Barnstaple unites for 16 Days of Action against violence

A rallying cry has gone out to support the upcoming 16 Days of Action campaign calling for an end to violence against women and girls – something that blights the lives of thousands of women in Devon each year.

In North Devon and Torridge there will be a variety of events from November 25 to December 10, as part of the annual 16 Days global campaign to raise awareness and promote support for victims of gender-based violence and to hold the perpetrators to account. Look out for the hashtag #16daysofaction on social media too.

Local events will include a peaceful march in Barnstaple, a vigil in Bideford, workshops, performances and live music, webinars and a poignant ceremony scattering petals on the River Taw to remember the women and girls lost to violence.

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In Devon, the campaign is being promoted by various organisations including North Devon Against Domestic Abuse (NDADA), Brave Spaces (a part of Encompass Southwest), FearFree, Devon Rape Crisis, Devon County Council, Active Devon and Colab Exeter.

Despite 24/7 news feeds and calls to end violence against women and girls, the sheer number of cases makes for grim reading and it continues to be a ‘hidden’ crime with victims terrified to speak up and communities enabling crimes by staying silent.

Just in Devon, it is estimated there are at least 36,000 cases of domestic abuse, but only a fraction of people seek out support. In England and Wales, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) estimated there were 2.1 million cases in the year to March 2023, with less than half of those recorded by police and the actual number is likely to be higher as people are scared to come forward.

NDADA, which provides refuge and specialist support and recovery services for women, has some 1,100 cases referred to it each year in North Devon and Torridge.

Laraine Bridger, operations manager for NDADA, said the 16 Days campaign was vital to continue to raise awareness, to encourage victims to seek help but also to ensure the rest of the community is willing to call out abuse and not turn a blind eye.

Laraine said: “We don’t want people to just ignore this and say ‘oh it’s their business’; it won’t go away and it’s everybody’s business – we need to support each other.

“Domestic abuse affects one in three women and even one in six or seven men – every day in Devon thousands of women are living in fear of an abusive partner or relative, many are being injured and tragically some pay the ultimate price.

“This year for the 16 Days of Action we have lots of events taking place and we want to involve the whole community as much as possible.

“The people that cause harm need to take responsibility and the people who know it’s happening need to stand up and call it out for what it is.”

This year, local shops and business are being asked to display white ribbons, to encourage men to take the White Ribbon Promise to always call out violence against women and girls.

White Ribbon Day is on Monday, November 25, the start of the 16 Days, which is also International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women and the campaign ends on World Human Rights Day on December 10.

Hannah Ashford, NDADA CEO, added: “I am proud that NDADA can support this important campaign once again. In 2023, 135 women were killed by an intimate partner, a 17% increase from 2022.

“These are direct homicides and do not account for the countless women taking their lives due to suicide after or during a domestic abuse relationship - this figure is estimated to be double the rate of those dying through homicide.

“A 999 call is made every 30-40 seconds in the UK due to domestic abuse. The age of those committing offences have been getting younger and younger, thought in part to be connected to the rising rates of boys accessing online pornography, of which the majority shows graphic sexual violence against women and girls, and social media influencers glamorising outdated male and female stereotypes.

“Everyone deserves the right to live without fear of violence and death, if you live in North Devon or Torridge and are experiencing abuse, please reach out, we believe you.”

Local events begin on November 25, with Reclaim the Streets Bideford - meeting for a candlelit vigil at 4.30pm outside Bideford Library to connect and share spoken word in honour of women and girls affected by violence and abuse. People are invited to take any poetry, written work, or songs they wish to share.

On Friday, November 29, Soroptimists International Barnstaple and District will be holding a vigil and scattering petals on the River Taw by Barnstaple Museum from 11.00am to 12 noon, in a very poignant ceremony to remember all those lost to violence and abuse.

All are welcome to join the Reclaim the Night march in Barnstaple on Thursday, December 5, setting off at 6.15pm from the entrance to the Pannier Market, held in conjunction with workshops and live entertainment at Bar Nirvana in the Rabbit Hole, Market Street.

Between 4 and 6pm, Bar Nirvana will be holding a banner making workshop organised by Brave Spaces as well as a trauma-informed non-contact boxing workshop run by George Capone of the Warrior Women Project.

After the march around the town centre, Suited Storytellers will perform 23 Words at Bar Nirvana, exploring The Wyfe of Bath’s Tale by Chaucer and challenging how women are represented, with issues just as relevant today as they were in the 14 ^th century. Plus there’s live music from 8pm onwards with local performers. These events have been funded by North Devon Council community councillor grants from councillors Bell, Biederman, Hunt, Leaver, Norman, Roome, Topps and York.

Thanks to a North Devon Council Flourishing Culture Grant to Brave Spaces, Barnstaple Library is hosting a drop-in Story Telling Workshop with professional storyteller Katy Lee on Wednesday, November 27, in the foyer from 10am to 12.30pm. Katy specialises in gritty traditional folk tales and the workshop will encourage people to get creative and be empowered and playful with words.

Then on Wednesday, December 4, the grant has also made it possible to host two print-making workshops at Barnstaple Library run by Double Elephant from 10am to 12.30pm and again from 1.30 to 3.30pm. The workshop will help people create prints, posters and postcards to raise awareness of the 16 Days and to display on the Reclaim the night march if they wish.

On the same day, Active Devon is staging its Big Yoga Event with simultaneous yoga sessions across the county between 12noon and 1pm and live streamed so people can take part online or in person. In Barnstaple it will be led in person by Pip Fresch of Western Wellbeing at the Castle Centre on the Strand.

Across the 16 Days a range of webinars and training sessions for both the public and professionals will be held by different agencies, which include animal abuse used by abusers as to control their victims, spotting the signs of domestic abuse in children and domestic abuse in later life, as many older people are the hidden victims of abuse.

For the full programme of events in North Devon, Torridge and across Devon, as well as details on how to sign up or register for activities, please visit https://saferdevon.co.uk/domestic-sexual-violence-abuse/16-days-of-action-in-devon

Anyone suffering from domestic abuse or who knows of someone else who is trapped in an abusive situation can report abuse by calling the police on 101, or call North Devon Against Domestic Abuse on 01271 370079 or visit the website for help and advice at https://ndada.co.uk.