Womens Safety

Understanding the U.S. Violence Against Women Act (VAWA)

violence against women act VAWA

Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) is an alarming social problem with severe consequences for individuals and even society as a whole. For decades, victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, stalking, and dating violence were usually without legal protection and support. Too many suffered silently, with limited recourse against an abuser. That changed in 1994 with the passage of the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA), a landmark bill that changed how the U.S. approached issues of gender-based violence. What is the Violence Against Women Act? The Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) of 1994 is a federal law that enhanced legal protections for survivors of domestic and sexual violence while allocating funds for critical programs that support them. First passed in 1994, VAWA was the first major law in the United States to comprehensively address violence against women. It was championed by then-Senator Joe Biden and received bipartisan support, which turned a page in the fight against gender-based violence. For most, there were no doors to knock on before VAWA. Domestic violence was all too often viewed as a “private matter,” law enforcement responses were inconsistent, and few resources were available for victims. Many women feared reporting their abuse, knowing their cases might not be taken seriously or that they could face retaliation. By the early 1990s, one in three U.S. women had reported having been the victim at some point in her lifetime of either a physical or sexual attack, and incidents of domestic violence seldom received the attention of law enforcement or courts. Similarly, shelters or crisis centers operated in only a handful of localities, meaning that most survivors received little intervention. VAWA upended this landscape. The bill allocated $1.6 billion in federal funding to improve the investigation and prosecution of violent crimes against women. It mandated restitution from perpetrators, initiated special training for law enforcement, and created the Office on Violence Against Women within the Department of Justice. Perhaps most importantly, it helped launch the National Domestic Violence Hotline in 1996, which has since answered more than 7 million calls, saving countless lives. Since it became law, VAWA has been updated multiple times, specifically in 2000, 2005, 2013, and 2022. With each update, lawmakers have expanded its protections. In 2000, Congress added provisions dealing with dating violence and also strengthened the legal protections for immigrant survivors. The 2005 reauthorization placed a new emphasis on the needs of rural communities and college campuses, recognizing that too often, survivors in both had limited access to the help they needed. The 2022 reauthorization secured rape crisis centers, housing assistance programs, and opportunities for underrepresented communities, continuing the push VAWA had begun to meet the shifting needs of survivors. How is VAWA Making a Difference? The Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) has made a significant difference to many female survivors in the past three decades. Federal funding has also been utilized to provide shelters, legal aid, and crisis intervention programs that have saved countless women’s lives. Law enforcement agencies, prosecutors, and judges have received extensive training regarding the seriousness of domestic violence, sexual assault, and stalking. VAWA also introduced critical legal protections that did not exist previously. For example, it made stalking a federal crime and it also ensured that protective orders issued in one state were valid nationwide. In addition, it established federal penalties for abusers crossing state lines to commit their crimes, closing the legal loopholes that once let perpetrators completely bypass the law. These changes sent a clear message: violence against women is a crime that will be met with consequences. What Experts Say About Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) Many experts consider VAWA to be groundbreaking in the way America has changed its response to gender-based violence. Mary P. Koss, a renowned clinical psychologist and researcher, said of VAWA that it was “revolutionary, providing survivors with essential services in an effort to help them find safety, support, and connectivity within their communities.” According to Liz Roberts, Chief Executive of Safe Horizon, one of the largest victim services agencies in the United States, VAWA has helped hundreds of thousands of survivors find safety and rebuild their lives. Attorney General Merrick B. Garland called VAWA a turning point, adding that it didn’t just change how gender-based violence was addressed; it changed how the issue was understood. Others, like Leigh Goodmark, a law professor and author, have been vocal critics of the reliance on the criminal justice system via VAWA. In her article “Reimagining VAWA: Why Criminalization Is a Failed Policy and What a Non-Carceral VAWA Could Look Like,” Goodmark argues that VAWA’s focus on criminalization has in fact failed to reduce violence against women and may actually be harming marginalized communities. She is a strong supporter for alternative approaches that emphasize community-based solutions over punitive measures. Why VAWA still matters today While VAWA has had certain successes, the fight far away from over. According to RAINN, on average, there are 463,634 victims (age 12 or older) of rape and sexual assault each year in the United States, a number that does not account for other forms of gender-based violence. An average of 24 people per minute are victims of rape, physical violence or stalking by an intimate partner in the United States, more than 12 million women and men over the course of a single year. VAWA has undoubtedly moved the needle in advancing protections and services, but too many survivors still cannot access legal support, housing, justice and safety. In many cases, victims lack adequate legal representation, emergency shelter, and financial support, which forces them to remain in unsafe situations. Another challenge is the permanent threat to VAWA’s funding. Certain provisions in the law must be reauthorized from time to time, and political disputes over funding priorities have often held up vital services. Support organizations and women’s right campaigners continue to press for more significant financial commitments so that shelters, crisis centers, and legal assistance programs can keep doing their critical work. Concluding Remarks VAWA is more than a

