Chair of Refuge, Hetti Barkworth-Nanton CBE, said:
“I am deeply honoured to be receiving a Special Recognition Award at this year’s Pride of Britain. Losing my close friend Joanna Simpson, who was brutally killed by her estranged husband, set me on this path in doing everything that I can to raise awareness around domestic abuse and violence against women and girls.
Domestic abuse takes women’s lives. In England and Wales, a woman is killed by a current or former partner every five days. Every week, approximately 3 women die by suicide as a result of domestic abuse, but as these numbers are not recorded, we cannot be certain that this presents the full picture. These statistics are horrifying, but sadly they do not paint the whole picture and as domestic abuse is underreported the scale of this issue is likely to be even greater. As a society we urgently need to wake up to the threat of domestic abuse and violence against women and girls and will continue to campaign for justice.
Whilst there has been much positive change in the VAWG sector over the years, there is still a lot more work to be done. Myself and Jo’s mother Diana Parkes are urging Prime Minister Keir Starmer and the Lord Chancellor to agree to meet us urgently to discuss the need for change across our murder laws, sentencing and procedures which are steeped in the 1950s when society was simply very different.
We also have to act in teaching the younger generation about respect and equality as we are seeing an increasing level of concern of misogyny in our schools. By teaching the younger generation that misogyny will not be tolerated in society, we are empowering the next generation to break the cycle of violence and create a safer, more inclusive future for all women and girls.
There are a great deal of individuals who have stood alongside me in this journey over the years. I must thank my husband and daughters for all their incredible support, and Diana Parkes, for working with me in campaigning for change. Thank you to Pride of Britain for this recognition.
This Award is dedicated to all the women who have lost their lives to domestic abuse and to all of those who are currently living with domestic abuse. If you are experiencing domestic abuse, there are organisations such as Refuge who can help and support you. If you know someone who is experiencing domestic abuse, please take the first steps in helping them to seek advice and support.”
