Guest blog for 16 days of activism against VAWG - Cllr Graham Morgan

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Cllr Graham Morgan seated

As part of the UN's 16 days of activism against Violence against Women and Girls, the PCC is showcasing the work being undertaken across Merseyside to prevent gender-based violence.

Today, the Leader of Knowsley Council, Cllr Graham Morgan, writes about the work being undertaken by his local authority to tackle VAWG: 

"The UN’s 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence provides organisations the opportunity to shine a light on a really important issue. Something that impacts millions of people and disproportionality affects women and girls, all around the world.
However, the stark reality is that gender-based violence is not an issue that only occurs for only 16 days during November and December, it is an issue that is impacting lives 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
A recent report from Merseyside Police found 71% of women living on Merseyside live in fear of sexual assault. In Knowsley, our in-house specialist Domestic Abuse Service received 1467 new referrals and provided support to 1403 residents during 2023/2024. These numbers are rising year on year.
Make no mistake, these figures paint a very bleak picture and alongside our partners we are committed to tackling domestic abuse and violence against women and girls.
Tackling Domestic Abuse in Knowsley
Knowsley Council has its own domestic abuse support services that residents can access for support. Our advocates are trained professionals who have a breadth of knowledge and deep understanding of the needs of victims and survivors of abuse.
The in-house domestic abuse service provides advocacy support to victim/survivors assessed as low or medium risk of domestic abuse. Advocates will provide a needs led intervention following a disclosure to professionals or following a call to the Police.
In addition, the service delivers group work interventions to support the recovery journey. It is also recognised that children are victims of domestic abuse and Knowsley Council provides interventions for children.
Knowsley Councils Domestic Abuse priorities also identify that we must hold domestic abuse perpetrators to account. The Council offers a domestic abuse behaviour change intervention to those who are perpetrating unacceptable behaviour.
Supported by the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner, Knowsley Council also provides funding for high-risk victim/survivors of domestic abuse via The First Step, an independent domestic abuse charity. The First Step offers free emotional and practical support for Knowsley residents. This includes immediate crisis interventions to those experiencing domestic abuse, and specialised support to those who are experiencing trauma following historic experiences of abuse.
Each person’s experience of domestic abuse is different, and circumstances vary. We believe having both in-house and independent domestic abuse support services gives our residents the opportunity to choose how they access support based on their need.
This year, Knowsley Council facilitated the first multi-agency Victim/Survivor Forum. The forum brings together people from a range of backgrounds to help shape the Council’s strategic decisions and influence the work we do to tackle domestic abuse and support those who are accessing services. It is also an opportunity for victim/survivors to meet, share stories and support each other.
Launching a new domestic abuse campaign
On the 26 November, to coincide with the 16 Days of Activism, we launched a new domestic abuse campaign in Knowsley, aimed at creating lightbulb moments for people who may be unaware that they are living in a domestic abuse situation.
The campaign has been co-designed with our Victim/Survivor Forum to ensure that their experiences and voices are at the centre of it. Through speaking directly to those with lived experience of domestic abuse, we were able to better understand the language, imagery and questions that had helped them reach out for support and have reflected this in the campaign.  
Through this reach, we developed three core narratives that ask the reader to consider if this is something they experience in their own lives.
Our Victim/Survivor forum also made it clear to us that it was time a domestic abuse awareness campaign also targeted perpetrators. For too long, the emphasis has been on those experiencing abuse rather than the behaviour of perpetrators who are causing the abuse. One of the core narratives targets male perpetrators, asking them to consider their behaviour and to seek support if they are worried about how they treat those they love.
The campaign is being supported with digital advertising, in-person outreach work and printed materials across the borough.
If you see our campaign materials, please share and help us to amplify these important messages.
Our commitment
As Leader of Knowsley Council, I pledge that members and officers of this Council will do all we can to support our partners, residents and the wider community. Not just in Knowsley but across this region to create a better society - a society that supports victims and survivors, holds perpetrators to account and a society where domestic abuse and violence against women and girls is simply not tolerated or accepted.