16 Days of Action Against Domestic Violence – St Just and Pendeen Update
For more details of this years full programme, as events finalise, go to: 16 Days of Activism Penzance or find the Campaign on Facebook or Instagram.
Work is gathering pace to ensure that St Just and Pendeen are taking part in this years programme, albeit in a small way.
Background
The 16 days campaign, launched by the Centre for Women’s Global Leadership, is an organising strategy for individuals and groups around the world to call for the elimination of all forms of gender-based violence against women. Running from 25th November to 10th December, the dates for the campaign were chosen to link violence against women and human rights.
Penzance Town Council has supported their community being involved for the last 4 years and this year, St Just Town Council are working with the organising group to help spread engagement across West Cornwall.
As I write, a long list of events are developing throughout the 16 Days and I can only highlight a few here. The annual launch is always a walk, vigil, performances of song and dance, on the evening of Monday 25 November. It is a powerful evening of mixed emotions as we remember and name those no longer here due to domestic homicide. With the support of Pendeen and St Just WI’s we want a St Just and Pendeen community contingent taking part meeting at Wherrytown car park at 5:15p.m, ready to set off about 5:30p.m. – look out for local folk to join up with. Speakers and performances will take place at a Penzance church from 6:15p.m., where the walk ends.
NB If you live in the St Just/ Pendeen areas and want to come along, give me a ring – 07745116049 – as parking will be limited so best we go in fewer cars.
Other highlights of the week are a Women in Politics session, where women contemplating whether they could stand for election chat with those who have taken that step and consider the issues and the importance of that “Ask her to stand” message. There will be creative and well-being sessions and fundraisers for West Cornwall Women’s Aid who do so much to help victims of abuse.
Bystander Training in St Just
This will be general training to help staff, volunteers, relatives, neighbours and friends to step in to constructively support and help victims of Domestic Abuse.
Please be sure to book yourself a place
Shoe Installation
St Just will host a powerful installation of 19 pairs of shoes, representing 19 women from Cornwall who can lo longer walk in them, as they were victims of Domestic Homicide in Cornwall since 2020. This will be in St Just Library, alongside information boards and these will transfer to St Just WI on 1 December for the session there (see next section).
Video of display and information at St Just Library
Fundraising
West Cornwall Women’s Aid does brilliant work to support victims of domestic abuse but they rely heavily on donations. So, we thought the 16 Days campaign was an ideal opportunity to help them and we hope you will give what you can.
Plans so far are to have a collection tin in St Just Library; Pendeen WI will hold a raffle for them and St Just WI will sell cakes and other refreshments at their Christmas Market on 1 December.
OR YOU CAN GIVE NOW USING THE INFORMATION BELOW
