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

Aurora New Dawn was proud to be among a group of 7 deputations made to Portsmouth City Council concerning the relocation of lap-dancing club Elegance to a property on Albert Road.

The Council’s Planning Committee voted unanimously to reject the application from local lap-dancing club owner, Paul Ojla.

We have a number of reasons why we object to the application.

First and foremost, Aurora New Dawn supports the women’s bodies are not a commodity to be bought and sold, acknowledging the United Nations’ Convention to Eliminate Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW), which calls on the government to reduce the objectification of women to advance gender equality.

This requirement was highlighted by remarks from the UN Special Rapporteur earlier this year, who said there was “a more visible presence of sexist portrayals of women and girls” and a “marketisation of women’s and girls’ bodies” in the UK, which was more pervasive than elsewhere.

The Gender Equality Duty (2007) places a legal obligation on Portsmouth City Council to ensure that their decisions do not have a negative impact on women’s equality and require the Council to actively promote gender equality and to work towards countering gender stereotypes.

Lap-dancing is an industry staffed almost exclusively by women for male clientele, so the Council’s policy on lap-dancing falls under the Duty. Recognition of the gendered nature of the industry played a role in the campaign for the Council to introduce an SEV Policy for the city, which was passed in 2012.

The SEV Policy commits the Council to a ‘Nil Cap’ on any further lap-dancing clubs in the city. While Elegance has a license for its premises in Granada Road, as SEV licenses are non-transferable, re-locating the club would trigger the Council’s nil cap policy.

The proposed site is immediately adjacent to the Wedgewood Rooms, a nationally well known and popular performance venue attracting large numbers of young people, including under 16s, making it wholly inappropriate as a location for a sexual entertainment venue (SEV).

Although the decision was made unanimously and supported by a local campaign led by councillors, Mr Ojla is entitled to appeal the decision.

Speaking about the appeal, Shonagh Dillon, Chief Executive of Aurora New Dawn, “We’re delighted that the local campaign against the move has been so successful.

“If Mr Ojla decides to appeal, we look forward to campaigning again to uphold the decision, and ensuring that Portsmouth City Council keeps its own SEV licensing policy, approved in 2012.”

Aurora was an active partner in the campaign to introduce the SEV policy, alongside the Solent Feminist Network and local residents.