My CWA & RASASC unite for International Women’s Day 2021
[Photos] Members of the My CWA & RASASC families strike the #ChooseToChallenge pose | International Women’s Day 2021
Cheshire Domestic Abuse And Rape Crisis Charities Unite For International Women’s Day 2021
Cheshire domestic abuse and rape crisis charities, My CWA and RASASC* Cheshire & Merseyside have joined forces to mark International Women’s Day 2021 and support this year’s #ChooseToChallenge campaign.
This year, the two charities are taking the opportunity to look back over what’s been an especially challenging year and reflect on some of the ways that they’ve supported women throughout the pandemic.
Empowering women
Enabling female domestic abuse victims to leave their abusers is one of the most effective ways we can empower them.
Everyone’s circumstances are unique. Some survivors reach out when they’ve experienced explicit physical harm – such as an attack that has required medical treatment. Others – perhaps those who’ve experience non-physical abuse such as emotional abuse, verbal abuse, financial abuse or coercive control – might take longer to realise that harmful or abusive behaviour is happening and that there’s support to help them leave if they choose to.
With women’s centres in Crewe, Macclesfield, Warrington – and another due to open in Ellesmere Port – My CWA has been able to empower women to leave their abusers throughout the coronavirus pandemic.
“I really appreciate the support with moving into my new flat… I feel like I can really make a fresh start.”
Raising awareness
Over the past year, My CWA and RASASC have worked tirelessly to raise awareness of the increased risk that many women have experienced as the pandemic has left them trapped at home with their abusers and isolated from friends, family and their wider support networks.
The White Ribbon campaign, which aims to end male violence against women, took place in November. And local newspaper and magazine features as well as national media coverage (including the BBC politics show) have helped to raise awareness of some of the issues faced by Cheshire families affected by domestic abuse.
As a result, this has led to a dramatic increase in the number of people reaching out for support – people who either weren’t previously aware of the support available in their area as well as people who weren’t sure that the behaviour they were experiencing was “bad enough” to warrant support.
Influencing behaviour
Our work with women doesn’t stop at helping survivors. We’ve also increased the capacity of our recovery programmes for people who harm in order to help perpetrators make positive changes. This includes women who harm as well as men.
Our programmes for people who harm have never been busier. We aren’t here to judge. We’re here to help all men, women and children affected by domestic abuse – and we do that whether they’re victim or perpetrator.
Our ability to influence perceptions and help people accept responsibility for their behaviour and take action to change it has been a critical element of our service offering throughout the pandemic.
“I know that I needed to be honest and talk about the impacts of my behaviour… and understand the importance of healthy relationships for me, my children and future partners.”
Choose to Challenge
Many of the people we work with – whether domestic abuse survivor, rape survivor, perpetrator, or both – have accepted that their current situation is just the way things are for them.
A huge part of our work involves helping people question and challenge the status quo in order to make positive changes. So the #ChooseToChallenge theme for this year’s International Women’s Day seems particularly fitting.
We help people challenge their preconceptions. Challenge the way women are seen and treated within relationships. Challenge what’s been accepted – often for many years – as “just how it is.”
And we do all this with one ambitious vision in mind: a healthy community where adults and children can live free from the fear of domestic abuse.
* RASASC = Rape & Sexual Abuse Support Centre