Norfolk Says No: Making a Stand against Domestic Abuse

The Norfolk Says No campaign kicked off on Monday, as the county continued its commitment to taking a stand against domestic abuse. Throughout this week there have been a number of awareness raising events taking place in local communities, with the campaign coinciding with the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women on Wednesday.

“This campaign is about making sure victims and survivors have the support and help they need, when they need it. It is also vital we send out a clear message that abuse will not be tolerated and abusers will be held to account” – Councillor Brenda Arthur, leader of Norwich City Council

As we mentioned in last week’s blog, the Norfolk Police and Crime Commissioner hopes to use this year’s event as an opportunity to reach out to Norfolk men in two ways:

• To encourage them to report incidents of domestic abuse which they have experienced.
  
• To encourage them to loudly declare that they will say no to domestic and sexual abuse.

Commitment Pledge

Pledge walls are therefore being set up, giving people the opportunity to show their commitment to combating domestic abuse. Organisations are also being encouraged to sign a commitment pledge, which says that they will:

• Work closely together to provide victims and survivors with the help they need, when they need it.
  
• Encourage victims / survivors to make their own decisions and offer support as they find ways to build a safe future for themselves and their families.
  
• Recognise that issues surrounding abusive relationships are complex and long-standing and may not easily be solved.
  
• Share resources and expertise and continue to develop and improve the services they already provide.
  
• Hold perpetrators to account for their own actions through criminal and civil justice systems.

Following Mondays’s launch, our team have been out on the streets of Norwich to meet with local people and raise awareness of domestic abuse. If you would like to find out more information about domestic abuse, the work we do with our service users, or to sign the commitment pledge, you can find our team this week at the following locations:

• Wroxham, Brundall and Blofield libraries on Thursday and Friday.
  
• Our Christmas and Craft Fair at Central Baptist Church on Duke Street in Norwich on Thursday evening. 

Alternatively, for more information about the Norfolk Says No campaign, you can click here.