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White Ribbon Day takes place each year to prevent violence against women and girls by addressing the root causes of men’s violence against females, such as harmful attitudes, behaviours and negative expressions of masculinity. This year it falls on 25 November and, since its inception 35 years ago in Canada, the White Ribbon has become an important symbol in the fight to end gender-based violence.
North Wales Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) Andy Dunbobbin is a White Ribbon Ambassador and recently visited a staff training project called ’12 Dialogues’, delivered by Men At Work CIC, to learn more about their work and to mark the White Ribbon Day. Sessions are taking place at various locations across North Wales and Mr. Dunbobbin visited them at their one at the OpTIC Technology Centre in St. Asaph. The project trains professionals who work with boys and young men to counter gender-based violence by opening dialogues with the boys and young men about masculinity, what it means to be a man, and how that affects the women in their lives. The training is aimed at those working with young men and boys from across education, youth justice, youth services, probation, and the Police. Participants learn the tools needed to open difficult conversations around thinking and behaviours that can lead to violence and abuse.
Men at Work’s ’12 Dialogues’ training received funding as part of the North Wales Serious Violence Response Strategy. The aim of this key new strategy is to work with communities to prevent and reduce serious violence across the region. It focuses on bringing partners, including the police, local authorities, fire, and rescue services, and specified health and criminal justice agencies together to tackle serious violence and its root causes. The PCC and his office act as the convenor for these various stakeholders and has supported the initiative.
Andy Dunbobbin, Police and Crime Commissioner for North Wales said: “I am proud to be a White Ribbon Ambassador and, throughout my time as PCC, I have steadfastly stood against gender-based violence and firmly in favour of justice for victims. But an important part of preventing violence against women and girls in the first place is by working with potential perpetrators, mainly men and boys, before violence happens. That is why the ’12 Dialogues’ training project is so important. It was a pleasure to see the Men at Work team in action and learn about the methods they use to teach people how to engage in the conversations and engagement that will hopefully help to end gender-based violence.
“Serious violence has a profound impact on individuals and communities across North Wales. During 2022-23 over 30,000 offences of violence against the person were recorded by the police across the region. While this was a welcome decrease from the year before – and shows the hard work of North Wales Police and partners in the community – I am determined to see this figure drop even further.”
Michael Conroy, Founder and Director, Men At Work CIC, commented: “The multiple training dates across North Wales have been a pleasure to facilitate. Diverse professionals have come together, generously sharing their experience and having some frank and creative conversations about the challenges around engaging boys and young men in constructive ways. I am struck by the commitment and sense of purpose in making positive change.”
The key priorities of the North Wales Serious Violence Response Strategy are:
- Supporting and enhancing prevention and early intervention around violence against women and girls, domestic abuse, and sexual violence (VAWDASV).
- Promoting contextual safeguarding to work with children and young people vulnerable to exploitation and/or modern slavery.
- Identifying and implementing improvements, best practices, and innovation as a partnership to respond to serious violence.
- Building a preventative approach in North Wales, through an understanding of risk, adverse childhood experiences, and trauma.
To learn more about the strategy and its purpose, visit: www.northwales-pcc.gov.uk/serious-violence-duty