White Ribbon is the UK’s leading charity engaging men and boys to end violence against women and girls.

Organisations interested in becoming White Ribbon Accredited must demonstrate a real commitment to ending men’s violence against women and girls by developing a three-year action plan, using a framework provided by White Ribbon.

The council’s three-year action plan includes:

• Committing to creating safe spaces for victims of domestic abuse
• Being a lead influencer in developing a response that tackles domestic abuse across the borough
• Engaging more men in senior positions of authority to consider the impact of violence against women and girls and the role they can play in addressing this
• Raising awareness of how victims of violence against women and girls are excluded from wider strategies
• Creating a safe working space for female employees and the people we deliver services to
• Influencing colleagues and partners to consider how violence against women and girls impacts inequality in the workplace and wider areas of life

In November and December, the council marked White Ribbon Day with #16DaysofAction to promote the importance of the campaign and how we should never use, excuse, or be silent about domestic violence.

Activity during the 16 days of action included delivering awareness sessions on healthy relationships across schools, academies in Warrington, including Priestley College where students created their own personal pledge cards.

Training was also delivered across the town, including Personal Relationship and Domestic Abuse (PRADA) champion training, Domestic Abuse, Stalking, Harassment and Honour Based Violence (DASH) workshops at Warrington Hospital, and relationships drop-in surgeries at Westy Children’s Centre.

The domestic abuse team also hosted a bake sale at 1 Time Square, which raised over £300 for local victims of domestic abuse victims and their children.

Cllr Maureen McLaughlin, cabinet member for public health and wellbeing, said: “Domestic abuse affects one in four women and one in six men, who at some stage in their lives will be impacted by it.

"Achieving White Ribbon Accreditation is therefore an encouraging step in our commitment to ending domestic abuse in Warrington.

“We look forward to building on our efforts to support and provide safe spaces for those experiencing domestic abuse, raise awareness around how domestic abuse affects our residents and educate and influence colleagues and partners to consider the impact of domestic abuse.”

To find out more about White Ribbon accreditation, visit: whiteribbon.org.uk.

For more information about the council’s domestic abuse service, visit: warrington.gov.uk/domesticabuse.