November 25 (International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women) to December 10 (Human Rights Day) marks 16 days of activism against gender-based violence. The campaign puts a spotlight on the impact domestic violence has on so many lives. Here at North Devon Against Domestic Abuse, we have been supporting the international campaign by working to make a difference here in Devon, where so many lives are affected by domestic violence. Here are some of the things that have been going on:
AGM and petal scattering
Our well-attended AGM took place on November 20, 2017. Those that came learned about one of our Big Lottery Fund projects, aimed at assisting clients in gaining access to mental health support.
Our annual petal scattering event took place on the same day; the community was invited to scatter petals into the River Taw in remembrance of victims of domestic violence. Barnstaple mayor, Julie Hunt, spoke movingly about her own experience of domestic abuse and how our Pattern Changing course helped her move on and become an influential advocate of our services.
Pyjama Appeal
Our Pyjama Appeal campaign, which takes place during November and December 2017, aims to raise the £10,000 needed to look after the 200 children we care for at the refuge each year. We run the only refuge in Devon for women and children fleeing domestic violence. The children often arrive in just the clothes they’re wearing, and so a pair of new pyjamas is essential, but your donation will also be spent on food and other care.
It’s so easy to donate towards the #PJAppeal:
- Text ‘PJAP17 £3‘ (or any amount) to 70070.
- Head to our JustGiving page to donate an amount of your choice.
- Get involved in our fundraising event: Wear Your Pyjamas to Work day on Thursday November 30, 2017. Find out more and download resources here.
International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women
Violence against women is the most extreme form of discrimination. Data from 2005 to 2016 showed that for 87 countries, 19 per cent of women between 15 and 49 years of age said they had experienced physical and/or sexual violence by an intimate partner in the 12 months prior to the survey.
In extreme cases, domestic violence can lead to death. In 2012, almost half of all women who were victims of intentional homicide worldwide were killed by an intimate partner or family member, compared to 6 per cent of male victims.
(Data provided by the UN)
