16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence 2020
From 25 November, the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, to 10 December, Human Rights Day, the 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence Campaign is a time to galvanize action to end gender-based violence around the world.
The mission of the global campaign is:
- raising awareness about gender-based violence as a human rights issue at the local, national, regional and international levels
- strengthening local work around violence against women
- establishing a clear link between local and international work to end violence against women
- providing a forum in which organisers can develop and share new and effective strategies
- demonstrating the solidarity of women around the world organising against violence against women
- creating tools to pressure governments to implement promises made to eliminate violence against women
Communities all over the world held events and raised their voices to tackle gender-based violence. In 2020, Barking and Dagenham reflected on the impacts of gender-based violence in the context of a global pandemic.
Every day throughout the 16 Days we invited you to join an online conversation with us. We posted a piece of learning or information about local services from different perspectives and you discussed your thoughts and feelings in this space.
If you or a friend is need of support, please see links to in the chats for information or head to https://www.lbbd.gov.uk/domestic-abuse-and-sexual-violence(External link)
Perspectives
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25th November: International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women
Women's rights activists have observed 25 November as a day against gender-based violence since 1981. This date was selected to honour the Mirabal sisters, three political activists from the Dominican Republic who were brutally murdered in 1960 by order of the country’s ruler, Rafael Trujillo (1930-1961).
On 20 December 1993, the General Assembly adopted the Declaration on the Elimination of Violence against Women through resolution 48/104, paving the path towards eradicating violence against women and girls worldwide.
The United Nations defines violence against women as “any act of gender-based violence that results in, or is likely to result in, physical... Continue reading
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26th November: Carers Rights Day
Today is our first crossover day! Throughout the 16 Days of Activism there are several other national awareness days and so we want to reflect on what connections there might be between each one and the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender Based Violence.
Each year Carers UK holds Carers Rights Day to bring organisations across the UK together to help carers in their local community know their rights and find out how to get the help and support they are entitled to (see our links in the chat for support links).
There are different types of caring responsibilities. Children... Continue reading
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27th November: Children and domestic abuse
The NSPCC reports that since the introduction of national lockdown measures, the number of contacts to the NSPCC helpline from people concerned about children living in homes with domestic abuse rose by 49 per cent.The latest figures show that between April and September 2020, more than 4,500 concerns were raised by members of the public, with 818 contacts in August alone. The numbers are supported by the experiences of frontline staff who work with mothers and children facing domestic abuse at home.
The NSPCC is able to raise safeguarding concerns for those children to make sure they are connected to... Continue reading -
28th November: Men's Experience
The Respect Men’s Advice Line, which offers support to men experiencing domestic abuse, says that it received 13,812 calls and emails between April and July in lockdown. This represents a 60% increase on the same time the year before.
The Respect Men’s Advice Line has reported that the biggest increase in contact with abuse victims came through emails and the service saw the volume of emails increase by 96%. The callers to the advice line were talking about increases in violence, increases in psychological abuse and becoming homeless because of the domestic abuse and not having anywhere to go. Some... Continue reading
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1st December: Tackling Cause of Domestic Abuse
There is no doubt that the women’s sector and domestic abuse sector has pushed forwards massive change over previous decades and there will always be a need for quality specialist services to assist survivors of domestic abuse. But victim/survivors are not to blame for the abuse they face, the cause sits squarely with the person perpetrating it.
In Barking and Dagenham, we have progressed significantly over the last 12 months. Initially through the LBBD Domestic and Sexual Violence Service we commissioned targeted perpetrator work alongside Refuge. As COVID restrictions first came in we noticed increased calls to the Respect Helpline... Continue reading
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2nd December: DV FLAG East
DV FLAG East were set up in 2019 as a response to inconsistent access to quality legal advice for families experiencing domestic abuse in Barking and Dagenham. It brings together the knowledge and experience of a committed council legal team, the local legal advice charity Citizen’s Advice Barking and Dagenham and a partnership of local family law firms to improve access to legal aid and advice and develop best practice pro bono approach for those who cannot access legal aid.
The work is genuinely innovative and has attracted a lot of interest. The project has been shortlisted for a Family... Continue reading
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3rd December: National Disability Day
National Disability Day is an international observance promoted by the United Nations since 1992. The observance of the day aims to promote an understanding of disability issues and mobilise support for the dignity, rights and well-being of persons with disabilities.
Our local service DABD in Barking and Dagenham’s can assist people with
•Benefits & Financial Advice
•Support into Education, Skills & Employment
•Personal Care
•Accessible Transport
Did you know disabled women are twice as likely to experience domestic abuse compared to non-disabled women and are likely to experience the abuse for a longer period. Disabled people are more likely to... Continue reading
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4th December: Harmful Practices
Harmful traditional practices are forms of violence which have been committed primarily against women and girls in certain communities and societies for so long that they are considered, or presented by perpetrators, as part of accepted cultural practice. The most common forms are:
- Female Genital Mutilation is a procedure where the female genitals are deliberately cut, injured or changed, but there's no medical reason for this to be done
- Forced Marriage - A forced marriage is where one or both people do not or cannot consent to the marriage, and pressure or abuse is used to force them into marriage
- ... Continue reading
Who's Listening
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