All in black for a cause

By Jan Corbett

Black might be the favoured colour for the sophisticated cafe set, but on campuses up and down the country women - and some men - are donning it once a week as a silent protest.

Their badges and T-shirts explain why: "Thursdays in Black - demanding a world without rape and violence."

The campaign, initiated by the World Council of Churches, has been taking off in universities and polytechnics for the past five years.

Thursdays in Black has its roots in similar movements for oppressed and persecuted women, such as South Africa's Black Sash, Mothers of the Disappeared in Argentina and Women in Black movements in the Middle East and Balkans.

In New Zealand the message on the T-shirts is clear:

"Wearing black on Thursdays indicates that you are tired of putting up with rape and violence in your community.

"It demonstrates a desire for a community where we can all walk safely without fear of being beaten up, verbally abused, raped or being discriminated against due to your sexual orientation, political affiliation, gender or ethnicity."

Unitec nursing lecturer Elizabeth Niven says the drama of a group wearing black on the same day gives them a feeling of solidarity.

"It's not a quick-result campaign. Women who live in violent homes can make the protest without inviting violence in return.

"People stop us in the supermarket and ask what it means and then say, 'I could do that'."

At Auckland University, plans are to put money from T-shirt sales into a trust fund for organisations working to combat violence.