White Ribbon Day starts 16 days of action to prevent violence against women and girls
Our 34 Team UoP student sports clubs offer more than an environment to play, train and compete. We offer a place to make friends, a place to learn new skills and an overall sense of belonging with a lasting identity of Portsmouth for life.
Team UoP as a community is committed to developing a culture free of abuse, discrimination and harm, where everyone feels able to raise any concerns they have and challenge any concerns they see or hear. A big part of developing our community is delivering peer intervention and active bystander training so our club leaders have the skills to intervene effectively and safely to reduce harm.
Today we mark White Ribbon Day and the start of 16 days of action. White Ribbon UK works to prevent violence against women and girls, aiming to stop violence before it starts. This happens in many ways with a focus on enabling us to be changemakers.
Team UoP have worked in collaboration with Portsmouth City Council where the active bystander training that our club leaders have received has been part of a project to develop a city-wide strategy Violence Against Women and Girls Strategy (VAWG).
'Over the last 2 years, we’ve developed our Team UoP active bystandership to help our student club leaders feel safe to challenge harmful behaviours, with our Sports Development Coordinators Katie Jobe and Annie Couchman having trained 164 student club leaders in being active bystanders so far this academic year. It’s crucial that our Team UoP community are allies to each other; setting boundaries and empowering each other to recognise and challenge unacceptable behaviours. Today I made the pledge at Portsmouth Lord Mayor’s White Ribbon Day Flag Raising Ceremony on behalf of Sport and Recreation and our Team UoP clubs.’
- Zoe Monk, Sport and Recreation’s Senior Sports Welfare and Safeguarding Officer
Ask for Angela
As part of our ongoing efforts to enhance safety and wellbeing, we are excited to announce that the Ask for Angela initiative will soon be launched at Ravelin Sports Centre, in partnership with Sport England.
Ask for Angela provides a discreet way for individuals who feel unsafe or vulnerable to seek help. They can signal that they need assistance by approaching a staff member and using the code phrase ‘Angela’. A trained team member will then support and guide them through the situation.
This campaign is designed to promote safety and offer reassurance to anyone who may find themselves in an uncomfortable or concerning environment. Originally introduced in hospitality settings, the initiative is now being trialled in fitness and leisure spaces to explore its wider potential.
For more information about the campaign, visit Sport England’s website. We’ll update you on the official launch date and look forward to offering this important service soon.
Why is the White Ribbon Day Important?
whiteribbon.org.uk advocates for working together to prevent violence against women and girls. Starting with addressing the attitudes and behaviours that contribute to a fear of violence for women in their day-to-day lives.
This White Ribbon Day 2024, we’re encouraging holding ourselves accountable so we can effect positive behaviour change to transform harmful cultures. Gender equality is key to making this culture change happen. Gender equality is achievable if men and boys understand and assume their responsibility as allies. We can prevent violence against women and girls.
How can you support White Ribbon Day?
This White Ribbon Day, we need your help to engage your colleagues, friends, and family so that together we can prevent violence against women and girls.
Here are some ideas to get started:
- Register your pledge today www.whiteribbon.org.uk/promise
- Call out inappropriate language – use gender-neutral language yourself.
- Learn how to, and call out seemingly ‘harmless’ conversations, ‘jokes’ and behaviour.
- Make sure that you know how to signpost people to support services, when appropriate. You can find some suggestions below.
Get Support
- If you’re a member of our Team UoP sports clubs you can report concerns for Team UoP members here: https://port.formstack.com/forms/team_uop_working_together
- If you’re a UoP student you can report concerns here: https://reportandsupport.port.ac.uk/
- Stop Domestic Abuse provides support to victims of domestic abuse, those who recognise they are abusive in their relationship and want to change and support to children who witness domestic abuse. Website: https://stopdomesticabuse.uk/contact
- Up2U is a service for anyone who recognises that they use domestically abusive or unhealthy behaviours in their relationships. Contact the Up2U service through Stop Domestic Abuse at 03300 165 112 or email up2u@portsmouthcc.gov.uk.
- Portsmouth Abuse and Rape Counselling Service (PARCS) offers specialist counselling for all genders who have experienced domestic abuse. Email PARCS@Family-Action.org.uk or phone 0300 222 5735 during office hours.