Men and boys across Lancashire are being urged to #GetTheMessage as part of a new behaviour change campaign to tackle violence against women and girls
Men and boys are being urged to reflect on their own behaviours and how it impacts women to tackle low level harassment and abuse as part of the county wide male behaviour campaign.
The launch of the campaign coincides with White Ribbon Day – an international day to end violence against women and girls and 16 days of activism against gender-based violence.
Clive Grunshaw, Lancashire’s Police and Crime Commissioner, said: “Misogyny and Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) have no place in our communities.
“We all have a responsibility to challenge harmful behaviours that may wrongly be perceived as harmless. They are not. They are dangerous, intimidating and scary for those on the receiving end.
“Women and girls deserve to be safe and feel safe and I hope by raising awareness, and by challenging behaviours and highlighting the consequences words and actions can have, we are enabling change.”
The #GetTheMessage digital campaign highlights the impact that gateway behaviours including public harassment, verbal intrusions and unwanted comments, including online, can have on women and girls.
Over 90% of those surveyed cited anti-social behaviour and large groups of men as key concerns, and fears over certain environments such as bus and rail stations, parks and open spaces, taxi ranks and town centres.
The campaign will educate boys from school age upwards with schools, universities, football clubs, charities and emergency services being urged to download the toolkit and get involved.
Materials will illustrate how ‘innocent’ yet inappropriate comments, such as ‘I was only looking’, ‘I was complimenting her appearance’ can have a detrimental impact.
Luke Medcalf from White Ribbon UK welcomed the campaign. He said: “Letting sexism slide puts women and girls at risk.
“Sexist jokes, catcalling, staring, and comments might seem harmless, but they are serious because they can lead to violence and abuse.
“We are pleased to support #GetTheMessage and this White Ribbon Day, we want more men to use their voices and speak up to create a world where everyone is safe, equal and respected.”
The digital toolkit can be found at https://bit.ly/4r1FTCe
To read about Lancashire Police and Crime Commissioner’s priorities, and the full survey click here: https://bit.ly/vawg
To register as a White Ribbon Ambassadors and Champions visit https://www.whiteribbon.org.uk/