Rapists: Often Familiar Faces and Rarely Strangers

Rapists: Often Familiar Faces and Rarely Strangers

The mask of the stranger lurking in the shadows has long dominated narratives of societal perception about rape. This image is portrayed in media, cautionary tales, and even professional safety campaigns. But how real is this? Research and statistics strongly support that rapists are usually not strangers, but individuals known to the victim survivor. My article explores the evidence, the reasons behind this reality, and the societal implications of this misunderstood truth. Breaking the Myth: Rapists Are Rarely Strangers RAINN, the largest nonprofit anti-sexual assault organisation in the USA, reports that 39% of sexual assaults in the United States are committed by acquaintances, and 33% by current or former intimate partners. The US based National Sexual Violence Resource Centre reports that more than half (51.1%) of female victims of rape reported being raped by an intimate partner and 40.8% by an acquaintance. These statistics provide evidence of one troubling fact: most rapists are people whom the victim knows and may even be very close to. This has also been evidenced globally: It has been estimated that over 90% of all rapes and sexual assaults involve victims who knew their attacker, according to a study conducted by Scottish University of Glasgow. These statistics further confute the traditional narrative of “stranger danger” and instead point to the proximity of danger within everyday relationships. This perpetuates the dangerous myth that rape is mainly a crime committed by strangers, providing people a false sense of security and promoting negative stereotypes. A well respected colleague of mine (a pain, stress, and trauma psychologist) once said to me: “By focusing on strangers, we don’t prepare individuals to deal with the actual risks, which come from people known to them.” Why Familiarity Increases Vulnerability The fact that most rapists are known to their victims provides an added layer of familiarity that supplies the rapist with victim specific information, trust, and access. Attackers who are within the social networks of the victim (through friendship, family, or intimate partnership), use proximity to their advantage in subtle, exploitative ways that might blur boundaries, lowering the victim’s defences. Perhaps one of the most harrowing examples of this dynamic is the case of Dominique Pelicot, highlighted in all news outlets around the world. A trusted family member, Pelicot used his position as trusted husband to become one of history’s most prolific sexual predators. This abuse often went undetected because of broad societal assumptions that family members or acquaintances are inherently safe. Familiarity also allows for psychological manipulation, often referred to as grooming. Grooming involves gaining the trust and dependence of the victim before exploitation. This is particularly common when there is a young or vulnerable victim. Perpetrators use subtle methods to desensitise their victims to inappropriate behaviour, making it more difficult for them to identify the abuse or report it. Victims often report feeling trapped or confused, unsure if what they are experiencing actually constitutes abuse. The Role of Misconceptions and Victim Blaming When the perpetrator is a familiar