An average of two women a week are murdered by a current or former partner in England and Wales.
As a Diocese, we are standing up to domestic abuse by supporting the White Ribbon UK Campaign - a global movement to end male violence against women - and marking White Ribbon Day on 25 November.
We want to encourage churches and individuals to get involved too.
Three simple ways
-
Get the poster - Register to receive a printed White Ribbon poster email: keith.berry@rochester.anglican.org
(You can also download this simple printable version from the White Ribbon website). - Book a talk - Help raise awareness of the White Ribbon campaign by having one of our White Ribbon Ambassadors come and give a talk. Register your interest by emailing: keith.berry@rochester.anglican.org
- Access Bishop Simon's video message - Download a message from Bishop Simon to use in your service on White Ribbon Sunday (21 November) or another Sunday or setting of your choice. You can download a text version here
What can you do individually?
- Make the promise - all men are invited to make the White Ribbon pledge never to commit, excuse or remain silent about male violence against women. Find out more at www.whiteribbon.org.uk/
- Become an ambassador - Find out about how you can become one of our volunteer ambassadors. Email: keith.berry@rochester.anglican.org
- Pray - Share in this prayer, written by Bishop Simon Burton-Jones:
A prayer for the relationships of women and men
Gracious God, we give thanks to you for relationships between men and women, both romantic and platonic;
for the emotional richness and social depth they afford us.
We pray for women who do not feel safe in their relationships with the men they know
or the men they encounter in public or online; may they have the assurance of your protecting love.
Give us the will to create a culture where women and men can live together in peace and security;
and may your kingdom draw near in those relationships this day
Through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Get help
If you are experiencing abuse and need help:
- For emergency support contact: Rape Crisis: 0808 802 9999 / Men’s Advice Line: 0808 801 0327 / Galop – LGBT+: 0800 999 5428 / Women’s Aid: 0808 2000 247
- For safeguarding support, please visit our Safeguarding pages.
Webinars
The Medway Domestic Abuse Forum (MDAF) is hosting a series of virtual sessions via teams during the VAWG (Violence Against Women and Girls) 16 days of action from 25 November, which you might like to access:
Thursday 25 November 2021 10am to 11am
Domestic Abuse services in Medway: Pathways to support
A summary of organisations and services available in Medway to victims of Domestic abuse; and tools for professionals working with victims and families.
Thursday 2 December 1pm to 2.00pm
Older people and Domestic Abuse
Presented by Dr Hannah Bowes
Tuesday 7 December: 11.30am to 12.30pm
Case summaries and learning themes from Kent and Medway Domestic Homicide reviews published in 2021.
The learning identifies both female and male victims, elder abuse, adolescent to parent violence, domestic abuse and mothers, perpetrator suicide, stalking and children as victims.
If you would like to attend any of these sessions simple send an email to mscptraining@medway.gov.uk stating which session you would like to attend and you will be sent a diary invite. The sessions are free to attend.
Find out more
Here are some key points of information where you can access more information about gender-based violence, as well as opportunities to raise awareness:
White Ribbon UK - access a range of resources to help get people informed about gender-based violence and raise awareness of the campaign. Visit: www.whiteribbon.org.uk/
Diocesan Domestic Abuse page - We are working in partnership with specialist agencies to deliver workshops and raise awareness and understanding in churches across the Diocese, about domestic abuse.
UN 16 Days of Activism - This year, 2021 marks the 30th anniversary of the Global 16 Days Campaign. Inspired by the original vision and history of the Campaign, which focused on raising awareness about violence against women (VAW), and considering the continuing impunity for femicide, this year the Campaign will focus on the issue of “femicide or the gender-related killing of women.
Visit: www.16dayscampaign.org/
Anglican Communion - Focusing the lens on gender-based violence - For the 16 Days of Activism in 2021, the Anglican Communion Office is inviting young Anglicans (aged 35 and under) to submit short videos which express their perspectives of gender-based violence. Between 25 November and 10 December, they will release a selection of those videos on their official social media channels as part of our response to the 16 Days. Visit: www.anglicancommunion.org/mission/gender-justice/exposure-focusing-the-lens-on-gender-based-violence.aspx
Domestic Abuse and COVID-19: How Churches can respond: In this major resource, the Anglican Communion's Director for Gender Justice, Mandy Marshall, sets out the challenge faced by many people suffering from an increase in domestic abuse since the COVID-19 lockdowns, and sets out ways in which Churches can respond, with advice for victims and survivors and a challenge to perpetrators. This resource is available for download in a variety of languages here