Change Makers are the heart of the We Can! campaign, and over the last year, we have heard amazing stories from many of them about the change they have managed to effect in their own lives and the lives of others. These are some of them. Maybe these stories can give you ideas for how YOU can start to make change too!
Mark’s Change
When some of his friends told him they had they had sexually assaulted a drunk girl one night, he was uncomfortable, but at that point, he didn’t feel able to say anything to them. Today, Mark plays the lead role in a play about date rape. Through this, he educates youth across Singapore that ‘no’ means ‘no’ and there are no excuses for sexual assault.
Jasmine’s Change
When she and her colleagues experienced sexual harassment at work, she put her foot down. When she saw a man molesting a woman on the MRT, she got the attention of other commuters and told the man to get his hands off her. She runs a playschool and says that change has to start young.
Sam’s Change
One of his close friends in school was badly bullied about her size. Sam regrets not standing up against the verbal abuse at the time, which he believes led to her developing serious eating disorders. Last year, Sam participated in a video that encourages bystanders to step in and stop verbal and physical abuse when they see it.
Kenneth’s Change
He watched the video Sam was in – it’s called ‘Would You Step In?’. The very next day, he was on a bus, sitting behind a man who was forcibly kissing the woman he was with, despite her protests. After some hesitation, he tapped the man on the shoulder and told him “she looks uncomfortable”. The man backed off.
Rachel’s Change
She is a domestic violence survivor who went public with her story. She fights the stigma that victims face and reaches out to other women in abusive relationships. As an ambassador, she firmly believes that society must pay more attention to subtler forms of violence like psychological abuse.