face, societal reactions can become more complicated. Victims often face additional layers of victim-blaming. Questions like “Why didn’t you leave?” or “How could you not see the signs?” shift the focus from the perpetrator’s actions to the victim’s perceived shortcomings. This kind of blame not only retraumatises victims but also creates an environment in which future survivors feel discouraged from seeking help. Moreover, the fear of destroying relationships or facing social repercussions keeps many victims silent. According to RAINN, two out of three sexual assaults go unreported, often due to fear of not being believed or fear of retaliation. When the rapist is a family member, intimate partner, or close acquaintance, the stakes are even higher. The emotional and social ties to the perpetrator can make the decision to report extraordinarily complex. This societal tendency to doubt the victim when the attacker is known to them not only discourages reporting but also perpetuates the cycle of abuse. Survivors have to navigate a justice system and a society that all too often protects the reputation of the perpetrator over the well-being of the victim. The stigma of such cases leaves victims in isolation, which worsens their trauma and makes recovery harder. Shifting the Narrative: Addressing and changing the misconceptions about sexual violence will better protect individuals and support survivors. Public education campaigns must work to erase the myth of “stranger danger” and build a reality-based understanding in its place. Understanding that most rapes involve perpetrators known to the victim will effectively inform people about the nature of the threat and may help them recognise warning signs. Educators at all levels, religious leaders, and media representatives all have a role to play in changing public perception about these crimes. Equally important is the support of victims. Support groups provide resources and safe spaces for survivors. These organisations not only provide support but also help educate communities about the dynamics of sexual violence. Legal frameworks also need to evolve to deal more effectively with the complexities of cases involving known perpetrators. For example, a number of jurisdictions are broadening their definitions of consent and grooming to include the power dynamics common in these cases. Law enforcement and judicial systems should make victim-centred approaches a priority to encourage reporting and aid recovery. Community-based initiatives can also provide support. Encouraging bystander intervention and increasing awareness about tactics used to groom can empower individuals to act when they suspect abuse. Programmes in schools, workplaces, and communities should place the onus on the offender rather than the victim. These programmes should emphasise the importance of trust and highlight red flags that might indicate grooming or predatory behaviour. By creating environments in which individuals feel empowered to act, society can begin to break the cycle of abuse. The fact that rapists are more often people known to victim survivors, their friends, work colleagues, neighbours, family members, and intimate partners, isn’t a comfortable truth to confront, but regrettably it is an evidence-based reality. Recognising this truth is crucial to empowering individuals,

