Refuge wins Mayor of London Award

Refuge wins Mayor of London award

Mayor of London, Ken Livingstone, today welcomed the
launch of the 3rd Annual Report of the London Domestic Violence Forum.

Speaking about the launch of the report the Mayor
said: ‘Once again, there has been steady progress on the implementation of the London
Domestic Violence Strategy. The past twelve months have seen significant changes at both
regional and local level resulting in greater cohesion of services for both victims and
offenders’

‘I welcome important changes at national level
which have helped to create a more supportive context for the work being undertaken
across London. I particularly welcome the large increase in the number of boroughs
employing dedicated Domestic Violence Co-ordinators’.

‘The London Domestic Violence Forum has made a
valuable contribution towards my vision of a safer London for all and, over the coming
year, the original Strategy will be fully revised and updated so that we can further
build on the solid foundations we have established’

Last year the Mayor instituted an annual awards
ceremony to honour those agencies which have made special progress in meeting the aims of
the London Domestic Violence Strategy. At the launch event eight awards were made under
the four aims of the London Domestic Violence Strategy; increasing safety, holding
abusers accountable, reducing social tolerance of domestic violence and educating
children and young people.

Speakers at the event included Deputy Mayor of
London, Nicky Gavron who presented the awards. Nicky Gavron said: ‘The London Domestic
Violence Forum now involves over 300 agencies and organisations across London. The London
Domestic Violence Strategy is the largest in the UK, possibly even Europe.’

‘The Forum has been
doing fantastic work to bring this issue out into the open, increase awareness,
education, reporting and service provision for those affected. It’s a wonderful example
of how the Mayor has pulled together agencies and stakeholders across London to forge a
genuine partnership and raise this issue onto the national agenda. London really is
setting the pace for change’

Other speakers included Linda Wilkins from Amnesty
International who spoke about their global campaign against violence against
women.

An exhibition of messages from children affected by
domestic violence is being held at City Hall from today until 10 December.

Categories:

Reducing Social Tolerance: Refuge – ‘Don’t ignore
it’

In September 2003 Refuge launched the first phase
of its award winning Don’t Ignore It campaign. The first phase of the campaign launched
with a national cinema advertising campaign and this was followed in January-March 2004
by a nationa outdoor poster campaign. The third phase took place in August with a London
Underground poster campaign. All advertising depicts domestic violence scenes occuring in
a social setting, whilst all other companions ‘involved’ in the scene remain oblivious.
The advertising acts as a metaphot for the way in which society continues to hide, excuse
and ignore domestic violence. ‘Don’t Ignore It’ encourages everyone to reappraise their
attitudes to domestic violence and to realise that we’re all accountable for the extent
of the problem.

Other winners included:

Increasing Safety – Relate & Y
Stop Project, Waltham Forest

Holding Abusers Accountable – Drug
and Alcohol Service for London (DASL) & Respect

Reducing Social Tolerance -
Imkaan

Educating Children and Young
People – Awaaz Youth Project, Hounslow & Tower Hamlets Domestic Violence
Forum