Dear 40 Days for Life,

I write to you to appeal to your better judgment, to your Christian values and to your human kindness. I understand you are targeting St Mary’s Community Health Campus over the next 40 days as the location of a series of daily ‘vigils’ where you are praying to ‘transform individuals and communities’. I read on your website that through prayer you hope to bring the ‘beginning of the end of abortion in our city – and beyond.’

Let me be clear, I don’t have a problem with praying, or with your God, or with you having an opinion that’s different to mine. It’s clear you believe you are right, so arguing that you’re wrong seems pointless. We would only end up going in circles. On the issue of abortion, I think it’s fair to say that feminists and the religious right fundamentally disagree and that’s our right, isn’t it, as members of a democracy? So I’m not going to try to change your mind.

In fact, though it may seem strange to you, I suspect we actually have a lot in common – it’s often the case on both sides of a heavily contested argument. After all, both sides are used to having to defend our positions to others, although I must confess, I’ve never had quite your confidence to assert that my opinion is endorsed by God.

For example, as a feminist I’m used to being challenged. I’m used to hearing misinformation, stereotypes and false assumptions about my beliefs – and I’m sure you are too. I am used to having to defend my ideology on a regular, if not daily, basis and I spend large amounts of time fighting for my beliefs: in my case, the rights of women to live free from oppression, including the right to control our own bodies. I imagine your commitment and determination echo that of feminist activists like me.

I’m not here to change your mind on abortion. And I don’t need to, because the 1967 Abortion Act made abortion legal for women up to their 24^th week of pregnancy. Instead, what I’m asking is for you to consider the methods you’re using to fight that law.

Specifically, I’m asking you to take a step back from protests outside abortion providers like the clinic at St Mary’s Community Hospital in Portsmouth run by the British Pregnancy Advisory Service (BPAS). Like BPAS, I’m asking you to Back Off:* to pray in your own space, or indeed, any space other than outside an abortion provider.

I’m asking you to understand that just as it isn’t my right to tell you your beliefs are wrong, it is not your right to attempt to emotionally manipulate, intimidate or scare women on a day that is already difficult enough. And let’s be clear how many women we’re talking about here, because a third of women in the UK will have an abortion before they are 45 years old.

I’ve read your website, I’ve seen your campaign materials, and I know that you will already be preparing arguments about the rights of a foetus over-ruling the rights of women. You will tell me that the reason an abortion is difficult for a woman is because abortion is wrong. I understand that your religious beliefs support these views.

But beyond your beliefs is a reality that – after 20 years of working in the field of women’s rights – I know very well. The reality is that you and I have no idea why any of the women walking through the doors of an abortion provider came to that decision. And frankly, there is no human on the planet who has the right to know; it’s between that woman and her God, should she believe in one. It is not between a woman and a small number of self-appointed representatives of the Lord on Earth.

And I am delighted that the majority of the British public feel the same way. According to the British Social Attitudes Survey, public support for abortion on the grounds that a woman does not wish to have the child has increased from 60% to 70% since 2005. The percentage rises to 93% if the woman’s life is in danger (and remember what I said, nobody apart from her knows the reason a woman makes the choice to have an abortion).

Not only do most of the British public not agree with your interpretation of religion, neither do the majority of Catholics. Between 1985 and 2016, Catholic support for abortion if a women doesn’t want the child almost doubled from 33% to 61%. Even the Pope has had cause to reconsider the unrelenting, unforgiving attitudes historically held by the Catholic church towards the many women of faith who have made the difficult decision to walk through the same doors you now stand outside.

Protesting – for both of us – is our human right and a central pillar of our democracy. But it should not be used as a tool for causing suffering to those we disagree with. So, I’m asking you to think again.

Give these women the privacy they need on the one day they really need it. To do so is an act that demonstrates the compassion and respect most of us understand to be at the heart of Christianity.

Doing so won’t affect your right to protest one bit. You can hold signs, and pray and sing hymns away from the clinic of an abortion provider, you will still have your say. It will make no difference to your message, but it will make every difference to a woman in pain who wants – and needs – the privacy and respect that is due to her when exercising a legal right won 50 years ago.