What is Personal Safety?

what is personal safety for women

Answering the question, What is personal safety?, is undoubtedly worthwhile. Personal safety represents the ability and right to live without threat or fear of psychological, emotional, or physical harm perpetrated by others. It has emerged as a key feature of human security, with great ramifications for individuals and social cohesion in general. Generally speaking, personal safety is defined in broad terms as liberty from physical harm, threat of physical harm, and liberty from hostility, aggression, and harassment. It is often expressed that personal safety is a matter of common sense, but common sense is not always translated into common practice. The disparity between the two underlines the importance of education, awareness, and strategies that are actionable to protect oneself. It also shows the need for change within society, whereby communities as a whole learn to place safety as one of the shared values. Defining Personal Safety I personally very much like the research piece titled Personal Safety on University Campuses – Defining Personal Safety Using the Delphi Method,in which Joanna Waters, Richard Neale, Sue Hutson, and Kevin Mears of the University of Glamorgan defined personal safety as “an individual’s ability to go about their everyday life free from the threat or fear of psychological, emotional, or physical harm from others.” This definition underlines not just physical safety but also emotional and psychological security, an increasingly critical consideration in modern society. Similarly, the World Health Organization identifies safety as a determinant of health and well-being. According to them “…safety is not merely the absence of violence but the presence of conditions that promote security, trust, and freedom from fear.” These perspectives provide a comprehensive framework for understanding personal safety in today’s increasingly complex and interrelated and integrated world. The Role of Situational and Environmental Awareness Personal safety pertains to situational and environmental awareness: the art of being observant and aware of one’s particular situation and environment. It allows the individual to identify any potential danger, make sound judgements, and take necessary actions to minimise the risk. It is an attitude and a skill that develops and improves with practice and learning. Principles of personal safety are: Trust your instincts: If you think something feels ‘off’—if you feel uneasy or scared, rely on your instinctive gut response. They are too often your initial defence. As Gavin de Becker, author of The Gift of Fear: Survival Signals That Protect Us from Violence, astutely writes, “It’s always right in at least two ways: it’s in response to something, and it has your best interest at heart.” Developing a close relationship with your intuition is essential in making timely and protective decisions. Be Aware: Be aware of your surroundings and the people in them, while projecting confidence. Know your environment and travel plans, as this knowledge can prevent becoming a victim. Know where the nearest exits are, allowing you to leave the area quickly if needed. Something as simple as walking with a purpose or maintaining steady eye contact with others can show that you are ready and aware; this can deter a potential attacker. Avoid Unnecessary Risks: Minimise your exposure to potentially dangerous situations by making thoughtful choices. For instance, choose well-lit routes, avoid isolated areas, and keep trusted individuals informed of your whereabouts. Pay attention to environmental factors such as available exits, crowded spaces, or areas with limited visibility, as these can significantly influence your ability to respond to threats. While it is impossible to eliminate all risks to personal safety, taking proactive steps to mitigate them can greatly enhance your sense of security and preparedness. Acting Under Danger: In the case of a threatening situation, try escaping instead of fighting if possible. Fighting back any aggression with aggression usually makes it escalate further and increases the likelihood of injury. You must make your objective to safely get away as fast as possible in such situations. Advance preparation and practice of confident responses can facilitate clear and assured action under the pressure of immediacy. But in those situations where there is no escape and the threat is imminent and life-threatening, one has to make surefooted and resolute action. At that moment, I want you to summon all your strength and willpower to neutralise the threat. For one brief, critical moment, allow yourself to set aside your inhibitions and moral code and use whatever force necessary to survive and create an opportunity to safely escape. For a more profound understanding of what real self-defence involves, from the legal, ethical, and practical perspectives, I invite you to my book, NEVER A VICTIM. It provides in-depth insight and strategies to help you take control of your personal safety. Incident Reporting: It is reporting even minor incidents that is a key factor in the protection of others and develops a pattern of unsafe behaviour. By sharing experiences, communities, personal safety app developers, and support organisations can build up databases of information that enable better-informed responses to future risks. Addressing Specific Challenges Some people have special problems and dangers that require specific strategies for self-protection. Statistics from around the world indicate that a significant percentage of the population, especially women, have experienced rape or sexual assault, stalking, drink spiking, or domestic abuse in their lifetime. This grim reality calls for sensitive and effective measures to help individuals lead their lives with freedom and safety. Practical Approaches to Empowerment Risk Factor Education: Understanding the dynamics of harassment, abuse, and violence as potential threats educates the individual on how such risks manifest. That is a good starting point. Practical Safety Measures: Self-defence training, personal safety apps or alarms, and mobile applications are just a few tools and mechanisms available to help one stay connected to their trusted networks in times of distress. Technology can provide real-time support and peace of mind when used thoughtfully for you and your loved ones. Community Support: It is much more than the building of support networks to share experiences and strategies. Such networks, provided through face-to-face interaction, community campaigns, or online platforms, offer

