done something that made another person uncomfortable - whether they were aware of it or not. The goal is not perfection. The goal is recognising our impact and being willing to learn from it.
Action
Ask yourself:
when have I made assumptions based on gender?
when have I dismissed someone's experience?
when have I prioritised my intentions over someone else's impact?
can I apologise without explaining my intentions first?
If someone tells you you've hurt them, try really listening before defending yourself.
Reflection
What is one behaviour you've changed because someone helped you see it differently?
Practice Equality Daily
Awareness
Gender inequality is not only visible in moments of violence. It also appears in everyday habits: who cleans, who plans, who remembers birthdays, who provides emotional support, who makes decisions, and whose time is treated as valuable.
Action
take equal responsibility for domestic labour
take responsibility for planning and organising
don't assume women will carry emotional labour
make space for other voices in conversations
Small habits shape larger cultures.
Reflection
Where in your daily life do you benefit from someone else's invisible work?
Join the Conversation
Awareness
Ending gender-based violence is not the responsibility of women alone. Change happens when more people are willing to talk about it, question it, and take responsibility for improving the culture around them.
Action
talk to friends about what you're learning
share useful resources
ask questions instead of assuming you know the answers
stay curious and open to being challenged
You don't need to be an expert to be part of the conversation.
Reflection
What is one conversation you've been avoiding because it feels uncomfortable?
Conclusion
We often think that listening is passive.
It isn’t.
Listening is something we do with our whole body. It asks us to believe, to notice, to question, to interrupt, to reflect, and ultimately, to act.
You don’t need to do everything. You don’t need to do it perfectly. You simply need to begin. Choose one small action, practice it until it becomes a habit, and then choose another. Culture is built from the everyday behaviours we repeat. So if we choose better behaviours, we can develop a better culture.
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