THIS WEEK
MNL
THIS WEEK
Victoria Park in Southport reclaimed
City goes orange in wake of gender-based violence AMNA AKRAM reports on the 16 days of activism against gender-based violence in Liverpool and finds out what RASA Merseyside is doing to help
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rganisations across the city are raising awareness against gender-based violence by going orange to remember survivors of sexual abuse and women who lost their lives to violence. The campaign – part of a 16-day initiative launched by the United Nations (UN) - comes in the wake of recent tragedies in Merseyside involving the killing of Ava White and a 47-year-old woman. Rape and Sexual Abuse Support (RASA) Merseyside have released a powerful campaign which started from November 25 till December 10, where they are placing orange ribbons and encouraging other women to do so with a little tag on to explain why they felt unsafe in a public space. Emma Walker from RASA Merseyside explained the cause behind the act: “Earlier this year there was a Police Crime Commission survey which we delegated to anybody that wants to fill it out and we got some data of where people feel unsafe coming back to those answers it was mostly public places.” She went onto say: “We are reclaiming those spaces, they are for everybody and letting people know that sexual violence, genderbased violence or any kind of harm that is directed at somebody who is female or identifying as female is not acceptable.”
According to the Opinions and Lifestyle survey in June 2021, from The Office for National Statistics (ONS) 89% of women in Great Britain who had experienced harassment said they felt” very or fairly unsafe” walking on their own after dark in a park or other open space. The registered charity which provides professional counselling and support to survivors of sexual abuse was founded in 1986, after the tragic rape and murder of Diane Sindall who was just on her way home from work. This incident was a catalyst and reminder for the future that we still have a long way to go in the city and that is only going to happen if there is systematic change. Amongst the orange ribbon campaign RASA Merseyside has also been hosting a poetry project for an interactive experience calling all artists and poets for their interpretations on sexual violence which has then been posted on their social media accounts. The response and contribution to this open call has been seen on a massive scale as Emma mentioned the significance: “We received very high volume of entries and this has impacted so many people regardless of gender and identity, everybody seems to want to get involved with this which is really important.” Hera Perihar, a student from Liverpool John Moores University shared her thoughts: “The fact that
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Women feel empowered after standing up to gender based crimes (posed by a model)
I want people to know we are here as a service to support the health, safety and wellness of all people
there’s been a noticeable increase in violence against women is worrying to me. I try to have a positive outlook and I feel like I’m safe enough to walk home by my own but I’m much more guarded now and cautious about where I go and when. “I just don’t think it’s fair to be living in constant fear about whether it’s safe to go out or not, I feel like we, as a society, should be doing more to create an environment where everyone feels and is safe and
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comfortable enough to live their lives and thrive.” There will be a vigil taking place this Saturday at 6:00pm on Church Street in remembrance of Ava White and all the other women who have sadly lost their lives to violence. RASA Merseyside is encouraging people to get involved in their campaign. To learn more about what the service provides please visit: https://www.rasamerseyside.org/ info-support