So please, I’m asking you to change your tactic and exercise your legal right to protest by lobbying Parliament instead of intimidating women, there is a tip and clue here for you, this is the way my social movement won the rights you protest against today.

I hope you do, and if you do, look for me. I’ll be the woman standing with a horde of sisters and supporters carrying banners that bear messages the opposite of your own. We’ll meet and disagree on an even playing field of open debate and tolerance, rather than on the side-lines of another woman’s suffering.

I can’t wait to see you there.

Shonagh Dillon

CEO – Aurora New Dawn

 

Additional reporting by Sarah Cheverton – Editor in Chief Star & Crescent

*Aurora New Dawn are official supporters of the BPAS campaign you can sign up to support them here

The 25^th November is an important day to us in the sector. It marks the united nations international day for the elimination of violence against women. The UN explain why we need an international day:

“Violence against women and girls is a human rights violation, public health pandemic and serious obstacle to sustainable development. It imposes large-scale costs on families, communities and economies. The world cannot afford to pay this price.” — Ban Ki-moon, UN Secretary-General

Why This International Day?

• Violence against women is a human rights violation.

• Violence against women is a consequence of discrimination against women, in law and also in practice, and of persisting inequalities between men and women.

• Violence against women impacts on, and impedes, progress in many areas, including poverty eradication, combating HIV/AIDS, and peace and security.

• Violence against women and girls is not inevitable. Prevention is possible and essential.

• Violence against women continues to be a global pandemic. (UN – 2016)

 

The day is sometimes referred to as White Ribbon day and you can find out more about the history of the White Ribbon campaign on their website.

They state clearly that “White Ribbon Campaign UK is part of a global movement to put a stop to male violence against women and girls.

This is not and never has been a “women’s issue”. We address men directly – so they understand the scale of the problem, and become part of the solution, alongside women.” (White Ribbon UK, 2016)

We decided to ask the women and men on our team including our trustees one simple question “why do we still need an international day for the elimination of violence against women?”

Here is what they came up with:

• “Because we still need violence against women to end.”

 

• “Let’s face, we’re nowhere near the changes we’d like to see; every voice matters.”

 

• “The 25^th November is an opportunity to make our collective voices heard.”

 

• “This year, more so than ever, we call for adequate, sustainable funding to support women and girls affected by violence and abuse.”

 

• “This day holds a mirror up to perpetrators everywhere. Just as equally it holds policy makers and politicians to account. We will continue to need this day to shout for our daughters and our sons until violence and abuse stop being a symptom and a cause of gender inequality!”

 

• “Domestic violence isn’t gender neutral; the fact remains women are disproportionately suffering at the hands of violent men.”

 

• “I want to shout about Male violence against my Gender EVERYDAY, but if people all around the world are shouting about it on the 25th of November then our voices can galvanise to a clamorous throng!! END MALE VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN by shouting about it as loud as you can today!!”

 

• “Because the violence does not stop, despite help, support and media promotion women are still being abused, which is why there should be a day to end violence against women.”

• “The 25^th November may make just one woman aware that she is in an unhealthy relationship and that we care and that she matters.”

 

• “Until the governments of the world invest in the sector and place as much emphasis on the elimination of violence against women every day, we will need to keep shouting on the one day they do recognise it is a problem!”

 

•  “Without the 25^th November, it would be easy to forget (considering how most mainstream media treat VAWG) how big a concern violence against women is. There is so much misogyny smoothed into our every day life, in the Western world it is easy to pretend that we’re free.”

 

• “We need today to remind the world how we have suffered abuse for centuries. Our voices have been ignored for so long and our citizenship is equal to any man’s.”

 

•  “We still need to mark this day because, whilst we may have a greater awareness, and possibly a better understanding of the nature and extent of domestic abuse, not enough is being done to tackle the causes, especially in relation to prevention. We need to address the inequalities and ideologies that tolerate and condone abuse. It is far better to prevent and reduce abuse, than tirelessly responding to the casualties.”

