Safe Browsing
March has focused mostly on the prevention of domestic and sexual violence as we have been reaching out to members of parliament to engage them in these issues – we’re so thankful to those MPs who have signed up to become champions of the campaign and are excited for the work we will do together! There has also been some brilliant work and best practice sharing around stalking throughout Suzy Lamplgh Trust’s Stalking Awareness Week, and we prepare for UK SAYS NO MORE Week next month!
Charter on Prevention
In 2018, we are working on an exciting new strand of the UK SAYS NO MORE campaign, to engage MPs and ask them to sign our Charter on Prevention which calls for key components of the Domestic Abuse Bill, with a focus on prevention.
We are inviting MPs to sign our Charter on Prevention to assist us to shape the Government’s Domestic Abuse Bill and support our work providing tools and resources for individuals and organisations to take action and get involved in ending domestic abuse and sexual violence.
To culminate this engagement, we are holding a rally and call to action event at the Houses of Parliament during UK SAYS NO MORE Week, on Wednesday 23 May. In attendance will be MPs who are signing the Charter, and the event will be an opportunity to discuss our asks in more detail, hearing from survivors of abuse alongside some of the MPs who are championing UK SAYS NO MORE.
We want to say a big thank you to Carolyn Harris MP and Dame Caroline Spelman who were among the first of our champion MPs and have since been representing the campaign brilliantly wearing their NO MORE pins – Caroline wore hers during Prime Minister’s Questions.
Cocktails for Change – join us on May 14 in central London
They say that when women support each other, incredible things happen. Join us for an evening of cocktails and fundraising to celebrate, support and empower women, hosted by Sonja Christoph and Anna Pisoni of the Jam Boss Babe Tribe
Throughout the evening there will be chances to win prizes and enter raffles and all proceeds from the evening will go to benefit Hestia, a London charity who support adults and children in times of crisis. Last year Hestia worked with more than 9,000 people, including victims of modern slavery, women and children who have experienced domestic abuse, young care leavers and older people.
There will be live music and cocktails and plenty of chances to scoop up some good deals on your beauty favorites for a good cause. Local business owners and influencers will be in attendance from various industries and sectors, from fashion & beauty to the arts, to media and marketing. So come and mingle, network and help raise awareness for this very important cause.
Don’t forget to wear black – whether it’s a little black dress or a black suit and tie! RSVP here.
Our hosts: Jamberry is an American company that has been wildly successful in the USA, Canada, Australia and New Zealand with their line of do-it-yourself nail wraps and has just launched in the UK in Spring of 2016. Since launch, the product has taken the British market by storm, setting trends in fashion and beauty by providing ladies with a unique way to express their individuality and style. Last year, Jamberry proudly announced its partnership with Fight Against Domestic Violence (FADV); a foundation centered on raising awareness and supporting victims of domestic violence. They have launched a special collection of nail wraps dedicated to this cause. For every “No More 2018” wrap purchased, Jamberry will donate a portion of the proceeds* to FADV.
UK SAYS NO MORE on BBC Two’s Victoria Derbyshire
On Monday 23 April, Victoria Derbyshire dedicated the entirety of her live show to talking about domestic abuse, with a particular focus on refuges.
This is a brilliant opportunity to bring the issue into the public eye, as the show focuses on breaking down some of the existing myths and misconceptions which currently exist about domestic abuse refuges. As well as challenging these misconceptions, the show aims to raise vital awareness of the support available.
Victoria spoke to a number of women living in a domestic abuse refuge in London about their experience, as well as speaking to members of staff about their role and the practical and emotional support they provide to build the women’s resources for a life beyond their crisis.
Lyndsey Dearlove, Head of UK SAYS NO MORE, also chatted to Victoria during the show about our work and some of the support tools available to those in abusive relationships, such as the Bright Sky app. Watch the show on catch-up here.
National Stalking Awareness Week
National Stalking Awareness Week ran from Monday 16th April – Friday 20th April 2018.
National Stalking Awareness week is about raising awareness of stalking and the stories behind the statistics. This year Suzy Lamplugh Trust are focusing on increasing reporting levels, encouraging victims to talk about their experiences and access support from police and other statutory and voluntary organisations. They are also calling on support services to make #ReportingStalking a priority in their local area. 73% of stalking victims experience 100 incidents before reporting.
This week, Suzy Lamplagh Trust have launched their latest report – Out of Sight, Out of Mind: 2 Years On.
Suzy Lamplugh Trust conducted a Freedom of Information investigation into the local response to stalking, looking at what progress has been made by statutory agencies including police forces and police and crime commissioners (PCCs) since the release of the 2016 Suzy Lamplugh Trust report, Out of Sight, Out of Mind. You can read the full report here.
St. Mary’s Centre 16th Annual Conference 2018
We were fortunate to attend the St Mary’s Centre 16th Annual Conference: Rape – not an isolated issue: Sexual violence and multiple types of abuse.
The conference, over 2 days, provided valuable insight and understanding of how sexual violence can feature in many different types of abuse including domestic violence, physical abuse and psychological abuse. The key takeaway from the event was the focus on rape as not being an isolated issue. Many of the people seen in SARCs (Sexual Assault Referral Centres) will have other problems, whether that be vulnerabilities such as mental health issues, learning disabilities or poor social circumstances.
One aspect we found particularly important which was discussed at the event was acute childhood experiences and the impact of trauma. Some of the workshops on offer to attendees during the conference were around sexual assault and older people, monitoring and including LGBT survivors of rape, and bridging the gap between domestic abuse and sexual violence services.
You can learn more about St Mary’s Centre on their website here.
United States NO MORE launch video in partnership with Uber
NO MORE and Uber are pairing up – as part of Uber’s ongoing commitment to drive change, along with other leading organizations, to help prevent sexual assault and domestic violence. Pairing Uber’s scope and scale with NO MORE’s expertise will help us reach, engage and positively impact the millions of people who utilize Uber’s application every day.
“We’re proud to partner with Uber and share this new educational video about preventing sexual violence.” – NO MORE
What are you doing to help end domestic abuse and sexual violence?
Tweet us @UKSAYSNOMORE using the hashtag #WhatICanDo — you could send u a video of you talking about what you are going to do (ideas to come very soon in the Toolkit!), or add your photo to the UK SAYS NO MORE Gallery and share your image on social media.
