VAIWG
Violence, Abuse and Intimidation against Women and Girls (VAIWG) is not acceptable in any form and will not be tolerated within the Colmore Business District. Every business venue and public space should be a ‘safe space’ and we want women and girls to feel empowered and confident to ‘stand up and speak out’ about any harmful behaviours.
We know many women and girls do not feel safe in public spaces, particularly at night. Sadly, we also know a large proportion of women and girls have experienced unwanted sexual behaviour from mainly male perpetrators. The ‘lived experience’ of women and girls must be heard, taken seriously and acted upon with dignity and respect.
Colmore BID is fully committed to creating safer environments. We will work in partnership (statutory and non-statutory) to ensure our businesses, our publicly accessible spaces and public transport hubs look and feel safer for everyone using them, but particularly women and girls. Our commitment extends to creating the Colmore Women’s Safety Forum, a dedicated space to discuss gender-specific issues, personal safety concerns and provide tools and resources to support businesses.
Resources
Public Space Stranger Harassment
A report from gender-equality social enterprise into incidences of stranger harassment in public spaces.
Project Empower
The Project Empower campaign encourages the reporting of unwanted sexual behaviour on public transport.
West Midlands Violence Reduction
The West Midlands Violence Reduction Unit works with a range of institutions to reduce violence against women.
Hollie Gazzard Trust
The Hollie Gazzard Trust aims to positively change the lives of young people through community partnerships.
White Ribbon
White Ribbon is the UK’s leading charity engaging men and boys to end violence against women and girls
The Enough Campaign
The Enough Campaign challenges the abuse of women and girls by encouraging the public to take action against it.