Wearing an orange ribbon during the 16 day campaign, which is now underway, is an easy way for people to show their support for the city’s continuing drive to end domestic abuse, female genital mutilation, forced marriage, ‘honour-based’ violence, sexual violence, and stalking and harassment.
At the same time, they will be highlighting the fact that there is help and support available to victims, from both local and national organisations.
People have been busy creating the ribbons over the last few weeks, with ribbon-making sessions held across the city.
Sincere thanks go to all the groups and individuals involved include the Elias Mattu Foundation, Positive Participation, Gloucester Street Community Centre’s Senior Group, Saheli Women’s Group, Aspiring Futures CIC, Gujerati Elderly Women’s Group, Hope Community Project, Dorcas, Black Country Women’s Aid, Changing Lives, students at the City of Wolverhampton College and University of Wolverhampton, The Mayor Of Wolverhampton Councillor Sandra Samuels OBE and staff at the City of Wolverhampton Council.
Councillor Jasbir Jaspal, the City of Wolverhampton Council's Cabinet Member for Public Health and Wellbeing, said: "Wearing an orange ribbon is a great way for us to all say ‘no’ to interpersonal violence and help raise awareness of the help and support available to victims and survivors in Wolverhampton.
"And it's just one way you can get involved with this year's Orange Wolverhampton campaign. We've already had a flag raising ceremony and awareness raising walk as well as a two-day pop-up stand at the Mander Centre, and individuals and organisations are sharing key messages from the campaign with others and holding a range of activities for people to join in with."
The Orange Wolverhampton campaign runs from Friday 25 November, the United Nations International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, until 10 December, UN Human Rights Day, and supports the UN Orange the World campaign to end violence against women and girls.
Shoppers were able to find out more at the Orange Wolverhampton pop-up stand at the Mander Centre on Monday and Tuesday (28 and 29 November), while the Sisterhood of Women and Interfaith Wolverhampton held an awareness raising event in the Mayoral Suite at the Civic Centre on Monday. There will be a further information stand on the ground floor of the Civic Centre on Monday (5 December) from 9am to 4.30pm.
St George's Hub is holding an Orange Coffee Morning at Central Library today (Thursday) from 11am, as well as an online workshop for male victims of domestic abuse yesterday next Thursday, 8 December.
A programme of Lunch & Learn sessions are being delivered by a number of local organisations on a range of topics, and people taking part in the weekly Saturday morning Wolverhampton Parkruns at West Park and East Park have also shown their support. Full details of all events can be found at OrangeWolves.
This year's campaign will come to an end with the lowering of the Orange flag, on St Peter’s Square outside the Civic Centre, on Saturday 10 December at 4.30pm. There will be a minute’s silence in memory of all the lives lost to, or affected by, all the crimes associated with violence against women and girls, whilst also remembering that boys and men, people in same sex couples and transgender people are also affected by these crimes. The silence will be followed by a shared pledge to continue to work together to end such violence and to continue to offer support to survivors.
The Orange Wolverhampton campaign is coordinated by Wolverhampton Safeguarding Together, the Safer Wolverhampton Partnership, Wolverhampton Voluntary and Community Action, and the council.
For more information and to sign up to this year’s campaign, please visit the Orange Wolverhampton website at OrangeWolves.
Anyone suffering from or affected by domestic violence, female genital mutilation, forced marriage, so-called ‘honour-based’ violence, sexual violence, or stalking and harassment (or knows someone who is) should call the relevant helpline:
- The Haven Wolverhampton 24-hour helpline for women - 08000 194400
- Haven Counselling helpline - 08000 308 345 (Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday 9am to 2pm)
- Haven online Live Chat (Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm)
- St George’s Hub support for male victims - 01902 421904
- Karma Nirvana helpline for victims of so-called ‘honour-based’ violence and forced marriage - 0800 5999 247
- Wolverhampton Adult Social Care - 01902 551199
- Wolverhampton Children's Social Care - 01902 555392
- West Midlands Forced Marriage and Honour-Based Violence Helpline - 0800 953 9777
- National Domestic Violence helpline for women - 0808 2000 247
- National Domestic Violence helpline for men - 0808 8010327
- NSPCC Female Genital Mutilation helpline - 0800 028 3550
- In an emergency, always call police on 999
For more information about the work of Wolverhampton Safeguarding Together, please visit Wolverhampton Safeguarding.
