The White Ribbon flag will be raised at Peterborough Town Hall to show support to Peterborough’s survivors of domestic abuse and the international campaign to end male violence on Friday 24 November at 11am.
Peterborough City Council supported the White Ribbon UK charity since 2021 to encourage staff and communities to speak up against male violence. This could be male violence towards women and girls but also male violence towards other men and boys.
Deputy Leader of Peterborough City Council and White Ribbon ambassador , Councillor John Howard, and The Mayor of Peterborough, Councillor Nick Sandford, will be at the ceremony outside the Town Hall.
Local specialist services Peterborough Women’s Aid, Peterborough Rape Crisis and Living Keys will also be in attendance with information about how they can support people who are subjected to domestic abuse and sexual violence.
There will also be representatives from Cambridgeshire Constabulary, RAF Wittering and other White Ribbon ambassadors from Peterborough City Council.
The theme for White Ribbon Day this year is ‘Change the Story’ and the council has linked with local libraries and sixth forms to display posters with a theme of changing the story of Shakespeare plays that include domestic abuse, misogyny and familial abuse to represent more healthy relationships to encourage people to think about how they can speak up about violence and abuse.
The event was organised in preparation for the start of the annual 16 days of action against domestic abuse. The 16 days begin on White Ribbon Day on 25 November, which is the International Day for Elimination of Violence against Women and Girls and ends on the International Human Rights Day on 10 December 2023.
Cllr John Howard, Deputy Leader of Peterborough City Council and White Ribbon ambassador for Peterborough City Council, said: “The raising of the White Ribbon Flag is our visual reminder that domestic abuse must not be tolerated and of our commitment to supporting those who have survived any kinds of violent abuse against them in our city.
“Peterborough City Council and our partners in the Cambridgeshire & Peterborough Domestic Abuse and Sexual Violence Partnership are committed to ending domestic abuse and violence. This is also an opportunity for us to reach out to all those who are suffering abuse and help them to access the help that are available to them locally.
“Domestic abuse affects one in four women and one in six men at some point in their lives and this must not be tolerated. I would encourage you all to wear your white ribbon throughout this period to show that you believe domestic abuse is wrong, that no one should ever remain silent about it and it should never ever be tolerated.”
More information about White Ribbon Day can be found at www.whiteribbon.org.uk. Find out more about the support available at http://cambsdasv.org.uk/.
Impakt Domestic Abuse Service support victims of all genders and sexualities across Cambridgeshire and Peterborough and can be contacted directly on 0300 373 1073
To find out more about Peterborough Women’s Aid visit www.peterboroughwomensaid.co.uk.
You can also access information from Cambridge and Peterborough Rape Crisis Partnership at https://caprcp.org.uk. Living Keys can be contacted via Facebook
