Merthyr Tydfil CBC with partners Safer Merthyr Tydfil is planning a Football Tournament as part of White Ribbon Day, 25 November 2014 that promotes men ending violence against women.
This event is a local response as part of a national campaign that aims to increase public awareness of White Ribbon Day and the local campaign that is encouraging men to make a stand against anyone being violent towards women. The local campaign has been kindly supported by ‘Ensinger Precision Engineering Ltd.’
From 5.30pm at Merthyr Tydfil Foot Ball Club, White Ribbon Day will be marked by a football tournament featuring adult and junior 5-a-side teams as well as a game featuring Merthyr Town 1st Team V a ‘Walking Team.’
The evening will also include performances from several choirs.
Cabinet Member for Social Services and Social Regeneration, Councillor Brent Carter said: “The Council, working in partnership with Safer Merthyr Tydfil, is keen to involve men and boys in prevention activities. The evidence show that by mobilising men, the ‘anti-violence against women and girls’ message increases in effectiveness and reach.
Beverly Owen, Housing & Community Safety Manager at Merthyr Tydfil CBC said: “The White Ribbon Day is very much about asking men to support the values of the campaign and the Football Tournament at Merthyr Tydfil Football ground is about raising awareness of this issue amongst men in Merthyr Tydfil. “The campaign acknowledges that men are also subject to violence in many different forms and that this is equally unacceptable. However, women are often subject to certain forms of violence disproportionately due to issues, such as inequality. Examples include sexual slavery, rape as a military strategy within warfare, female genital mutilation and domestic abuse. These issues can affect women both globally and locally.”
Leanne Webber, Domestic Abuse and Sexual Violence Strategy Coordinator for Merthyr Tydfil, based at Safer Merthyr Tydfil explained the significance of impact of Domestic Abuse within the County Borough: “The local statistics for Merthyr Tydfil in relation to violence against women are quite shocking: South Wales Police data demonstrates that between January and September 2013, almost a third (31.04%) of ‘violence with injury’ offences in Merthyr Tydfil were domestic violence. “During the period April 2013 to March 2014 there were 1451 domestic abuse referrals into the Teulu Multi Agency Centre.” “Since April 2011, over 75% of sexual offences in Merthyr Tydfil & Rhondda Cynon Taf have been classified as Serious Sexual Offences (SSOs) with victims being predominantly female. “We also know that only a very small number of serious sexual offences (including rape) are committed by strangers and that approximately 50% of SSO’s are either committed by partners/ex-partners or family members (including step relatives). “There has also been a notable increase in domestic abuse referrals to community safety partner agencies, which is encouraging as it suggests that there is a better understanding of this issue and that more people are making a stand against violence towards women.”
