A DEMONSTRATION to mark White Ribbon day was held at Wokingham Borough Council offices this evening, ahead of a meeting of its ruling executive.
Around 50 people gathered at Shute End from 6pm, to raise awareness of the campaign aimed at ending male violence against women.
It follows on from a council meeting last Thursday (November 18) in which Lib Dem councillor David Hare proposed that Wokingham should have White Ribbon accreditation. The motion was rejected by ruling Conservatives, who insisted that it duplicated work the council was already doing.
Cllr Laura Blumenthal, who is responsible for Equalities, argues that the Council’s work through its Equalities Strategy already covers plans for improved Council training for staff and councillors to help people experiencing harassment, abuse and discrimination.
And in a statement released earlier today, the council said it is “committed to a comprehensive response to domestic abuse that provides support for people who experience it and holds perpetrators to account” and had been working for “many months” on a strategy to tackle this.
Executive member for neighbourhood and communities Cllr Bill Soane said: “Following on from the domestic abuse draft strategy consultation in the summer, we want to celebrate the many agencies and individuals who have helped to increase our knowledge of what residents feel is needed to enable them to easily access information about domestic abuse and what ‘good’ support looks and feels like.
“With the upcoming launch of the council’s domestic abuse strategy, we are keen to build on this understanding and are urging local practitioners and residents to work with us, which will help shape our dynamic and ambitious three-year plan.”
However, protestors wanted the council to commit to obtining White Ribbon status as soon as possible.
Cllr Hare was present at the demonstration welcomed the large turnout.
“It’s great that people care,” he said. “Men have got to tell other men how wrong the violence against women is.”
He said he was disappointed with the Conservative stance at the council meeting last week.
“They say we’re doing things in the equalities strategy, but it’s so much more than equalities, it’s about personal safety for women. It’s about looking after and valuing women.
“If the Conservatives had just accepted the motion, and got on with joining White Ribbon, surely that would have been a way forward that was so much stronger than waiting until after Christmas. This is an issue that needs tackling now.
“Christmas is one of the worst times of year for this (abuse or violence) to happen.”
Cllr Hare felt that the cost to have White Ribbon accreditation was around £1,000, and would be “one person’s tax bill, that’s it. It’s nothing really.”
Louise Timlin is the Women’s Equality Party spokesperson for Wokingham, and was also present.
“It’s been fantastic to see so many people turn up,” she said. “I think we could tell from social media that there was a strength of feeling about this, people have been quite outspoken.
“I think people have found it difficult to understand why this would be an issue that has been drawn along party lines. Surely ending violence against women and girls is something that every party should stand behind and want to do the most that they can?”
She felt that the council had had an opportunity last week in stepping up and being a role model.
“We can all take a stand, and start to address some of the underlying causes and misogyny in society that causes it,” she said. “People tonight have turned up to really support that.
“I want the Council to take note and listen and work with people that are interested in this to see what we can do about it.”
She added that if the council wanted to take the issue to the equalities strategy, then she would be happy to talk with them about ways to take the issue forward.
“I’d like to know when that’s going to happen. I think everybody would,” she said.
Labour party activist Andy Croy said the turnout had been one of the largest he had seen.
“It showed the strength of feeling that people have about the need for men and boys to promise to never commit, excuse or remain silent about male violence towards women and girls.
“It is about time men took responsibility because the vast proportion of incidents of harassment occur from men, against women, and it needs to stop.”
Mr Croy was frustrated that the council meeting last week didn’t include a proper debate, saying he felt the Conservatives had refused to engage with the suggestion that Wokingham should have White Ribbon accreditation. He said their treatment of the motion had been “the most appallingly cynical act I’ve seen in the council”.
As a result, Wokingham Labour has launched a petition aimed at getting the motion debated at a future council meeting.
“We want people, especially male councillors, to stand up and say, ‘Yes, we commit to the White Ribbon pledge’.”
The demonstration’s organiser was Cllr Sarah Kerr, who said: “The reason it’s important is because men that assault, rape and kill women don’t just suddenly do it, they work up to it. It stems from the misogynistic culture that is deep rooted in our society. We need to change this.”
The White Ribbon campaign, she added, was not just a box ticking exercise, and the work involved would make the council better as a result.
“We want the council to do a U-turn,” she added.
Speaking at the start of the Executive meeting, council leader John Halsall addressed some of the concerns directly.
“We already have a cross party equalities forum to drive our strategy forward,” he said, adding that the council was developing an equalities forum, which would tackle, among other things, gender, race and disabilities.
“At council last Thursday, we were clear in our position. We fully support the principles and messages conveyed by the White Ribbon movement. We are pursuing what might be called White Ribbon Plus. We are committed to creating a community where everybody is safe… and a safe community for all.”
