Council supports White Ribbon Day

Cheshire West and Chester Council is reminding people affected by domestic abuse that they are not alone this White Ribbon Day.

White Ribbon Day takes place each year on 25 November and aims to raise awareness of domestic abuse and the support available.

This year, the Chester Women’s Aid fundraising event will be returning to Chester on Sunday, 28 November between 11am – 3pm. Further information about the event is available on the Chester Women’s Aid website and Facebook page. Officers from the Council’s Domestic Abuse Intervention and Prevention Service will be joining the event to provide support.

Cheshire Police will also be hosting a live domestic abuse Q&A webchat to mark the day. Domestic abuse agencies, including the Council will be available to answer questions between 1.05pm – 2.05pm. Anyone with questions or worries can join in by submitting their concerns about their situation anonymously. 

Councillor Robert Cernik, Cabinet Member for Children and Families said: “White Ribbon UK is the leading charity engaging with men and boys to end violence against women. White Ribbon Day is 25 November when thousands of people take action and raise awareness to prevent violence before it starts. The campaign aims to highlight and raise awareness of domestic abuse and the support available.

"Domestic abuse doesn’t have to stay behind closed doors. Cheshire’s Open the Door campaign is there to help people get the help they need and to bring this hidden crime out into the open. The Open the Door campaign encourages people experiencing abuse, people with abusive behaviours, friends and family to access information about how to spot the signs of domestic abuse and how to get early help.

“We have found the previous Cheshire Police hosted web chats really useful in supporting local people affected by domestic abuse and are very keen for people to know how and where to access support. You are not alone at this difficult time. If you would want help and advice, we encourage you to get in touch.”

Those who would like to submit a question for the Cheshire Police webchat have the option of sending one in advance by emailing: digital.team@cheshire.police.uk, sending a private message to Cheshire Police via Facebook during the session if they wish to remain anonymous, or simply posting a question to the Q&A post on the Cheshire Police Facebook page. Steps are taken to ensure anonymity for anyone submitting questions either in advance or during the web chat.

For further information on White Ribbon Day:

• Visit: White Ribbon Day website

If you, or someone you know is in a relationship that doesn’t quite feel right, speak to someone about it. You can get help and advice and access self-support services on the Open the Door website or call 0300 123 7047, option 2.