Take action
There are many ways to get involved in ending violence against women, no matter who you are or how much or how little time you have. This page is regularly updated with actions that individuals can take related to our current campaigns. You may also want to get involved with a local group - see links here on the right.
A Different World is Possible! Action to Prevent Violence Against Women
We are supporting UK Feminista's lobby of Parliament on 24th October on women's equality to call for urgent action to prevent violence before it begins. Watch the video and sign up for the lobby!
If you can't make it to the lobby, there are loads of other ways of taking action:
The Prime Minister and Deputy Prime Minister made strong commitments to ending sexual and other violence against women at the Number 10 International Women's Day (8th March) attended by EVAW (our Co-Chair Marai Larasi is to the PM's left).
Please write to them to make sure they keep their promise using our template letter below. Even better if you personalise it and include local issues!
What you can do to create a safer world for women and girls:
1. Write to David Cameron and Nick Clegg and ask them to:
- Make sure all schools work with young people to stop abuse before it happens by talking about issues like sexual consent, teen relationship abuse and gender equality.
- Invest in long-term public campaigns to change attitudes and behaviours, similar to drink-driving campaigns. Our WeAreMan short film and the Home Office's teen sexual abuse film are good examples.
- Ensure funding for women's services in every area, such as Rape Crisis Centres, domestic violence projects and support for ethnic minority women.
Download a template letter here.
2. Make sure your local school, academy, college or Uni tackles these issues. Ask them to:
- Develop comprehensive policies on violence against women and girls and carry out regular surveys on children and young people's experiences of abuse.
- Ensure bullying policies include gendered bullying.
- Ensure ongoing training on this for teachers and staff.
- Fund women's services to do prevention work with young people and provide support after abuse.
Download a template letter here.
3. Email your MP to ask him/her to sign Early Day Motion (petition) 1955 calling for schools to take action
Find details of your local MP here and a template letter here.
4. Sick of sexist ads? Complain!
Our sexualised culture provides a conducive context in which harassment and abuse of women flourishes.
The Advertising Standards Authority has recently banned sexist ads for Ryanair and Steel Panthers so complaining works! Click on the links below to go to relevant regulators/websites.
Advertising Standards Authority - the UK's advertising regulator across all media including marketing on websites.
Internet Watch Foundation - UK hotline for reporting child sex abuse online, criminally obscene adult content hosted in the UK and non-photographic child sexual abuse images hosted in the UK.
Website aimed at parents bringing together the ASA, BBC Trust, Ofcom and others to facilitate complaints about things considered unsuitable for children.
Press Complaints Commission - self-regulatory body for the newspaper and magazine enforcing the Editors Code of Practice.
Ofcom - statutory body regulating TV and radio enforcing the Broadcasting Code.
