Stand Together: Information about poster competition
The brief
Design a series of posters/ a poster campaign and ideas made visual which can be used across
a range of different media (e.g., social media, stickers, projections, skywriting, internet screen
webpage, moving image video animation, radio, phonic approaches).
The campaign should present ONE strong message, delivered through a range of outcomes (4
different poster designs, preferably adaptable for social media dissemination) and at least one
output for other media), with a common visual theme running through all of the media.
Message: challenging sexism and gender-based violence
We understand gender-based violence (GBV) as behaviour or attitudes underpinned by
inequitable power relations that hurt, threaten or undermine people because of their gender or
(perceived) sexuality. GBV includes a continuum that includes domestic violence, which
accounts for 18% of all recorded violent crimes in the UK (Chaplin et. al. 20111), sexual
violence, sexist harassment on the streets, everyday sexism, as well as media representations
and social norms which normalise such sexism.
Research shows that women and girls constitute the vast majority of victims of GBV and men
and boys the majority of perpetrators (Watts & Zimmerman 20022). Gender-based violence
includes homophobic bullying and abuse, as such abuse draws upon and is intended to
underline particular constructions of what it is to be a man/woman and associated ideas about
sexuality. Domestic abuse takes place in heterosexual and same-sex relationships.
Men can be victims of abusive relationships. However research shows that the vast majority
of such violence is perpetrated against women and girls, and the campaign needs to reflect
this.
This could be done through the balance of posters and campaign material whereby a majority
of the material focuses on violence against women and girls, whilst making sure that the issue
of abuse in same-sex relationships, homophobia, and men’s experience of abusive
relationships is also represented.
Aims of the campaign
The campaign aims to raise awareness of the problem of gender-based violence (including
sexism, homophobic bullying and so on) in student communities;
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Chaplin, R., Flatley, J. & Smith, K. (2011) Crime in England and Wales 2010/11: Findings from the British Crime Survey
and police recorded crime (2nd Edition), Home Office, London. http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/publications/scienceresearch-statistics/research-statistics/crime-research/hosb1011/hosb1011?view=Binary
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Watts, C., & Zimmerman, C. (2002) Violence against women: global scope and magnitude, The Lancet, 359(9313): 12321237.
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It seeks to challenge perceptions about such behaviours and attitudes (eg., that it is ‘harmless
fun’; that it is a private matter between two individuals; that it is not a serious problem);
It seeks to encourage a sense of community responsibility for challenging such behaviours
and attitudes (it is a problem for all of us and not just a private matter);
The underlying message is that we can all do something about it, in small ways and in
everyday situations.
Some ways in which you could meet the aims in your campaign design
An appropriate tone of voice required.
If using images/photographs, remember to represent the diverse student population at UL.

Recognise abusive situations and sexist cultures
For example - “That’s so gay” is an offensive and homophobic comment; sending uninvited
sexts is unacceptable behaviour; rape jokes promote a harmful culture that minimises and
condones violence against women; wolf-whistling/ heckling women on the street is
unacceptable behaviour…
Recognise controlling behaviour in relationships: e.g., if a boyfriend wants to know where a
woman is all the time/ does not like her to socialise with her friends/ or where a man/woman
reads boyfriends’/girlfriends’ texts without permission…

Address victim blaming
You could challenge problematic attitudes such as: if X is in an abusive relationship, she is to
blame for not leaving; it wasn’t really rape, after all, they were dating; she was partly
responsible for being raped as she shouldn’t have got so drunk; if a woman is wearing certain
clothes she is ‘asking for it’;

Encourage students to reject such behaviour and attitudes
This could be by challenging sexist statements; pointing out the abusive nature of certain
statements and behaviour, encouraging students to offer support to victims.
Remember: the victims/ perpetrators may be friends or strangers.
Target audience
Students at the University of Lincoln, BOTH men and women, as tackling these issues
requires involving men as part of the solution.
Some Facts:

The British Crime Survey shows that young women aged 16-24 are at heightened risk
of domestic violence, including being pressurised into having sex.
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
1 in 4 women students (25%) has been subjected to an unwanted sexual experience
while at university or college.
Only 4% of women students who have been seriously sexually assaulted have
reported it to their institution.
1 in 7 women students (14%) has been the victim of serious sexual assault or serious
physical violence while at university or college (NUS 2010).
Resources on this issue:

