White Ribbon Day 25 November 2020 is more important than ever to end violence against women.

Vulnerable women, particularly those from overseas, are still incredibly susceptible to staying silent for longer and going without vital care and support when living in an abusive or exploitative situation.

Poor decisions in Family Court have lifelong catastrophic effects on victims and children. The government needs to help put things right.

Sexism in the workplace has found a new and insidious ways to thrive online, and people are urged to ‘step up’ and challenge such behaviour when they see it to show that it is wrong.

Karma Nirvana have also created a free communications toolkit with factsheets and resources designed to help #ShineTheSpotlight on Honour Based Abuse

The aim of the members of the Us Too project is to help others learn from their experiences, develop awareness of what a good or bad relationship looks like and have a happy life.

Lockdown will have an impact on all of us, let’s work to make it a positive one.

A personal perspective from Kay Wesley, Congleton Town Councillor and White Ribbon Champion

The 8 June 2020 will mark eight years since the UK signed the Istanbul Convention – the gold standard approach to tackling violence against women at a national level.

The government has not yet ratified the Istanbul Convention – and until it does, the Convention is not legally binding. This is stopping important steps to tackle violence against women.

White Ribbon UK unequivocally stands in solidarity with the #BlackLivesMatter movement against racism, oppression and inequality.

There has never been a more pressing time for men to act as positive role models.

Covid-19 is an ongoing pandemic, as is violence against women and girls. We have a unique opportunity to address this through taking time to upskill ourselves in responding with care to disclosures of sexual violence, and better planning and policies in our pubs, clubs and venues when they do reopen. Let’s use this difficult time to explore, learn and plan for the future.

Whilst the statistics suggest that the stresses of the current situation are affecting some men’s behaviour for the worse, we must continue to communicate to all men that there is #NoExcuseForAbuse

There is an urgent need for gender analysis of government measures related to COVID-19, and the impact these have on different social groups. There must also be a dramatic increase in funding for services to help those at risk of domestic and sexual abuse.

I ask myself, “Why didn’t I notice that stuff?”.  The answer is, of course, because it’s in my culture. And it’s in deep. It’s the “norm” and it’s “acceptable”, even now in 2020.

With calls to the National Domestic Abuse Helpline increasing by 25% during lockdown, White Ribbon UK, is calling on all men to take responsibility for their behaviour as well as influence their friends.

It’s hard to find any silver lining in the Covid-19 pandemic which is affecting so many people in the UK and the rest of the world, but one glimmer might be that it’s shaking up our ’normal’ view of the world; encouraging us to reflect on many things that we’d prefer not to think about and bringing home the reality that we live in a very fragile and interdependent world.

For the last few years White Ribbon UK has gone quiet on International Women’s Day. This is to ensure that as an organisation we are listening to the voices of women and we have asked all men to do the same. There is much that requires careful listening.