Skipper Matt Salter said: “I am pleased to support such an important week on behalf of Bristol Rugby Club to help raise awareness of domestic violence in South Gloucestershire. The number of families affected by domestic abuse is truly staggering and it is vital that everyone is aware of the devastating consequences for victims and that they no longer have to tolerate this behaviour.”
Domestic Violence Awareness Week starts on Sunday 25 November to coincide with the UN’s International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, with a focus on raising the profile of domestic abuse among health professionals.
Physical injuries associated with domestic violence cost the health service approximately £6.3 million per year in South Gloucestershire.
A number of events have been lined up including the performance of a play called ‘Lady in Red’ which will be staged at the University of the West of England (UWE) on Monday 26th.
Lady in Red, a Certain Curtain Theatre Company production, was shortlisted for the Amnesty International Freedom of Expression Award and is an original and powerful drama exploring one woman’s attempts to leave an abusive relationship.
Kevin Foreman, Deputy Dean of the Faculty of Health and Life Sciences Executive at UWE, said: “It is important that those who will enter the health professions have an awareness of this complex issue. We try to give our students a range of experiences, and a drama production is one way of highlighting the problem. We have used drama before and found it to be a very powerful tool in delivering an immersive experience for students.”
Charlotte Badlan, domestic violence coordinator for Safer South Gloucestershire, added: “People experiencing domestic violence are more likely to tell a health professional than any other agency, and they experience on average 35 separate incidents of abuse before telling anyone. This is why we are working closely with the health sector, delivering multi-agency training to key health practitioners and distributing 450 awareness packs and resources to health professionals to help them identify and appropriately respond to domestic abuse.”
Other key events taking place during the week include:
Thursday 29th A Time to Sparkle – a celebratory event to acknowledge all the hard work being done in South Gloucestershire to tackle domestic violence, including the presentation of the annual Ann Wood award.
The strategy Everyone’s Business: South Gloucestershire Domestic Violence Strategy 2007-2010 officially launches following its adoption by South Gloucestershire Council. The policy contains the signatures and commitment from directors, managers and chief executives from over 30 agencies.
ENDS