 

Shonagh Dillon

CEO

Aurora New Dawn

Dear Editor,

I am writing in response to an article published in the Portsmouth News (Charity hits out at council’s domestic violence surgeries) concerning the councillor-led domestic abuse surgeries run by cross party members. It may be helpful to review how the critique of the domestic violence surgeries came about – a critique that came not only from Aurora New Dawn but from the UK’s End Violence Against Women Coalition, the UK’s largest coalition of individuals and organisations campaigning for an end to violence against women and girls, which includes Amnesty International, Fawcett Society, Rape Crisis, Refuge and Respect[1].

Following the announcement from councillors that they were planning to cut £180k from local domestic violence services, we began to ask questions of the Leader and other Conservative councillors about how they planned to maintain service provision for victims of domestic violence and their families in Portsmouth. Part of the reason we did this is because Aurora New Dawn aims to act as the voice of victims and survivors of domestic abuse, sexual violence and stalking in everything that we do – including in our service provision, in our partnerships with police and other services, and in our role as a critical friend to local authorities in the region.

We have received no response from Councillors detailing their plans on how to address the cuts.

Cllr New arranged a meeting with us, cancelled and has not rescheduled. We invited the Leader to discuss how we could help them come up with a sustainable strategic plan to protect victims. We invited all local councillors to come and see our services to gain a better understanding of what they do.

None of the councillors who voted to pass the cuts have responded.

As far as we are aware, and as far as they have publicly announced to date, councillors still have no long term strategic or sustainable plans to continue service provision for victims of domestic violence in Portsmouth. Unlike local authorities in Hampshire, Portsmouth City Council made no approach to local services prior to announcing the planned cut to domestic violence services in the city. In Hampshire, a working coalition of councils, the Police and Crime Commissioner and services are now working in partnership to protect service provision, while services in Portsmouth await the plans of Portsmouth councillors, beyond announcements of ‘exciting plans’ on social media.

On the 8^th December, Cllr New and other councillors spoke at the budget savings proposal meeting about the domestic violence surgeries they were running in the city. Cllr New appeared to be positioning the surgeries as a replacement for the services that he – as the Cabinet Member for Environment and Community Safety – was proposing to cut. At one point, he even referred to the surgeries as a service: Anything we can do to raise the awareness to victims of domestic abuse of the help and support possible, is surely the right thing to do…putting our hands in our pockets – and time – to run these services.[2]

It was in this context that Aurora New Dawn and the End Violence Against Women coalition decided to clarify what the surgeries are: for local residents, as well as victims and survivors. We made clear that whilst we applaud awareness-raising on the help available to local victims of domestic violence, we are concerned that the surgeries rely on the exact same service that the councillors are proposing to cut, making the surgeries themselves unsustainable in the long term.

It is particularly discouraging to see Cllr New launch a personal attack on the CEO of a local charity, rather than responding to the concerns of national and local services with decades of experience in protecting, safeguarding and supporting victims of domestic violence. It is baffling for Cllr New to describe me as ‘negative’. Currently the only ‘barrage of negativity’ appears to be coming from councillors as they consistently refuse to talk publicly about their long term plans to protect victims and survivors of domestic abuse, as they ignore the respondents to their own consultation, as well as the 46,000 signatures on a petition against cutting Portsmouth’s domestic violence services.

We would rather be campaigning in partnership with councillors than against them. Indeed, this is the way we work everywhere else in Hampshire and nationally: to alleviate the pressure of austerity on domestic abuse services before it starts, rather than frantically scrabbling to address it after councillors announce cuts.

Finally, Cllr Swan asked in the article: If the people who are complaining are trained, why don’t they help us…Why don’t they step forward and volunteer?

I am already a regular volunteer for the Portsmouth Domestic Abuse Helpline run by Aurora New Dawn that ensures 24-hour service provision to victims of domestic violence in Portsmouth. For example, I volunteered along with members of my team to provide 24 hour services for victims over Christmas and New Year, which as councillors will know from their recent training, is a time when incidence of domestic violence increases significantly

Of course, if Cllr Swan, Cllr New and the Leader had responded to our requests to meet, they might know this already.

So, once again, I would like to invite all councillors – across all parties – to meet with us at Aurora New Dawn to discuss how we can all work together to protect services for survivors of domestic abuse that are currently being threatened by the impact of austerity.

