Council takes lead in reducing domestic violence

Rochdale Borough Council has opened up discussions with the White Ribbon Campaign to become a "White Ribbon Town".

This means that the council will be supporting the campaign to ensure that men take more responsibility for reducing the level of violence against women.

The White Ribbon Campaign started in Colombia in 1981, where women from across Latin America came together to hold an annual day of protest on November 25 as an International Day Against Violence Against Women. The first White Ribbon Day in the UK was launched in 1998 and it gained charitable status in 2007.

The Campaign is now the largest effort in the world to encourage men to end male violence against women.

Leader of Rochdale Council, Councillor Alan Taylor said: "I was absolutely shocked when I was informed that almost half of all women in the UK experience domestic violence, sexual assault or stalking. However I think the most frightening thing that I've learnt recently is that according to the World Bank, violence against women causes more deaths and disability among women aged 15-44 than cancer, malaria, traffic accidents and war. This problem can not be simply ignored for any longer. Male violence against women is an issue for all of us and it is one that affects women that we care about, wives, girlfriends, sisters, and daughters.

Councillor Taylor added: "I have arranged a meeting with Chris Green, the Director of White Ribbon Campaign, to see what we can do as a Council to raise more awareness about this issue. My aim is to highlight the problem and to educate more men in our Borough about gender violence. I know that other boroughs across the country have also held different events alongside the White Ribbon Campaign such as school workshops, fundraisers and community projects and this is something I would like to see us doing more of to raise awareness of this cause."