- 15/11/2019
- Posted by: Joyce Watson MS
- Category: Feature
Stand together against domestic violence
White Ribbon event 11 am Sunday 24 November, Castle Square, Haverfordwest
All are invited to come together to take a stand against abuse at Castle Square, Haverfordwest at 11 am on Sunday 24 November.
Pembrokeshire-based Joyce Watson AM said:
“The figures are stark – one woman died every 2.2 days last year (2018) in the UK. 164 women were killed, either by a man or with a male lead suspect, and nine of them were from Wales.
“Too many women live in fear of violence, and too many children grow up witnessing the cycle of violence.
“We all need to play our part to change the culture, so young people see respect and healthy relationships as the norm.
“This event is an opportunity for people to join together and sign up to the White Ribbon promise to: ‘Never commit, excuse or remain silent about male violence against women’.”
Local Assembly Member Joyce Watson AM has worked with local partners to arrange this, and White Ribbon posters will be available to sign.
Mrs Watson began White Ribbon campaigning in Wales in 2005, recruiting male ambassadors to spread the word and selling white ribbons to raise funds for support services such as refuges. She has worked with the WI on the Not in my Name campaign since 2012, with Women’s Institutes across Wales raising awareness in their areas.
The majority of victims of domestic abuse are women and the majority of perpetrators are men. Between April 2014 and March 2017 there were 400 domestic homicides in England and Wales – 73% of victims were women. Four in five were killed by a male partner or ex-partner. The number of people killed as a result of domestic violence in Britain last year – 173 – was the highest for five years. Meanwhile, domestic abuse cases in Welsh courts are up, despite a big drop in cases prosecuted over the last decade.
This is one of many events to mark White Ribbon Day. 16 Days of Activism is an international campaign to challenge violence against women and girls. The campaign runs every year from 25 November, the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, to 10 December, Human Rights Day.
