Rocket Charities is honoured to support 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence, which seeks to address and combat domestic violence. In the UK, around 5% of adults experienced domestic abuse last year, and incidents of abuse disproportionately affect women and marginalised communities. By participating in 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence, you’ll make a meaningful contribution to raise awareness around domestic violence and the devastating impact it has in our local community and around the world.
In this post, we highlight the history and impact of the campaign, and share several ways you and your charity can get involved to make a difference. We also highlight several charities you can support during this time.
What is this campaign all about?
16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence is an annual, international campaign that takes place from 25 November, 2023 (the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women) to 12 December, 2023 (International Human Rights Day). According to Awareness Days, the campaign “emphasises the need for gender equality, the eradication of violence against women, and the protection of human rights.” The campaign started in 1991 following the Women’s Global Leadership Institute and has since grown into a global movement to organise individuals and organisations around the world around a shared goal of preventing violence against all people, and especially among women and girls.
Get Involved: How You Can Make a Difference
Over these 16 days—from late November through mid-December—we can come together to encourage advocacy and action around ending gender-based domestic violence and support survivors of abuse. Here’s just a few ways to participate:
Donate to domestic violence charities. Your donation helps fund critical support services for survivors of domestic abuse. It also contributes to organisations that are working to change policies and legislation toward greater gender equality.
Volunteer with local organisations working to eliminate domestic violence and support survivors. Find a local shelter and inquire about their needs, from staffing support to simply being a present and compassionate listener.
Attend campaign events and workshops. 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence is all about strength in numbers. Look for local or virtual events to get involved with, either as a participant or a volunteer.
Get active on social media with the following hashtags:
- #16Days
- #EndDomesticViolence
- #GenderEquality
- #SupportSurvivors
- #BreakTheSilence
- #HumanRights
Domestic abuse takes many forms, from physical or sexual abuse to economic or emotional abuse and controlling behaviour. Educate yourself and others about the reality of gender-based violence and what we can do about it. No matter how you participate, it’s important to understand the causes and consequences of domestic violence, including how to recognise and prevent it.
Show your Support to these UK Charities
During 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence, we hope you’ll consider learning more about and supporting these five UK charities:
- Women’s Aid is about to celebrate 50 years of working to end domestic abuse against women and children. The charity shapes and coordinates responses to domestic violence and keep survivors at the heart of everything it does. Women’s Aid educates supporters on how to understand and respond to domestic abuse and conducts research and shares evidence on key issues. Get involved today, from supporting the Women’s Aid’s manifesto for the 2024 election to finding a feminist freelancer.
- Refuge is the largest specialist domestic abuse organisation in the UK, providing services to thousands of survivors. The charity opened the first safe house for women and children in 1971 and now provides critical services, including housing assistance, legal help, financial support, and connections to government resources. Get involved today, from volunteering for Refuge’s helpline to purchasing fashionable and feel-good Refuge merchandise.
- Another long-standing charity, Solace Women’s Aid, has been supporting women and children for nearly 50 years to build safe and strong lives. Solace Women’s Aid offers frontline and prevention services, including safe spaces for women and children, and has touched the lives of more than 22,000 people. Get involved with fundraising, corporate partnerships, or volunteering. You can also “Sell to Donate” and sell your unwanted, gently used goods (from clothing to video games) on popular sites and donate the sale of your items to Solace.
- Southall Black Sisters highlights and challenges violence against women and girls and empowers them to gain control over their lives. The charity is led by and for Black and minority women and offers comprehensive safety plans, access to legal advice and voluntary services, and practical and emotional support such as peer and therapy work. Get involved with Southall Black Sisters through donations, exchanging ideas, or supporting the charity’s online shoppe.
- Lastly, ManKind is a leading specialist charity in the UK focused on male survivors of domestic abuse. The ManKind initiative offers a national helpline that takes more than 2,000 calls per year, supports organisations and practitioners who recognise and understand male survivors, and gives a voice to male survivors by engaging with government, media, and academia. Get involved with ManKind with bequests, donations, fundraising, or by joining the charity’s volunteer staff. Your charity or place of work might also consider sponsoring ManKind’s helpline.
We hope this post helps illuminate the issue of domestic and gender-based violence, locally and globally. During 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence, we can all come together to support survivors as well as the charities that provide critical support and services.
How else will you make a difference over these 16 days? We’d love to hear how your charity is working toward a future without gender-based violence. Please get in touch with our team anytime.