Newark and Sherwood District Council passes motion to increase support for women and girls experiencing violence and abuse
After hearing emotional pleas for support, a council is taking further steps to protect women and girls in the district from violence and abuse.
This week, Newark and Sherwood District Council was unanimous in its support for a motion asking the authority to commit to doing everything within its power to increase the safety of women and girls across the district and highlight the issue.
Introduced by Paul Taylor, cabinet member for public protection and community relations, councillors heard that 1 in 4 women and girls will experience violence from male perpetrators at some point in their lives.
Proposals were put forward to ensure every action was being taken to reduce this figure, including making Castle House and other council premises a safe space for women and girls to come for support, and to ensure all staff and councillors are properly trained to provide help when it is needed.
The council will also seek Domestic Abuse Housing Alliance accreditation, which ensures the council delivers safe and effective responses to incidents of domestic abuse within the district.
Work will also continue with partners, including Nottinghamshire Police, and more businesses will be approached to become involved with the campaign.
Seconding the motion, Maurice Shakshaft said: “If we fail to support women and girls who suffer from domestic violence, we are compliant in that act.
“If we fail to listen, if we fail to support, if we fail to advocate on their behalf, we are continuing to allow it — it would be disgraceful to allow this scourge to continue.”
The issue was brought closer to home as councillors heard from Alice Brazier, who bravely shared her own experience.
She said: “I stand here in front of you today as a survivor of domestic violence.
“It wasn’t just the punches — it was 40-odd years ago and I can still hear the things that were said to me, still see things that were done to me.
“No one was there to help me. It was all kept hush hush because that’s how it was done in those days.
“People say leave. But where do you go? Who do you turn to?
“I went back, but it just got worse and worse and worse. The only good thing to have come out of it was he made me the strong woman I am today.”
She added: “So, what you’re doing now, if I’d had that 40-odd years ago, I would have had peace of mind. I’d have had somewhere to go, someone to talk to.
“I wish you and your team all the success in the world. I just wish you’d been around when I needed you.”
Councillors commended Ms Brazier for her bravery in speaking up and sharing her own experiences during the debate.
Deputy leader Rowan Cozen also applauded the motion, saying that the way forward was with men calling out unacceptable behaviour, adding: “Broken limbs are visible. Broken spirits and self esteem, less so.
“Violence takes many forms, emotional abuse, physical abuse, the damaging, passive aggressive ignoring or belittling of women who are then forced into silence — so, call it out, question language and behaviour.”
Fellow member Adrian Amer works as a criminal barrister, specialising in cases of violence against women, and shared his personal accounts of working with young girls who had been raped and abused by family members.
He said it was “an abject failure of our society that we allow it to continue” and said more needed to be done, including improving education on the issue.
Mike Pringle added: “If this is the 21st century and we’re still talking about women being abused, there is already a failure out there and that needs correcting.
“What we have started today is a juggernaut, so let’s not stop it.
“If we do not stamp out abuse against women, then there is something sadly wrong in this society.
“It’s amazing how many times nobody stands up when they know it happens — this has to stop and I think we have put a marker down to make sure we do stop it in Newark and Sherwood.”
Johno Lee said it was “heartbreaking” to listen to the stories of his constituents experiencing abuse, and that at times as a councillor he had felt helpless to support those in need and welcomed the additional training for councillors and staff.
Others reiterated a need to begin education on the issue early in school, and for the council to help victims gain societal and financial resilience so they are able to become independent.
In his closing statements Paul Taylor said he was pleased to see cross party support on the issue.
“There is a lot to do — but this is just the starting point,” he said.
“I brought this forward because I wanted to highlight this issue, I wanted to start a discussion, I wanted to show that this is about far more than some words on paper.
“There are things this council needs to learn, and there are actions we need to be putting in place.
“Thank you for the spirit of this discussion — if we all keep working together with a commitment to this issue, we might make some headway and there might be a few less victims.”
The motion received fervent support and was passed unanimously.
Anyone in Nottinghamshire affected by domestic abuse can seek advice by calling the Nottinghamshire Domestic and Sexual Violence 24-hour free helpline on 0808 800 0340.