An online space where women who have ‘experienced sexism, just everyday, small,
so-used-to-it-you-almost-just-accept-it sexism’ share their story:
http://everydaysexism.com/

A short TEDx talk by Laura Bates, who explains how one-after-the-other encounters
with sexism made her start asking others about their experiences (at 2:35 in the video)
and the surprising answers she got. At 6:25, she talks about the now-busy website she
created as a place for women to share their stories, and at 9:54, how a recent change
in the tone of those stories gives http://www.upworthy.com/they-said-its-normalstop-making-a-fuss-then-she-decided-it-was-time-to-make-a-fuss?g=3

The webpage of Scottish Women’s Aid, who have developed a peer education
programme for university students to train them to recognise and challenge genderbased violence (see the short video by Ellie Hutchinson)
http://togetherwecanstopit.org/get-savi-resources/

Website of Women’s Aid, with information about domestic violence and links to
further resources
http://www.womensaid.org.uk/domestic_violence_topic.asp?section=0001000100220
041&sectionTitle=Domestic+violence+%28general%29

The website of the charity Broken Rainbow, which works with LGBT communities
on the issue of domestic violence http://www.brokenrainbow.org.uk/content/brokenrainbow-welcomes-new-crime-domestic-abuse

An article on young men, masculinity and violence: http://theconversation.com/kinghits-young-men-masculinity-and-violence-22247

The website of the national charity Rape Crisis, which has a section with resources on
this issue: http://www.rapecrisis.org.uk/

The website of The White Ribbon campaign is the UK branch of the global campaign
to ensure men take more responsibility for reducing the level of violence against
women (http://www.whiteribboncampaign.co.uk/ ) which works with young men to
violence against women (see their resources page
http://www.whiteribboncampaign.co.uk/videos )
Examples of posters from other campaigns on this issue
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http://www.theredflagcampaign.org/index.php/downloads/posters/
http://cola.unh.edu/prevention-innovations/bystander-store-posters
http://www.avonfoundation.org/causes/domestic-violence/seethesigns/#.VDe5MeJJe-U
Note on plagiarism: It is very important that the design is your own creation and you
follow the existing university guidelines and avoid plagiarism.
Deliverables
Please send your final designs (including mock ups of phone and ipad screens to show how
they may work) in PDF format to: standtogether@lincoln.ac.uk
Please include your contact details including mobile, because of tight time-frames for the
production and dissemination of the deliverables.
The winner will work with the Stand Together team to prepare the posters for release and will
hence need to be available for meetings on in the last two weeks on November.
The winning design will be displayed on and around the campus and will be made available
for free downloading for two years across all media platforms.
Terms and Conditions
1. The promoter is: Dr Sundari Anitha (on behalf of the Stand Together Team, School of Social and
Political Sciences, University of Lincoln, Brayford Pool, Lincoln LN6 7TS; email:
standtogether@lincoln.ac.uk)
2. Closing date for entry will be midnight on 18 November 2014. After this date no further entries to
the competition will be permitted.
3. No responsibility can be accepted for entries not received for whatever reason.
5. The promoter reserves the right to cancel or amend the competition and these terms and
conditions without notice at any time. Any changes to the competition will be notified to entrants as
soon as possible by the promoter.
6. No alternative to the prizes will be offered. The prizes are not transferable. Prizes are subject to
availability and we reserve the right to substitute any prize with another of equivalent value without
giving notice.
7. Winners will be chosen by a panel of judges appointed by the Stand Together Team. The judges’
will be assessing each entry. The judges’ decision is final and no correspondence will be entered into.
8. The winner will be notified by email and/or letter by the 20th November. If the winner cannot be
contacted or does not claim the prize within 48 hours, we reserve the right to withdraw the prize from
the winner and pick a replacement winner.
9. The promoter’s decision in respect of all matters to do with the competition will be final and no
correspondence will be entered into.
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10. By entering this competition, the entrant is indicating his/her agreement to be bound by these
terms and conditions.
11. The competition and these terms and conditions will be governed by English law and any disputes
will be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of England.
12. The winner agrees to the use of his/her name and image in any publicity material. Any personal
data relating to the winner or any other entrants will be used solely in accordance with current UK
data protection legislation.
13. The winner’s name will be available 28 days after closing date by sending a stamped, self
addressed envelope to the following address: Dr Sundari Anitha, School of Social and Political
Sciences, University of Lincoln, Brayford Pool, Lincoln LN6 7TS.
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