Wirral Met College have helped to raise awareness of domestic abuse and sexual assault with an event at our Twelve Quays campus.
Visitors from the local community, including Police and Crime Commissioner for Merseyside, Emily Spurrell, and The Paul Lavelle foundation joined us at the event to help raise awareness for these issues.
Other local community groups who joined us at our Twelve Quays campus included Wirral Mind, Wirral Safeguarding Children Partnership, Merseyside Police, Chester Pride, Tomorrow’s Women Wirral, and Tranmere Rovers in the Community.
Taking place on 9th December 2022, the event coincided with the end of the national 16 days of action against domestic violence campaign, which ran from 25th November until 10th December.
The 16 days of action were started by activists at the inaugural women’s global leadership institute in 1991 and continue to be coordinated by them each year.
Organised by Wirral Met’s Student Union, the event and campaign linked to Merseyside Police and Crime Commissioner’s Violence Against Women & Girls delivery plan and Wirral Councils VAWG strategy statement.
The VAWG strategy has been developed to help professionals identify, prevent and respond to all gender-based violence.
The strategy, and its four key priority areas of prevention and education; support for victims; reducing harm; and building safer communities, all aim to bring about a cultural shift leading to long-term change in attitudes, and to ensure that agencies and professionals are able to identify and respond to violence and abuse, whilst safeguarding and supporting victims.
The event featured a speech and Q&A session from Police and Crime Commissioner, Emily Spurell, and interactive stalls for students to speak to our visitors from the local community.
Sharne Williams, from The Paul Lavelle Foundation said “It’s been amazing to be invited into the college.”
“It’s very important to get messages out to the students about how to maintain healthy relationships and spot signs of abuse in any potential relationships, whether it be intimate partner, friendship, family members, we educate across the board.”
Useful resources can be found below: