Our young people, even from little bubbas, look to us to learn how things are done.
Mums and dads, aunties, uncles, grannies and pops, Elders, our community teachers, coaches and bosses.
Kids see everything we do.
They notice the good and the bad.
Like a sponge, they soak it all up.
So when we brush off or make excuses for being disrespectful.
Even if we don’t mean to, like
“Boys will be boys ya know”
“He just did it because he likes ya”
“Look at what she’s wearing”
It makes our boys, even as littlies, learn to think it’s okay to be like that.
And our girls too. They learn to think it’s alright, that’s just how boys are.
So, it’s up to all of us to stop violence against women and girls at the start.
Sometimes in our communities, it can feel bigger than our mob can handle.
But it’s not. Aggression against women and girls is not our culture.
It’s never been our way and it shouldn’t be the way now.
It comes down to doing the little things, like yarning with our young people about respect, and how women and girls should be treated.
Like when you see or hear something you’re not comfortable with.
If they have a question, or when they just want to yarn with you.
You could talk when you’re having brekkie before school.
Or driving in the car.
Or even watching telly.
Not just one time, but lots of times, so it becomes just what you do.
It means calling out disrespectful stuff when it goes on.
And helping our young people learn what’s right and wrong.
Bringing up respect.
So, let’s forget shame and keep working together on making our young people the best they can be.
Because every yarn helps shape them.
If you need some help on how to get started and what you can yarn about with young fellas.
You can go to respect.gov.au
Let’s bring up respect.
