Our #NOMORE campaign is to raise awareness, start conversations, influence change, and offer talks and emotional support to women, girls and parents on the following topics:
- Rape / Sexual Abuse / Consent
- Healthy Relationships
- Online Bullying
- Safe dating online & on dates
- County Lines Exploitation
- Modern Slavery
Motherwell Cheshire recognised the campaign was needed as we noticed that Crewe suffers from levels of high deprivation which in turn leads to the easy exploitation of women, especially young girls. Many girls we see mistake harassment as attention and don’t realise they’re in an unhealthy relationship until it’s too late to leave.
Since 2019, over 60% of the women Motherwell has worked with described suffering from low self-esteem and over a quarter admitted to experiencing emotional abuse.
Testimonials described feelings of worthlessness, with one woman who’d been groped by her manager when she was 17 said: “I hid it from everyone because I was ashamed and feared they would blame me and think I was seeking attention.”
Another who was sexually assaulted when she was 14 said she was made to feel it was her fault when she reported it to the police and they questioned her choice of clothing.
We want to help these women understand personal boundaries and that they have a right to say when they feel uncomfortable. We teach them to recognise red flags and signpost them to where they can reach out for support.
OUR AIMS FOR OUR CAMPAIGN..
- Educate parents on the signs on the above topics by using workshops and a directory of available support.
- Provide talks and awareness sessions in schools and online to young women.
- Raise awareness of the issues surrounding each topic on our social media platforms.
- Develop a toolkit with topics for discussion and educational exercises that can be delivered in schools.
#NOMORE Toolkit
Below you will find our toolkit that has been specially designed by the Motherwell Cheshire team.
We have made the toolkit as user-friendly as possible and it is here to give you quick and easy downloadable resources. Each section is bespoke to young people, parents, and schools, providing unique support and guidance.
#CONSENT #RAPE #SEXUALABUSE
All rape and sexual assault is serious. The terms rape and ‘sexual assault’ are used simply to differentiate between two types of offence.
Rape and Sexual Abuse
The legal definition of rape is when a person intentionally penetrates another’s vagina, anus or mouth with a penis, without the other person’s consent. Assault by penetration is when a person penetrates another person’s vagina or anus with any part of the body other than a penis, or by using an object, without the person’s consent.
The overall definition of sexual or indecent assault is an act of physical, psychological and emotional violation in the form of a sexual act, inflicted on someone without their consent. It can involve forcing or manipulating someone to witness or participate in any sexual acts.
Not all cases of sexual assault involve violence, cause physical injury or leave visible marks. Sexual assault can cause severe distress, emotional harm and injuries which can’t be seen – all of which can take a long time to recover from. This is why we use the term ‘assault’, and treat reports just as seriously as those of violent, physical attacks.
Consent
What separates sex, or a gesture of affection, from sexual assault? It’s a matter of consent. That is, both people agreeing to what’s happening by choice, and having the freedom and ability to make that choice.
ONE IN FIVE WOMEN HAS BEEN THE VICTIM OF STALKING SINCE THE AGE OF 16. THIS IS TWICE THE NUMBER OF MALE VICTIMS
IN THE YEAR ENDING MARCH 2020 THERE WERE 773,000 ADULT VICTIMS OF SEXUAL ASSAULT (INCLUDING ATTEMPTS) WITH ALMOST FOUR TIMES AS MANY FEMALE VICTIMS (618,000) AS MALE VICTIMS (155,000).
IN THE YEAR ENDING MARCH 2020, 1.6 MILLION WOMEN EXPERIENCED DOMESTIC ABUSE
#Healthyrelationships
You know when you’re in a healthy relationship because you feel happy to see and spend time with certain people.
They could be members of your family, your friends, your workmates, or even a romantic partner.
No relationship is ever perfect and you’ll definitely have moments when minor disagreements will rise to the surface causing frustration with others.
This is all part of managing our relationships with people around us.
There are many factors that contribute to the development and maintenance of healthy relationships including:
· commitment
· trust
· respect
· responsibility
According to recent divorce statistics, 42% of marriages in England and Wales end in divorce. 102,007 couples divorced in 2017.
Most couples date for two or more years before getting engaged, with many dating anywhere from two to five years. Once the question is popped, the average length of engagement is between 12 and 18 months.
Despite the fact that the rate of marriage is declining faster than rates of divorce, experts predict that somewhere between 40 and 50% of all marriages existing today will ultimately end in divorce.
#Modernslavery
Modern slavery is a serious crime being committed across the UK in which victims are exploited for someone else’s gain. It can take many forms including trafficking of people, forced labour and servitude.
Modern slavery is defined as the recruitment, movement, harbouring or receiving of children, women or men through the use of force, coercion, abuse of vulnerability, deception or other means for the purpose of exploitation.
- Sex Trafficking.
- Child Sex Trafficking.
- Forced Labor.
- Bonded Labor or Debt Bondage.
- Domestic Servitude.
- Forced Child Labor.
An estimated 40.3 million people worldwide were in modern slavery.
70% of these are women and girls.
This equates to 5.4 victims of modern slavery for every 1,000 people in the world.
#Countylines
County Lines is the practice of trafficking drugs into rural areas and smaller towns, away from major cities. Traffickers recruit vulnerable children, as drug dealers.
Some young people are recruited via “debt bondage”, whereby they enter county lines to pay off drug debts. Others take part through choice due to lack of knowledge, misinformation, boredom, and a lack of legitimate opportunity in marginalized communities.
The term “county lines” refers to the phone numbers, or lines, dedicated to this activity. The practice is also known by those involved as “going country” or “going OT” (“outta town”).
County Lines has contributed to: 807% increase in children referred for support by councils.
Research undertaken by the Mayor of London’s office in 2020 estimated that between January 2018 and April 2019, 4,013 young Londoners were involved with County Lines. The largest group were teenagers aged between 15 and 19 (46 per cent), followed by 20 to 25-year-olds (29 per cent) (Busby, 2019).
Data held by the police also indicates that knife violence is endemic in County Lines drug dealing. The vast majority (85%) of police forces report the use of knives, and three-quarters (74%) report the use of firearms. Nick Davison, assistant chief constable of Norfolk Constabulary, speaks of “ultra-violence” where younger recruits maintain status by executing acts of “increasingly outrageous savagery”. “Beatings turn to stabbings in the buttock, then the chest, the face. If you don’t, you become vulnerable to becoming a victim of that behavior.” Townsend, 2019
#Exploitation
Exploitation involves being groomed, forced or coerced into doing something that you don’t want to do for someone else’s gain.
It is a complex and hidden issue. People who are being exploited can find themselves in situations where they experience abuse and violence, and may be forced to take part in criminal activities.
Exploitation can happen anywhere, increasing numbers of vulnerable children and adults are being identified as victims. It takes place in urban and rural areas and affects people of all ages, genders and ethnicities.
Avoid those who seek friends in order to maintain a certain social status or to open doors they would not otherwise be able to approach.
Paulo Coelho
In war, the strong make slaves of the weak, and in peace the rich make slaves of the poor.
Oscar Wilde
Those without heritage, history, and place are subject to exploitation, manipulation, and deception.
Wayne Gerard Trotman
Please see below for additional handouts and support..
Ask for Angela..
If you want us to provide you these posters, please get in touch by either calling the office on
01606 557666 or email marketing@motherwellcheshirecio.com.
Come join the conversation over on Facebook..
We are continually sharing information and lived experiences over on our social media pages.
Come and join the conversation and help raise awareness.