We continue to look forward to hearing from you.

Yours Faithfully,

Shonagh Dillon

CEO – Aurora New Dawn

[1] See full list of members here: http://www.endviolenceagainstwomen.org.uk/our-members

[2] See the Budget meeting video here, with Cllr New’s comments at 5:15.41: http://livestream.com/accounts/14063785/events/4438843

Aurora New Dawn CEO deputation to Portsmouth City Council – Full Budget Meeting 08/12/15

The council budget savings report proposes to cut the specialist in-house domestic abuse service, the Early Intervention Project, from 13 members of staff to 5.

Aurora New Dawn absolutely opposes these cuts, and here are just some of the reasons why:

• Portsmouth City Council has a public duty to protect the vulnerable. This duty extends not only to victims whose lives are devastated by domestic abuse every day, but also to thousands of children who deserve lives free of danger and fear.

• We believe the process by which these cuts were suggested is flawed, particularly in the failure of the Council to consult with the myriad of organisations whose services intersect with your own. This partnership working ensures that Portsmouth currently offers has 24/7 support to victims in the city.

• Aurora provides a DVA cars service out of hours that refers these victims to EIP. This and many projects like it have been endorsed by the Safer Portsmouth Partnership and the city council. It makes no sense not to consult with other service providers and it makes no sense to withdraw the service, which captures hundreds of victims that might not otherwise have accessed help.

• This brings me to the serious danger these cuts will create for victims. Since 2011, Portsmouth, to the envy of the rest of Hampshire, have not had a domestic murder, which is a testament to the investment of the council and the voluntary sector in this city, thus far. However, these cuts will mean that the vital work of murder prevention will not occur. I have worked in this sector for over 20 years and I can tell you that without these services victims will be killed.

• Of course, in a few years’ time, Councillors can change their minds, realise their mistake, reinvest the money. But you will not be able to restore a murdered mother to her children, a daughter to her parents, a friend to her community. These cuts are literally playing with people’s lives.

In closing I would like to bring your attention to the people protesting outside to these cuts. To the 42k signatures within a week opposing these cuts on a petition – recognise that the eyes of the country are on Portsmouth today.

I challenge councillors to ask their conscience how much opposition from their own constituents they need before they listen to them!

Dear Spotted Portsmouth,

I hadn’t come across your page until yesterday when a colleague introduced me to the ‘unique’ Spotted Portsmouth approach to celebrating our beautiful city. Ironically, as it happens we were travelling back to Portsmouth from a meeting on a national roll-out of training for Stalking Awareness and Cyber Crime at the time.

By now, every one of your page’s followers (and a few thousand more besides) are aware of your post a few days ago, subsequently removed, of a woman whose skirt had ridden up whilst she stood chatting on a night out. The photo, taken from the back, was clearly taken without her knowledge.

It would seem that the human approach – the polite tap on the shoulder and a quiet word to let her know what had happened – had passed one (some?) of your followers by. Instead, out came the smartphone, up went the photo, and so commenced the public shaming, bullying, and vilification of a woman who did nothing other than stand talking to people on a pavement, outside a bar, without realising that her dress wasn’t quite playing along.

What followed was a thread that quickly became a diatribe of sexist and degrading comments about her appearance and her choices, supplemented with the usual sexually violent name-calling: she was branded a “Slut”, and a “Slag”, for example. But this wasn’t a shock to you, because it’s your MO. In fact, you make quite the habit of posting these kinds of pictures on a regular basis – of women and of men, of those who look different, those who don’t fit in with the standards you feel people should be adhering to on any one particular day. You are, it would seem, the self-proclaimed lifestyle police.

Spotted Portsmouth’s Contribution to a Serious Problem

But back to this particular photo and the accompanying comments. In our line of work, this kind of culture is what we deal with on a daily basis. You cannot detach the nature of the comments made on this picture from the attitudes that contribute to the all-consuming emotional distress we see first-hand on a daily basis. When we talk with victims of rape – which we do daily – the first thing they always do is blame themselves. Why? Because society is blaming them too. 26% of people in our society still think a woman is partly or totally responsible for being raped if she was wearing sexy or revealing clothing and 30% of people think a woman is partly or totally responsible if she was drunk.^[1] We live in a society where women are constantly criticised – for their appearance, the way they dress, how much they have had to drink, and whether they fit into the narrowly-defined and constantly-changing societal view of ‘acceptable’. Your page, in the posting of this photo and in your general disregard for the wishes and feelings of others, supports and promotes these attitudes. And it’s not just women – anyone is fair game if your history is anything to go by.

