We WANT…women, children and young people to be safe
A special guest blog from CASWA’s Emma Fraser – Deputy Manager / Domestic Abuse Specialist
At the beginning of April, CASWA’s social media celebrated strong, inspirational women of today. Those who step up, speak out and work hard, often quietly, towards creating the history of tomorrow. Truth be told, there are many activists, striving to create a better, safer, more equal world for us all… We are not short of them in Caithness….and at CASWA we consider ourselves among them.
Our activism in Caithness is around safety. We want women, children and young people to be safe. The reality is that the world, often, isn’t a safe place for women and girls, nor are the communities we live in. Throughout the pandemic we heard phrases like “stay at home”, a request made with the assumption that home is a safe place for everyone. It isn’t. For women, children and young people who experience domestic abuse, home is not safe.
We don’t need to look far to know that women are not safe. Recent high profile press coverage of women being murdered at the hands of men provided a very stark wake up call to those less aware of how unsafe women really are. Women’s Aid, Rape Crisis and many other organisations operate across the country providing support to women, children and young people who have experienced violence and abuse towards them. We are all stretched – there is a great need for organisations like ours.
As a specialist domestic abuse organisation working across Caithness and Sutherland, our team are experienced, skilled, trained and knowledgeable. We work alongside women, children and young people who have experienced domestic abuse to help them understand their experiences, recover and move on. Some of the most important work that we do is listen, not judge and believe women, children and young people.
“Some of the most important work that we do is listen, not judge and believe women, children and young people. ”
Our work contributes to a whole host of work being undertaken across the country to deliver Equally Safe: the strategy to prevent and eradicate violence against women and girls in Scotland. Our remit extends beyond support - and this is where our main activism lies – in prevention, education and awareness raising. There is still some confusion around domestic abuse and what it actually is. Historically, it has been understood as physical abuse, but we now understand domestic abuse through a lens of power and control. While physical abuse may form part of an abuse cycle, it isn’t always physical. Domestic abuse is a pattern of coercive and controlling abusive behaviours (also known as coercive control) perpetrated by a partner or ex-partner. On 1st April 2019 a new domestic abuse law (Domestic Abuse (Scotland) Act 2018) came into place in Scotland criminalising this behaviour.
We hugely welcome and support the We WANT festival. As a feminist organisation, we advocate for women’s rights, children’s rights and gender equality and we are passionate about inclusion and progress. Historically, sometimes we have felt an isolated, lonely voice of feminism in the far North. We’ve worked tirelessly to bring important issues to the fore locally and strived to start conversations….these are happening now. Campaign work, social media, press coverage and increasing our visibility have played a huge role.
We WANT women, children and young people to be safe. To achieve this we NEED action.
What can WE, as a community, and YOU, as an individual, do?
First of all, rid ourselves of the belief that domestic abuse and violence against women happens “over there” in cities or in “the wrong area of town”. We need to rid ourselves of the belief that it happens to someone else or a certain type of person. Abuse and violence against women doesn’t discriminate - it can happen to any of us.
“Abuse and violence against women doesn’t discriminate - it can happen to any of us. ”
Secondly, become aware of and support the specialist organisations that are available locally on your doorstep. Have a look at our website, follow CASWA on social media, familiarise yourself with the work of RASASH. You might need the information one day or someone you know might. Our field is, sadly, full of stigma and we need support to end this.
Thirdly, examine how we speak. During my 12 years with the organisation, I have lost count of the number of times I have had to address victim-blaming. Questions like, “why doesn’t she just leave?” or “what was she wearing?” have become commonplace in our dialogue around violence against women and girls. Statements which shift the focus and blame towards the victim and fail to hold perpetrators to account are extremely harmful.
Fourthly, if you are a man – be an ally. Be mindful of the space and power you hold in society. Strive to make spaces safer for women.
We want the world to be a safe place for women, children and young people. We believe we can make steps towards this through awareness and education. This in itself is activism.
More information about CASWA:
Website: www.caswa.org.uk
We have active social media pages (Facebook and Instagram) and regularly post blogs on our own website. Some recent blog posts which continue the conversation around safety:
Violence Against Women - This Isn’t “Our” Problem, it’s (All of) Our Problem
Contact details:
CASWA can be contacted Monday to Friday, 9am-5pm, by phone 0345 408 0151 or e-mail info@caswa.org.uk
The Scottish Domestic Abuse & Forced Marriage Helpline is open 24/7 and can be reached by phone 0800 027 1234 and more information can be found here: www.sdafmh.org.uk