Tackling violence against women

Part of the international White Ribbon Day campaign, the exhibition takes place at Bognor Regis Town Hall next Wednesday, between 10am and 3pm.

White Ribbon Day is the International Day for the Eradication of Violence Against Women. It had its beginnings in the UK in 2004 after being formed in Canada in 1991.

Men are urged to wear a white ribbon as a symbol of their pledge never to commit, condone or remain silent about violence.

Arun District Council is supporting the campaign through its work as part of Arun Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnership (CDRP), which is committed to tackling domestic abuse and offering support to victims.

Cllr Roger Elkins, Arun's cabinet member for community safety said: "White Ribbon Day is an important event as it highlights a crime in our society that is often left unreported.

"Violence in the home is never justified and we hope that by raising awareness of domestic abuse it will give victims the confidence to seek out the help and support that is available.

"Our support for the White Ribbon Campaign reaffirms our commitment to tackling domestic abuse, and while the campaign is aimed at violence against women, it is important to recognise that men can suffer abuse. We are urging victims not to suffer in silence and want to make sure they know that help is available."

Andrea Lloyd, project co-ordinator of service at Worthing Women's Aid, which covers Bognor Regis, Littlehampton and Worthing will be manning the stands to give advice and information.

She said: "White Ribbon Day is for everyone, it's not just for women. The ribbon is a symbol of peace. It's a day to highlight awareness of the impact of domestic abuse on the community. We're not just talking about physical violence, a lot of the time it's psychological '“ it's about power and control."

Details of confidential drop in centres and help lines can be found at www.arun.gov.uk, and under 'Domestic Violence' in the A to Z. For more about White Ribbon Day go to www.whiteribboncampaign.co.uk

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