Sixteen days of activism against gender-based violence began on Friday and Family Friends is supporting the global campaign. November 25 was ‘The International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women’ and it marked the start of the White Ribbon Campaign. White ribbons have become a symbol that one will not commit, condone, or remain silent about violence against women.
A key part of Family Friends’ work is supporting victims or witnesses of domestic abuse through our Positive Intervention for Children Affected by Domestic Abuse programme (PICADA).
On Friday, Family Friends staff will be showing solidarity with the international campaign by attending Radian Housing Association’s White Ribbon awareness raising event at Sawyer’s Close, Windsor, as one of the partner organisations. Thames Valley Police and council representatives will also attend, while Radian will be collecting toiletries to donate to refuge centres.
Tracy Muschamp, service lead at Family Friends, said: “Family Friends is fully behind this important campaign and we’d encourage all of our supporters to join in by wearing a white ribbon. We know through our work with victims and witnesses of domestic abuse how devastating the impact can be and how it changes lives. We strongly share the principles of this campaign – that women and children should be able to live their lives free of violence and abuse. Our PICADA groups give children a chance to tell their stories – to be heard, validated and believed, and to begin to understand and heal from exposure to domestic abuse.
“Our mission is also to provide mothers with an opportunity to understand their children’s experiences and to validate and support their healing. The aim is to assist women to create links and build bridges between themselves and their children.”
Every year two women a week in the UK die as a result of Domestic Abuse, according to national statistics, while, on average, a woman is assaulted at least thirty-five times before calling the police.
White ribbons are being sold to support the campaign – with a suggested donation of £1. All proceeds go to DASH, another local charity which Family Friends works alongside.
Campaigner’s overall mission is to end male violence against women once and for all. The campaigners state: “To wear a White Ribbon is to pledge never to commit, excuse, or remain silent about male violence. Our message to men is to practice tolerance, respect, and kindness, and to stand up against male violence, bullying, and sexism in all forms.”
