Date published: 2024-11-21 | Category: Bath, Communities and volunteering, Focusing on prevention, public safety, Safeguarding
A twilight community walk launching 16 days of action to end Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) will take place in Bath on November 25.
Bath & North East Somerset Council is holding the event to promote a safer community for everyone and to raise awareness of how to stay safe when going out at night, or within their own homes.
The walk begins at 5.30pm on November 25, starting and ending at the front steps of The Guildhall and looping around the city.
Residents are invited to join the walk and to wear orange, marking the international UN 16 Days of Activism running from November 25 to December 10 each year which asks people everywhere to ‘Orange the World’ and take action to end violence against women and girls.
The campaign also aligns with Avon & Somerset Police’s VAWG Awareness Week from December 2 to December 8. The Week includes educational workshops in colleges and universities, visits to licensed premises to distribute anti-spiking kits and walk and talk sessions in which women can share their concerns directly with neighbourhood officers.
Councillor Tim Ball, cabinet member for Neighbourhood Services, said: “Addressing violence against women and girls is essential to building a safe and supportive community for everyone. The council is committed to tackling this important issue and to effecting change at a societal level by supporting people away from future violence and working with women who have experienced abuse. Women need to feel heard and able to talk about what has happened to them, without shame or silence
“We are partnering with the police and other local organisations to create safer spaces across Bath and North East Somerset. By attending events like the community walk, sharing resources and merely having conversations about the issues, you are actively helping to build a safe and equal community for all.”
VAWG includes domestic abuse, stalking, harassment, forced marriage, FGM and other forms of violence that are rooted in gender inequality, disproportionately impacting women and girls. Find more information on the council website
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