Partnership campaign launched to address violence against women and girls
Partners across Norfolk are supporting the Government’s ‘Enough’ to violence against women and girls campaign.
Starting from Tuesday March 22, posters condemning harassment in the street, unwanted touching and promoting how we can all help to reduce violence in Norfolk will appear on buses in Norwich and Great Yarmouth and bus shelters in Norwich, Great Yarmouth and King’s Lynn areas over the coming weeks.
The national campaign includes television adverts, billboards, social media and radio advertising and highlights different forms of violence against women and girls and the simple acts that anyone can take to challenge perpetrators of abuse.
The Domestic Abuse and Sexual Violence Group (DASVG) in Norfolk, which includes the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner for Norfolk, Norfolk Police, Norfolk County Council, Norwich City Council, district councils, health services and local charities is supporting the campaign locally.
In Norfolk the campaign will initially focus on the specific areas of street harassment and unwanted touching as well as the action people can take to reduce violence against women and girls across the board.
The Street Safe online tool designed for people to report where they feel unsafe highlights top behavioural concerns as verbal harassment and people feeling like they are being followed as well as other forms of harassment.
The top five areas for reports are Norwich East, Norwich North, Norwich South, South Yarmouth and Norwich West.
Andy Coller, co-chair of the Domestic Abuse and Sexual Violence Group, said: “This campaign is part of a longer-term partnership strategy to tackle violence against women and girls in the county.
"It is vital we continue to work together to tackle and prevent violence against women and girls, which is not just happening nationally but on our very own doorsteps.
“This campaign is about being a part of ending the cycle of abuse, even through small acts of support, because if we are to tackle these issues effectively it is important we all take some personal responsibility and challenge behaviour we know is wrong.
“We want women and girls to feel safe in our communities. We know there is no overnight solution but working to prevent sexual assaults and misogynistic behaviour from happening in the first place is equally as important as to how we respond to incidents.
"This is why we are pleased to see a number of educational projects taking place across Norfolk at the same time as this campaign goes live."
"We would also encourage anyone who needs help to contact the police in an emergency or one of the many independent organisations available both nationally and locally, including the Sexual Assault Referral Centre."
Social media posts will feature the hashtags #WhatWouldYouDo? #Enough and signpost local services for those who are victims of sexual abuse as well as national services across age groups, inclusive of men, women, LGBTQI and diverse backgrounds.
Forms of violence against women and girls represented in the campaign will also include coercive control, workplace harassment, revenge-porn and cyber-flashing over the coming weeks.
The roll-out of 'Enough' in Norfolk is being funded by the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner for Norfolk (OPCCN) as part of its successful bid to the Home Office's Safer Streets Fund late last year - made available specifically for projects to tackle violence against women and girls (VAWG).
The campaign is one of a number of projects being funded from the bid, including an expansion of the CCTV network in King’s Lynn, improved street lighting in Great Yarmouth and work with the University of East Anglia to develop students’ skills in addressing issues and knowing how to recognise and respond to problematic attitudes and behaviours.
The OPCCN has also commissioned 'Performance in Education' to visit high schools across the county to deliver a series of interactive workshops and performances aimed at highlighting attitudes, behaviours, and misconceptions around sexual violence against women and girls.
The performances are being delivered to male and female students aged 14 to 18 and by the end of March some 29 schools and colleges will have taken part.
- If you are in immediate danger you should still call 999. Police 101 is the non-emergency number. Some charities and organisations will also be offering support, please see the list on our website if you need to contact someone for support or advice here.
- Silent Solution - If you are calling from a mobile phone and speaking or making an immediate sound would put you in danger and you need immediate help, call 999 and stay on the line, then press 55 when prompted and the call will be transferred to the police, who will know it is an emergency call.
See more information about the Enough campaign