Since this post has subsequently been removed, I might have assumed that you agreed with the danger of supporting such comments. Until, that was, up popped another photo – this time of someone else – and so the cycle of shame and bullying resumed. Pictures of people drunk and “embarrassing” themselves are offered up for ridicule by yourself and your supporters. Yesterday numerous comments were left under these posts that clearly justified the actions of ridiculing another for the purposes of entertainment. Your supporters are resolute: if you don’t want photos taken then don’t behave a certain way, don’t embarrass yourself in public, don’t wear this, and for God’s sake don’t drink that much, because if you do then we have the carte blanch to bully the hell out of you with absolutely no regard for the impact.

What is perhaps most alarming about these justifications is that we teach five-year-olds in school that bullying is wrong, that deriding someone because of their actions, appearance, or anything else and ganging up on them is nasty and will hurt their feelings or the feelings of others. Even young children ‘get’ this concept. It is unfortunate that you do not.

But wait, you are just the conduit for the information being shared on your page to 27+ thousand people, so it’s not your fault right? Wrong. At what point do you so completely lose touch with your own humanity that, when this kind of photo crosses your desk, your first thought is to press a button and offer it up to the keyboard warriors of the world for public ridicule? Next time you feel the urge to get out the phone, stop and think, how would you feel if this was your sister, mother, brother, daughter, son….or you?

There is a lot of information on your page being shared about the right to privacy, apparently you and your supporters are all well aware of the law, but it isn’t that simple. You can read more about harassment here. It only takes for the photo you post to be shared a few times (which yours regularly are) before we get into the muddy waters of harassment.

Despite your prolific posting about free speech yesterday, I found it interesting that anyone disagreeing with you or appealing to your better nature was deleted and blocked. Some may call that a bit of a dichotomy but I will leave you to wrestle with that one all on your own.

Where do we go from here?

So this is where I will attempt to appeal to your better nature because I live in hope that behind your page and your computer you do have one:

It is time to stop. If people are offended it is for good reason. Next time you are sent a photo for the purposes of public shaming please pause before you click the share button. You have no idea who the subject of the photo is, you have no idea who their family, kids and friends are. You have absolutely no idea about the state of their mental health. You do, however, have a responsibility to understand that the consequences of your actions may severely harm them. We only need to look at cases right up and down the country where people have taken their own lives after being the subject of cyber bullying.

It comes to something when a petition is started because of your actions.

In conclusion, it only remains for me to leave you with the song I have been listening to whilst typing. Remind you of anyone?

Yours Sincerely

Shonagh Dillon

CEO

Aurora New Dawn

UPDATE: We raised just over £7K for victims and survivors of domestic abuse, sexual violence and stalking. Aurora would like to extend our thanks to all who walked, donated and raised awareness on the night.

Victims of domestic abuse walk on hot coals every day in fear of aggression and violence from perpetrators. On November 28th 2014, Aurora New Dawn staff and supporters will be undertaking a challenge to walk on hot coals to raise money for victims and survivors of domestic abuse.

Shonagh Dillon, Chief Executive of Aurora New Dawn is taking the challenge along with several members of the team.

She said, “For the last 5 years, we’ve run the Reclaim the Night March in Portsmouth to raise awareness of violence against women in Portsmouth and the surrounding area. This year we wanted to do something different.

“We decided to undertake the Hot Coals challenge to highlight the daily experience of victims of domestic violence and their families, who walk on hot coals every day with the threat of violence to keep themselves safe and avoid harm.

“At the same time, we’ll be raising money for the White Ribbon campaign, which brings men and women together in the struggle to end violence against women.”

The campaign urges people to take the White Ribbon pledge “never to commit, condone, or remain silent about men’s violence against women in all its forms.”