Navigating Online Dating Safety: A Quick and Easy Guide

Online Dating Safety for Women

Navigating online dating safety can be a reak challenge for many of us. Dating has completely changed the rules of the game for women meeting and looking for a significant other. I can personally attest to this: nearly ten years ago, following my divorce, I faced the daunting challenge of navigating the new world of online dating apps, and learned to realise the risks it can impose for women in the same situation I was in. Fast forward a few of years, and I met my beautiful wife the old-fashioned way, while walking our dogs. (Yes, there is a long and beautiful story behind that, which I shall save for another time.) While online dating has undoubtedly opened possibilities for meaningful relationships, there are indeed dangers associated with it. For all its swipe-left-and-right ease, it requires a good deal of caution and consideration for safety. Ensuring your personal safety, first online and then offline, is important. This article outlines essential strategies to protect yourself and make informed decisions during your online dating journey, because where safety is concerned, there can be no compromise. Online Dating Platforms That Take Safety Seriously The first step to safe online dating is choosing the right platform. I encourage you to use reputable dating apps or websites that put user safety first through various systems such as: Strong Privacy Controls: The dating app or site should have strong privacy settings that allow you to control who sees your dating profile and personal details. Identity Confirmation: This could include photo verification, which significantly reduces the likelihood of encountering a fake profile, reverse image search to identify visually similar images from across the web, or checks using government-issued ID. The wisest idea is to use completely different photos for a dating profile. It’s not difficult to perform a reverse image search on Google. If your dating profile includes a photo that can also be found on your Instagram or Facebook account, it will be far easier for someone to locate you on social media. Secure Communication Tools: Utilise tools like Google Voice to keep your phone number private and avoid sharing personal information too soon. Google Voice is a free service that provides you with a secondary phone number. You can use this number to send and receive calls and texts, keeping your real number private. This adds an extra layer of security and helps maintain your privacy until you feel confident about sharing more personal information. Private Mode: Apps that have private modes enable you to browse dating profiles without the other party knowing. This provides extra privacy. Blocking and Reporting: The ability to block and report users is essential for maintaining a safe online environment. It empowers individuals to take immediate action against inappropriate, abusive, or threatening behaviour, ensuring that offenders can be removed or flagged for further review. It is advisable not to make your profile too personal. Avoid sharing your full name, address, or precise workplace (be a bit more vague), or any other details that could easily compromise your privacy. Instead, focus on general interests or hobbies to create an appealing yet safe account. Conducting a Background Check Before you ever agree to meet in person, do a little research to verify the person is who they say they are. A simple online search on social media can often reveal inconsistencies between what they have shared and what is online. Take the name they have provided, perhaps combined with the city they say they live in, and check on Facebook, Instagram, or even LinkedIn. Alternatively, do a Google search and see what you can find. Most of us have a digital footprint, whether we like it or not. In addition, a reverse image search can let you know if the profile photos are theirs or stolen from elsewhere. While it’s not ideal to draw conclusions solely from what you might find online, this step can help you decide if a potential red flag is present. If something doesn’t add up, proceed with caution, put additional safety measures in place before any in-person meeting, or cease communication altogether. Safety within Online Communications When communicating initially, stick to your boundaries and use the in-app messaging system. Don’t give out your phone number or email address unless you feel comfortable and you have learned to trust the person. Watch out for manipulative warning signs, such as delving too quickly into very personal details, or love-bombing, smothering you with affection or excessive compliments in an attempt to fast-track your trust. Also, if someone reacts negatively to you saying ‘no’, this in itself suggests motives that are less than positive, ranging from scams to unhealthy dynamics. Consider setting up a video call with your match before ever meeting them in person. It’s a great way to verify that they are who they claim to be on their profile. If a person strongly resists a video call, that’s suspicious behaviour. Meeting in a Public Place When you plan to meet anyone in person, do so in a busy public location with plenty of lighting. Let a friend or family member know where you are going, who you are meeting, and when you are meeting. By sharing as much information as possible (you could even take a pic of your acquaintance’s car registration plate and send it to our trusted contact), someone will know where to look for you should something happen. Location Sharing These days, with advances in technology, you can share your location in real time on WhatsApp, Find My Friends, or Google Maps. You can allow someone you trust to locate you during the date. This is simply a vital tool for online dating safety. Send an update when you arrive and leave the venue. This simple step keeps your loved ones informed and ensures someone can take action if needed. There are many personal safety apps worth considering. I’m unable to recommend a specific one, as most are tailored to function in certain countries

