Southend takes the baton to tackle domestic abuse

A wide-ranging group of champions gathered in Southend High Street for the Southend stage of the national White Ribbon relay to raise awareness of the links between major sporting events and violence against women and girls.  

To lend their support, members and the partners of the Southend Domestic Abuse Forum, including Southend-on-Sea Borough Council, Essex Police, and Southend Soroptimists, were joined by survivors of domestic abuse, along with the Deputy Mayor of Southend, Councillor Brian Kelly and Deputy Mayoress Mrs Ann Kelly, and Southend West MP David Amess.  

They gave out White ribbons to shoppers, and officially welcomed the baton which then travelled on to Merton in South West London for the next leg of its journey.  

White Ribbon is a global campaign to ensure that men take more responsibility for reducing the level of violence against women.  

To increase understanding of the impact sporting events have on the occurrence and nature of violence, the National White Ribbon Relay is sending a baton around Britain and holding special events.

Southend-on-Sea Borough Council's Executive Councillor for Public Protection, Waste and Transport, Councillor Tony Cox said:  "As many people will have seen in the news lately, Police across the country issued warnings about the expected rise in domestic abuse during Euro 2012.  

"We know that domestic and other types of violence tend to increase around major sporting events and the White Ribbon Relay aims to raise awareness and to highlight ways we can all fight violence against women in our communities."  

James Williams, Chair of the Southend Domestic Abuse Forum said: "It is inspiring to be part of a campaign that highlights the need for men to take a stand against violence against women."  

About the national relay events, Chris Hancox, National Campaign Manager for White Ribbon UK said: "We think the Relay is an excellent way of bringing people together to stand up against violence against women and girls.  

"We expect it, and the many different local events associated with it, will help raise awareness of this widespread issue that blights many people's lives and is still largely a taboo subject. Any initiative like this is really welcome."  

Follow the national relay on Facebook (National White Ribbon Relay) and on Twitter @southsea_ribbon

·         For more details, contact: Althea Cribb, Domestic Abuse Partnership Manager, Southend Community Safety Partnership. 07833 400438 http://www.southendcdrp.co.uk/

·         National White Ribbon Relay Organisers: Sally Jackson, Standing Together - s.jackson@standingtogether.org; Shonagh Dillon, Aurora New Dawn -shonagh.dillon@aurorand.org.uk

Southend-on-Sea Domestic Abuse Forum brings together organisations and agencies across Southend working to combat domestic abuse.

1.      The national relay has been organised by the Portsmouth White Ribbon Group in partnership with frontline service providers Aurora New Dawn and partnership response advocates Standing Together Against Domestic Violence.

2.      The National White Ribbon Relay is a national event aiming to raise awareness of the relationship between violence against women and girls and major sporting events, such as Euro 2012 and the Olympic Games. Between 23rd June and 26th July, the White Ribbon Relay Baton will travel to over 20 towns and cities in Britain. At each handover of the baton, a special event will take place to raise awareness about violence against women and girls.

3.      The relay begins in Portsmouth and the baton will travel to Sunderland, South Tyneside and Newcastle before travelling south, through Southend to London, including Newham and Tower Hamlets. The baton will be formally handed back to Portsmouth by the Mayor's Office of Policing and Crime (MOPC) on 23rd July.

4.      The baton will then be carried by representatives from White Ribbon, Aurora New Dawn and Standing Together in the Nowhere Island Parade in Weymouth on 25th July. Nowhere Island is a micro nation that has signed up to the White Ribbon Pledge. It is a Cultural Olympiad project and you can find out more about it here: http://nowhereisland.org/

5.      Follow the baton on Facebook - National White Ribbon Relay and Twitter - @southsea_ribbon

6.      For further information and statistics please refer to:

The End Violence Against Women coalition's (EVAW) authoritative report from 2011 entitled 'Violence Against Women and Sport,' written by Dr Cath Palmer of Durham university. The report brings together research on the relationship between major sporting events, increased rates of domestic and sexual violence, increased demand for prostitution and potentially trafficking, and evidence of abuse of female athletes by those in close working relationships with them.

http://www.endviolenceagainstwomen.org.uk/resources/22/violence-against-women-and-sport-a-literature-review-by-dr-catherine-palmer

On Monday 11th June, the BBC released its own report on Euro 2012 and domestic violence, in which it found rates of domestic violence across England rose by up to 29 per cent during the 2010 World Cup. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-18379093