The number of women who have experienced sexual violence at music festivals is shocking and needs to stop. We cannot leave it up to women to keep themselves safe. Men must step up, call out other men, and have conversations with their mates about how to make a difference.

The reality is that there are cultures within men’s sport that are sexist and misogynist. In this environment, men’s violence is largely excused and ignored.

other men will often know that their peers are behaving unacceptably. To change such toxic cultures, we need men to call this behaviour out.

After the terrible loss of his sister, Nathalie Warmerdam, singer Joshua Hopkins created ‘Songs for Murdered Sisters’ with composer Jake Heggie and writer Margaret Atwood to remember her and all women lost to the pandemic of domestic violence..

Simon Philips, Community Engagement Officer for the Leeds Jewish Housing Association and Director of Interfaith for the Leeds Jewish Representative Council, introduces the concept Shalom Bayit, meaning ‘Peaceful Home’ and signifying completeness, wholeness, and fulfillment, central to marriage and family life in Judaism.

Safer spaces policies can be helpful for staff in dealing with sexual harassment and violence, especially if staff have also received good training. Policies can provide consistency so everyone in the venue is on the same page. They are good for audiences and musicians too, as they provide more information about how to behave or how to get support if something goes wrong.

Misogyny is a “gateway drug” to wider division across society, tackling it must become an urgent priority for all. Misogyny needs to be recognised as a hate crime.

For survivors of domestic violence, the Domestic Abuse (DA) bill has long been scrutinised for failing to address many of the issues faced by migrant women. Those on a UK Spouse Visa often fear that leaving may breach their visa conditions and, due to NRPF, are often financially dependent on their abuser. Women’s Aid has even noted that women are enduring abuse for the five year period to meet the Indefinite Leave to Remain requirements.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Throughout February, in memory of Sarah Henshaw, 18 White Ribbon fundraisers have been braving the cold and stormy weather, and working towards their challenge of running, walking, jogging, cycling or swimming 40 miles each to raise money, and awareness of, White Ribbon UK.

Today, Friday, the man guilty of the murder of Grace Millane, in New Zealand in December 2018, has finally been sentenced to life.