Trust Your Intuition: A Woman’s Greatest Ally for Personal Safety

Trust Your Intuition - Women's Safety

Your intuition is an incredible ally when it comes to your safety, a gift that’s always with you. But in a world that prioritises logic and reason over gut feelings, countless women have been taught to silence this inner voice. Tragically, this conditioning has left many vulnerable, sometimes with devastating consequences. How many times have you had that quiet little voice inside telling you to change your plan or question someone’s motives? That voice, that intuition, is no mystical entity; it’s your innate survival system, honed for your safety, helping you to prevet falling victim to rape and sexual assault, domestic abuse, or stalking. I feel the best way for me to start this important article is by exploring first what intuition is. The word intuition comes from the Latin verb intueri translated as consider or from the late middle English word intuit, which means to contemplate. Two great resources to help us further understand what intuition is are the distinguished online publication Psychology Today, as well as Dr. Lois Isenman, Resident Scholar at the Women’s Studies Research Centre of Brandeis University. Psychology Today identifies intuition as: “…a form of knowledge that appears in consciousness without obvious deliberation. It is not magical but rather a faculty in which hunches are generated by the unconscious mind rapidly sifting through experience and cumulative knowledge. Often referred to as gut feelings, intuition tends to arise holistically and quickly, without awareness of the underlying mental processing of information. Scientists have repeatedly demonstrated how information can register on the brain without conscious awareness and positively influence decision making and other behaviour.” Dr. Lois Isenman, Resident Scholar at the Women’s Studies Research Centre of Brandeis University mentions three distinctive levels of intuition in her book “Intuition: A Journey in and Out of Science”: “At one level, the content level, intuition refers to insights that pop into the mind without effort and reorient understanding in important, novel, and sometimes radical ways. At another level, the processing level, it refers to a specific way of integrating information that occurs below awareness and supports direct knowing or knowing without conscious thinking. At yet another level, the evaluative level, it refers to an unconscious mode of evaluation that allows us to judge whether our own or others’ ideas are true.” Neuroscientist and Psychologist Joel Pearson of the University of New South Wales, who has studied this subject for 25 years, also found a way of explain it extremely well: “It’s processing all the things in the environment: the time of day, how well it’s lit, how well it’s not lit, the pace someone’s walking, the shadows, the tone—and a hundred other things. It’s making a prediction based on prior learning, situations you’ve been in, movies you’ve watched, and everything you’ve experienced in life.” Belief in yourself and trust your intuition This article is committed to helping you believe in yourself and defend both yourself and those around you through the use of your intuition, sometimes even by countering social pressures and societal norms. Intuition may have a supernatural quality to it, but it is most certainly not some random delusion, it is in fact a cognitive process. You cannot possibly pay attention to all the information that you are processing, so your subconscious does that work for you. Your intuition is based on your subconscious observations, individual experiences you might have had in your life or on the processing of relevant information in your subconsciousness. Intuition helps you to subconsciously consider and contemplate information without you being aware of the underlying mental processing of the information, and you are doing that at an incomprehensive level of speed. Intuition is so much faster than the step-by-step thinking that we rely on. It is knowing without knowing why. Your intuition will usually discard the irrelevant and value the meaningful. Your intuition will also recognise warning signals you may not consciously recognise, helping you identify potential threats or dangerous situations before they escalate. However, please note that your personal safety can be directly compromised if you choose to dismiss your intuition. You offer no greater cooperation to a potential attacker than by subconsciously acknowledging certain information, feeling uneasy because of your intuition, but then deciding not to take any action to change the situation. Allow me to give you an example: A female lone worker, employed by an insurance company is entering a block of apartments. On her agenda today is a visit to a family on the seventh floor, to discuss the details of a new insurance policy with a young husband and father of two. The woman who is usually not easily afraid is waiting for an elevator, and when the door opens, she sees a man inside. Something tells her that something is not right, something just does not feel right. She has got that feeling in her gut. It may be the late hour, his size, his facial expression, him avoiding eye contact or the way he looks at her, the rate of attacks in the neighbourhood, an article she has recently read, or the type of training she has recently undergone in her company – it does not matter at all why. The critical point is, she is now starting to feel a little anxious. How does she respond to her intuition, that exceptionally helpful tool nature has given her? She suppresses it, telling herself: “I’m not going to live like this, I’m not going to insult this guy by letting the door close in his face, I’m not going to make a drama out of this, and I’m not going to be silly.” Which is sillier: listening to and trusting your intuition, prioritising your safety, and waiting for the next elevator, or getting into a soundproofed steel box with a stranger who made you feel anxious or uneasy just 10 seconds ago? Why do so many women ignore their intuition? Despite its power, intuition is often suppressed in women due to social conditioning that prioritises politeness and

