UK government launches Enough campaign to fight violence against women
The British government issued a statement on the launch of its new campaign Enough campaign to combat violence against women and girls in Britain and raise awareness of ways to protect them from physical or psychological harm.
The Department of Community Relations in the British government sent a copy of the statement to the Arab platform in Britain (AUK), as it serves the members of the Arab community across Britain, where the platform called for participation in disseminating the objectives of the campaign on the widest scale to protect women and girls from violence and persecution.
What is the Enough campaign?
The Enough campaign aims to raise awareness on how to protect and intervene safely in the event of an assault against women, within the framework of the annual campaign entitled 16 Days of Active Action against Gender-Based Violence.
The responsibility for ending violence against women lies with all of us, whether at home, in the workplace, or in public places, everyone has a role to play in ending abuses and abuses against women. We must all make a redoubled effort to fulfill our role in making society a safer place for all.
The British government has embarked on the second phase of its ‘Enough’ campaign, which encourages people to take simple steps to intervene without endangering themselves if they witness different types of harassment or assault.
The abuse covered in the campaign varies to include sexual harassment on the roads, verbal assault on public transport, or sharing personal or defective photos of someone without their consent, control or coercion – together we can challenge and stop the perpetrators.
Elimination of domestic violence
Natasha Rato, director of the charity Karma Nirvana, which campaigns to end domestic violence in Britain, said:
Of course, everyone is vulnerable to abuse and harassment, but we know that these behaviors particularly affect women and girls. Violence against women and girls is very common and its impact can be permanent. We hope that the KAFA campaign will raise public awareness about the different types of abuse and our responsibility as a part to stop them and create a safe society for women and girls.
Most of us know how important it is to act to stop violence against women and girls, but some may worry about putting ourselves at risk or contributing to the situation if they intervene. However, we emphasize that witnesses can play a pivotal role in stopping the abuse without taking a sharp or confrontational position with the aggressor. There are many different ways you can safely help.
Safe intervention methods to protect women and girls
“One day I was walking through Birmingham city center and I saw a man verbally abusing a woman I thought was his girlfriend. But I was worried, so I walked towards her and asked her if she was okay, and if she needed help. Then I took it aside and softened the impact on her. I think I did the right thing by intervening, and I will do it if it happens again, no doubt.” Zara from Birmingham, 45, said.
It is important to remember that intervention may not be safe in some cases, and if you think someone is in urgent danger, call 999 to report it to the police.
Enough campaign proposes four simple ways to help citizens intervene safely, and any one or combination of these measures can be used depending on the situation :
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Say something in case you see abuse
You can express your displeasure with the situation at the same moment, for example saying “I don’t see what I said is funny at all” or you can be blunter, if you feel it is safe to do so, by saying that what the aggressor is doing is unacceptable and telling them to stop it.
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Report the incident and ask for help
You can report to someone in charge what you’ve seen, such as human resources (HR) if the abuse is in the workplace, train security guards, or a bus driver if you’re on public transport. You can also inform another person from the public or a bystander to see if they are willing to help, as working together can be a safer and more effective way to intervene.
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Support
You can ask the victim if she is okay. You can also take a video of what’s happening on your phone and ask the victim if they want the clips to officially report the incident, and you can offer to help report them as one of the witnesses.
The public can assist official organizations and institutions involved in monitoring and ending abuse. For example, if you think a woman is living the reality of an abusive relationship, call the National Domestic Violence Helpline for free and confidential counseling.
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Creating a disguise
Sometimes, the best way to resolve the situation may be to be distracting, give the target a chance to distance themselves from the abuser, or even give others a chance to seek competent help. For example, you can start a conversation with the victim, such as asking them for directions to a particular place or pretending to know them.
Enough provides information on support services, how to report abuse to the police, and provides guidance for individuals concerned about their personal behavior. More information can be found on the UK government website, visit the website by clicking here
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