Christian charity, Domestic violence, Finsbury Park, International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, Rainbow Theatre, Seven Sisters Road, violence towards women,
Monday 21st November 2011
The UCKG HelpCentre will be supporting this year’s UN International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women with a march and conference on Saturday November 26th.
Both activities are being organised by the church women’s initiative, A Different Kind of Woman (DKW), in association with Restored, an international Christian charity fighting violence towards women, and the NIA project – Hackney Domestic Violence Team.
The march is scheduled to start in Finsbury Park at 10am and the route, via Angel at Islington will be completed in approximately two hours. It will be followed by a conference at the Rainbow Theatre on Seven Sisters Road, entitled Break the Silence, End the Violence.
Nanda Bezerra, who leads DKW said: “Both UK and international statistics show that violence towards women and girls is a shocking fact of life for the majority of females alive today. We believe that it is important to raise awareness and understanding of domestic violence in particular and our conference programme has been created with this in mind. Women and men equally, should live in peace, safety and security.”
The conference starts at 1pm and is free. The hosts are Lisa Hodgkinson, Samantha Dixon and Christoulla Boodram who present the DKW show on My Channel – Sky 219, every Sunday. Guest speakers include Natalie Collins, the development officer for Restored and a representative of the NIA project in Hackney, which aims to provide a safe and supportive environment for women and children, who are escaping physical, sexual and emotional abuse.
“Having overcome numerous issues associated with having had a sexually, physically and emotionally controlling and violent, husband, Natalie will be speaking from a depth of experience that most of us are exceedingly glad to have avoided,” added Nanda Bezerra. “We are extremely pleased that she is able to take part.
“The UCKG HelpCentre will also be welcoming Simon Bass, CEO of the Churches’ Child Protection Advisory Service which exists to safeguard both children and vulnerable adults throughout the UK and helps those who are, or have been, affected by child abuse and similar issues.”
The event starts with an introduction and general discussion about violence against women in the UK and worldwide and its causes and effects. Survival stories from women who have experienced violence and abuse will follow and the event will end with a question and answer session.
In addition there will be an advice clinic offering one-to-one support and workshops for women and families who have either been affected by violence and abuse or have a particular interest in the matter.
In this country two women are killed every week by their current or former partner, a quarter of all recorded crime is related to domestic violence and at least 750,000 children witness domestic violence each year.
Figures compiled by UN Women in 2011 using data from 86 countries shows that violence against women and girls is a problem of pandemic proportions. Up to 70 per cent of women experience physical or sexual violence from husbands, partners or other men they know during their lives. Among women aged 15 to 44, acts of violence cause more death and disability than cancer, malaria, traffic accidents and war combined.
ENDS
Notes to editors
UCKG is a Christian church and registered charity that offers a range of practical support activities alongside spiritual support and comfort. It reached the UK in 1995 and has gone from strength to strength, providing support and spreading the Christian faith. There are 36 UCKG HelpCentre branches in England and Wales.
For further information please contact the UCKG HelpCentre Press Officer via e-mail on press@uckgnew.org or call 020 7686 6033.