You can sponsor Shonagh via Just Giving or share the link with your friends and spread the word.

To find out more about supporting White Ribbon and Aurora New Dawn, or about the Hot Coals challenge, email us at info@aurorand.org.uk

Joe Wells becomes an Aurora patron

We are delighted to welcome the fantastic, funny and fabulous Mr Joe Wells as our new patron. After working with Joe last year at the White Ribbon Comedy Night, we’ve been looking for a way to get him involved with Aurora New Dawn ever since – and now we have!

Although Joe never fails to make us laugh, he’s unquestionably serious about the issue of violence against women, with misogyny and discrimination frequently appearing as targets of his razor-sharp wit during his stand-up shows.

Who is Joe Wells?

Joe Wells is not only a brilliant stand-up comedian, but he is also a published writer and public speaker. Initially, Joe’s career began with the release of the book ‘Touch and Go Joe’, later he went to work delivering political stand-up comedy. In addition to stand-up, Joe Wells also hosts a podcast.

Joe Wells, achievements

• The Portsmouth Guide Award for Best Comedy 2014, 2017, 2018 – Winner
• Comedy Central Funniest Student 2010 – Winner
• New Act Of The Year (formerly Hackney Empire) 2011 – Finalist
• Leicester Mercury Comedian of the Year 2012 – Runner Up
• The Guide Award for Best Comedy 2011 – Shortlisted
• London New Comedy Awards 2010 – Finalist
• The Guide Award for Best Comedy 2009 – Shortlisted

Joe Well’s at work

Joe Wells and Amnesty International

In addition to supporting women’s rights, Joe Wells has worked with Amnesty International by appearing on Amnesty TV – Episode 8. Here he is, doing what he does best for Amnesty International, discussing the misrepresentation of the human rights act by tabloid newspapers and how this affected a Tory Party conference speech.

You can also check out the fabulous Mr Wells (though not in a library book kinda way) AND show solidarity for victims and survivors of violence and abuse at Brighton’s Stand-Up to End Violence Against Women in December.

Joe Wells Think Tank

In 2015, Joe worked on a project called ‘Think Tank’ which was a live show and podcast in which comedians had the opportunity to voice their opinions and express ideas to a panel of real-life politicians. This show was held in the square tower in Portsmouth.

What is Joe working on now?

These days, Joe Wells can be found doing stand-up tours of the UK. He performs in a variety of comedy clubs across the nation, regularly performing at the Edinburgh Fringe festival, The Top Secret Comedy Club in London and in his hometown of Portsmouth.

Reviews of Joe Wells

And here’s what everyone else is saying about Joe:

“Joe Wells is a skilled jokesmith who threads great gags through intelligent political material that, whilst razor-sharp, is never particularly angry or dark. As the first gross gags open up into smarter, topical ones it’s clear that this is a tightly-structured, well thought-out set. Excellent jokes and sly political comment wrapped tightly in a western union online neat parcel which delivers regular, powerful laughs from a delighted audience. He spins new life out of easy targets like bankers and the BNP with some wonderful imagery” British Comedy Guide.

“A star of the future… some of the most surprising and thought-provoking material coming from any comedian in his early 20s” The Guardian.

“A much-needed voice against hypocrisy as well as a wonderfully talented stand-up comedian, Joe Wells uses his comedy to burst a gigantic hole in the sides of homophobia, misogyny and racism while still managing to remain funny throughout” Portsmouth Evening News.

Next step…

Do you want to get in touch with us?

Click here to get in touch with Aurora

Want to donate to our cause? 💜

Click here to support us

Want to know more about us?

Click here to find out about us

It’s that time of year again, when hundreds of Portsmouth men, women and children are taking to the streets to end domestic and sexual violence as the city gears up for its 3^rd annual Reclaim the Night march on 23^rd November, which kicks off at 7pm at the Spinnaker Tower.

This year’s march is going to be loud and proud, so get ready to shout!

We’re also asking marchers to wear something white or purple to show your solidarity with victims and survivors.

Local drumming group, Batala, will be leading the march, which will end with a rally in the Guildhall Square featuring local musicians El Morgan and Steph Arburrow.

