Powys White Ribbon walks to support ending violence against women and girls were successful

Powys residents came together to support ending violence against women and girls at White Ribbon walks in the county this week.

Powys County Council organised the walks as part of White Ribbon Day, which took place on Monday, November 25. The walks took place in Brecon, Llandrindod Wells and Newtown.

This year, the White Ribbon charity encouraged more men to get involved in changing harmful gender-based behaviours and attitudes by using the theme ‘It Starts With Men’.

Councillor Matthew Dorrance, Powys County Council’s Deputy Leader and a White Ribbon Lead Ambassador, said: “Together we can prevent violence against women and girls. It Starts With Men.

“Violence against women and girls is rooted in harmful masculine traits. Starting with men, we must address the attitudes and behaviours that contribute to a fear of violence for women in their day-to-day lives.

“I am asking men and boys in Powys to make the White Ribbon promise to never commit, excuse or remain silent about violence against women and girls, which can be done online on the White Ribbon UK website.”

To make the promise, visit www.whiteribbon.org.uk and search White Ribbon promise.

Powys County Council is a White Ribbon accredited organisation which means it has made a commitment to ending violence against women in Powys communities, improving its own workplace culture and ensuring the safety of its female employees.

White Ribbon works to prevent violence against women and girls by encouraging men and boys to make changes to the way they act and behave: https://www.whiteribbon.org.uk/

This year it is highlighting that - 70% of women in the UK say they have experienced sexual harassment in public. (APPG for UN Women, 2021), three in five women have experienced sexual harassment, bullying or verbal abuse in the workplace. (Trade Unions Congress, 2023), 17% of women in Wales have experienced online violence. (Professor Olga Jurasz, The Open University, 2024), nearly a quarter (24%) of girls in mixed sex schools said they had experiences of unwanted sexual touching in school. (EVAW, 2023), 1.4 million women experienced domestic abuse in the year ending March 2023. (ONS, 2023) and 63% of men agree that men in society aren’t doing enough to ensure the safety of women and girls. (YouGov, 2021)

Photo caption: This year’s walks in Brecon, Llandrindod Wells and Newtown