The funding boost follows months of agitation around safety on Wellington's streets, including a rally in Courtney Place in March. Photo / Katie Harris
The funding boost follows months of agitation around safety on Wellington's streets, including a rally in Courtney Place in March. Photo / Katie Harris
Two young women who took a stand against sexual violence in Wellington say millions of dollars proposed for city safety improvements is a "great victory".
A new proposal is being included in Wellington City Council's draft budget for sexual violence prevention initiatives, the development of a youth safe space, and streetscape improvements.
An injection of $7.7m over three years is proposed for city safety improvements as part of the Pōneke Promise, a social contract between Wellington hospitality workers, retailers and police.
The new proposal includes $1.2m for community harm reduction programmes, and $570k for the development of a youth safe space in Courtenay Place.
The funding proposal follows months of discussion around safety on Wellington's streets. Photo / Katie Harris
The big winner in the proposal is $5m for streetscape improvements as well as $925k for a community centre for local residents.
Almost $3m is also proposed for a Youth hub space, as part of the Children and Young People strategy.
These initiatives have contributed to a newly proposed 16 per cent rates rise for Wellington.
The funding proposal is in response to submissions on the draft Long Term Plan, specifically the Wellington Alliance Against Sexual Violence which Lamont and Harrison are a part of.
It comes after months of agitation on the issue of sexual harassment and safety on the capital's streets.
Last month students Sophia Harrison and Ella Lamont presented to council the findings of an online survey they had conducted, which showed a majority of the survey's nearly 3000 respondents to have experienced some form of sexual harassment.
They asked council to redesign Countney Place, increase funding for sexual violence prevention initiatives and for a strategy between Hospitality NZ and council to improve safety at bars.
Lamont told the Herald they believed the funding proposal was a success shared by the thousands of Wellingtonians that had rallied for change, including at a "Let Us Live" rally held in late March to protest against sexual harassment and violence.
Students Ella Lamont and Sophia Harrison launched an online survey about safety on Wellington's streets. Photo / Sophie Trigger
"Sophia and I both believe this is evidence to the fact that many people often underestimate the power of the people united," Lamont said.
"Solidarity for a cause is massively influential, whether it be the respondents of our survey sharing common experiences, or the hundreds that gathered at the Let Us Live rally.
"It makes it clear to the people in power that change is the only option."
Lamont and Harrison said the success deserved to be celebrated, but there was still a long way to go in addressing "the much wider cultural shift that is needed around sexual violence".
It has given them hope for change to come, they said.
The funding will be considered on Thursday when councillors meet to deliberate the draft ten-year budget.
Wellington city councillor Tamatha Paul, who also holds the city safety portfolio, said the funding boost had been a long time coming.
"As a young woman and someone that uses the town, it made me feel very seen," she said.
"I think all of us feel very seen and it's definitely restored a lot of trust in the council from our perspective."
Wellington City Councillor Tamatha Paul addressed the crowd at the "Let Us Live" Rally in March. Photo / Katie Harris
She said the proposals were a response to long-held safety concerns, but had been sparked by the rally and the online survey in particular.
"There's no doubt in my mind that this is the result of the rally in Courtney Place but also the survey of Wellingtonians by Sophia and Ella that really exposed how common these experiences of sexual harm are," she said.
"It has been a real city-wide concerted effort, but we've got there now. And hopefully on Thursday this money will stay in the budget and councillors will show that they're serious about this issue."