How You Can Help End Violence Against Women

violence against women

Starting today, 2025, ask yourself this: When you come across the words Violence Against Women online, do you stop and take notice, feel interested in reading further about the subject, or simply scroll past? Have you ever wondered what you personally can do to help end violence against women? Many of us have become desensitised to the many harsh realities of today’s society. Senseless violence against women has dominated our social media feeds for far too long: news reports of yet another domestic homicide, widespread outrage over another femicide in the street, or campaigns pleading with the government for meaningful change. You probably know the statistics: in 2020, for instance, some 47,000 women and girls were killed by their intimate partners or other family members, according to the United Nations. That works out at a woman or girl being killed every 11 minutes by someone in her own family. Indeed, in a new report published in November 2024, they claimed a woman or girl is killed by a member of her own family every 10 minutes. Can you see beyond the numbers? For many women, these facts and figures are not revelations; they are simply painful reminders of what they have endured and the strength it took to survive. You know, violence against women is not inevitable. Women shouldn’t have to live their lives in tears at the brunt of male violence, constantly adjusting their routines to keep themselves safe, and wondering whether they can still trust the police and others who are supposed to protect them. Here’s how you personally can help end violence against women: Listen to survivors It takes a lot of strength for victim survivors to speak about their experiences. I urge everybody to approach these moments with trust, empathy, and genuine compassion. Most importantly, listen carefully. It’s not just about what someone says—it’s often about how they say it or even what remains unsaid. I also urge everybody to believe survivors. If we are not concerned by the multitude of reasons preventing so many victim survivors from coming out of the shadows, then we probably need to have a huge rethink about whether we even care about ending violence against women. One in four women will face domestic abuse in their lifetime, yet survivors’ experiences are too often dismissed, trivialised, or ignored. This failure to believe them directly endangers all women. Believing someone brave enough to share their story is a powerful act that acknowledges the depth of this crisis. Educate yourself Why was she so drunk, or why was she dressed that way, if she did not want attention?If he treated her so badly, why didn’t she leave him much earlier?Why did it take her so long to speak about the abuse? Most of us unconsciously harbour various myths and misconceptions about violence against women, which may spread a culture of normalised violence. Probably the best counter to such beliefs is educating ourselves on the issue, through paying closer attention to news, reading relevant books and conducting research, or listening to some of the great podcasts out there. Call out your friends I believe, this one is most relevant to us men. If you hear one of your friends crack a misogynistic joke that clearly indicates a toxic mindset, why not call them out on it? You don’t have to fall out about it; it can be as simple as saying, “Hey, really?” You might be surprised how effective a simple questioning of someone’s comment can be. Speak up There are many ways to speak out against violence against women, from having open conversations about the issue to sharing informative and impactful content on social media. If you discuss this subject with others and start to think someone you know is being abused, help them to realise that free and confidential support is available from several specialist support organisations in their area. Believe, support, and encourage them, offer unconditional help, and never ever judge them. Volunteer Our time has become more and more valuable, so all of us need and want to invest it wisely. If you wish to dedicate some of your time to helping, rest assured that whatever your skills or passions, there is always an opportunity to support one of the many great organisations out there. I know your support, in whatever form, will be deeply appreciated and can truly make a difference. Disengage from rape culture Rape culture, described by Rape Crisis England & Wales as a “society where sexual violence and abuse is normalise, played down, and laughed off,” pervades all parts of life. Rape culture thrives when it goes unchallenged; let’s oppose those people with highly patriarchal, toxic, and fundamentally wrong opinions and mindsets. Promote healthy relationships and better sex education It is obvious that prevention is by far the most effective way of ending violence against women and girls, and this must begin with better education surrounding sex and relationships (RSE). Many experts in this field from around the world are calling for schools and colleges to provide RSE from the age of 16 years, or even as early as 14 years. This level of education should also come from loving parents. Parents of boys should emphasise how a kind and respectful man conducts himself. Parents of girls, likewise, should highlight to their daughters what a loving and healthy relationship is all about and, importantly, what acts or behaviours by a male partner are inappropriate, alarming, or even dangerous. Fundraise You don’t need to break world records, run through deserts or the Arctic, or take part in a world-famous marathon. Nor do you need to raise millions of pounds, dollars, or euros. In many developed countries, raising just £50 can provide a woman and her child with a night’s stay in a refuge—a small act that can make a life-changing difference. Every contribution helps, and every contribution is deeply appreciated. Use social media wisely Social media is essentially a virtual cesspit full of misogynistic rubbish. While