Kingston Council commits to tackling male violence against women

The council has made the commitment to engage with boys and men to end male violence against women and girls, as part of the White Ribbon Accreditation.

This will include increasing the knowledge and skills internally for staff to address violence against women through male ambassadors, working with communities to raise awareness and improve safety for women and girls, and engage with schools and youth settings around preventative work.

Cllr Tim Cobbett, Deputy Leader at Kingston Council, said:

“At Kingston Council, we believe that all our employees have a right to a safe working environment, free from harassment or abuse. Male violence in all its forms has an impact on the health and safety of employees, their well-being and their productivity. We recently launched a Domestic Abuse policy and through the White Ribbon action plan, will review support to employees. It is not just about violence - we want Kingston to be a safe and respectful working environment for everyone, and tackle inequality in all its forms.

 

“We are now working to become a White Ribbon Accredited Organisation, by engaging with men and boys, changing cultures, and raising awareness. We encourage all men to wear a White Ribbon, and make the promise to never commit, excuse or remain silent about violence against women.” 

The safety of all women and girls has always been a high priority for us and that’s why we are committed to safeguarding and preventing harm. The council works closely with the Police and other partners to ensure local support services are accessible to victim survivors and ensure work is being done at a local level to tackle sexual violence, sexism, as well as harassment and abuse against women

In addition to committing to becoming a White Ribbon Accredited Organisation, we are also carrying out a year long programme of work to address the safety of women and girls in the borough. For more information on the council’s Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) Engagement plan, please visit our website
 

Published: 12th July 2021