Reclaim the Night is a symbolic march that brings together women, men and children to enable women to reclaim public space in safety and raise awareness about the high levels of violence against women in the UK and across the world.

Aurora works with victims and survivors of domestic and sexual violence every day and we know the challenges they face just to come forward and seek help in the first place. Events like Reclaim the Night show on a local level that victims are not alone and there are people out there who can help.

It’s the one night a year in Portsmouth when women are guaranteed to be able to walk in safety through our streets.

Organisers say this year’s march is even more important due to funding cuts affecting local services.

In February 2011, the Safer Portsmouth Partnership launched a review of domestic abuse, stating it was “as a result of changes to funding regimes and service restructures forced by cuts to public service budgets”. In addition, local services for victims and survivors are reporting significant funding cuts, as well as increased competition for existing funding.

What can we do about this?

Well apart from getting your shout on at the march, Aurora are developing a report for all the services working with victim and survivors in the city. It will outline an alternative approach for Portsmouth to ensure the cuts – and the increased pressure on people in a recession – do not combine to turn the clock back for victims and survivors of violence and abuse, or for women more generally, in terms of combating discrimination and providing opportunity.

It’s never been more important to show our support as a city for victims and survivors of violence.

According to research commissioned by the Safer Portsmouth Partnership, domestic violence is the largest common motivator for violent crimes across Portsmouth, but only a low number of incidents currently result in a court case. In addition, levels of sexual violence in Portsmouth have risen since 2010/11.

Portsmouth has a great track record for supporting victim and survivors. Whilst it’s a very real challenge to the sector to make sure these vital services survive in the current economy, the reality is that we simply can’t allow the last ten years of progress to be reversed.

Our CEO, Shonagh says: “This year it’s even more important that local people take to the streets and Reclaim the Night – we need to shout out our support for victims and survivors and say a loud ‘No’ to perpetrators and the social attitudes and structures that help to create and protect them.”

Are you with us Pompey? We’re coming to take back the streets!

We’re delighted to see a high level of media interest in today’s licensing committee meeting to decide whether to impose a nil cap on Sexual Entertainment Venues in Portsmouth.

You can hear Chief Exec, Shonagh Dillon talking to Radio Solent about Aurora New Dawn’s decision to support the nil cap here – Shonagh Dillon on BBC Solent.

Due to the high level of misunderstanding on the implications of the nil cap during the Licensing Committee meeting, the city’s legal advisor intervened on several occasions to reiterate to councillors what the nil cap actually meant.

She explained that such a cap would, in effect, not constitute a ban of lap dancing clubs nor would it necessarily compel  local councillors from refusing planning or licensing permission to new or existing clubs. However, the nil cap introduces what is referred to as a ‘Rebuttable Presumption’, in effect a clear starting point for the local authority to state its position that lap-dancing clubs are not desirable for the city.

If the nil cap were accepted without amendment, the ‘Rebuttable Presumption’ would place responsibility with existing or new clubs to demonstrate their economic and social value to the city and local communities.

Members of the Licensing Committee reached a decision not to introduce the nil cap without amendment, voting by a clear majority to accept the amended Option 2.

This amendment now effectively exempts the 3 existing clubs in the city and 1 with planning permission for a 4th from being refused www.point-moneygram.com ‘renewal, variation or transfer’ of their existing licences, placing them beyond the jurisdiction of the nil cap adopted for applications from potential new clubs.

Responding to the Council’s decision, Shonagh Dillon stated:

“Aurora New Dawn and Portsmouth White Ribbon’s position is very clear on this matter: as long as SEV’s are in existence in communities, we are in a position where women’s bodies can be seen as a commodity to be bought and sold.

We would also respectfully state that whilst SEV’s are continuing to be licensed, Local Authorities will be working in direct contradiction to the Gender Equality Duty 2007 and the UN Treaty for Women. Our campaign will continue with other groups nationally including Object, The Fawcett Society and White Ribbon UK.”

Following recent news that television celebrity Justin Lee Collins has been found guilty of harassment causing fear of violence and sentenced to 140 hours of community work, Chief Executive Shonagh Dillon spoke to The Breeze about the case.

Listen here to Shonagh speaking on the The Breeze.