 Violence Against Women & Girls (VAWG)
Sheffield News
To see a list of services that will be open, closed or have reduced opening hours over the festive period from Wednesday 20th December 2023 until Tuesday 2nd January 2024 please click here.
 End Violence Against Women & Girls - VAWG VIGILS
Remembering and honouring the lives of women and girls lost to male violence. The VAWG Vigils are held on the first Thursday of each month between 17.30 - 18.00 at Sheffield Town Hall steps, Pinstone Street S1 2HH
All women and male allies welcome - come and add your support and your voice.
VAWG Vigil Dates for 2024 are as follows:
- 4th January 2024
- 1st February 2024
- 7th March 2024
- 4th April 2024
- 2nd May 2024
- 6th June 2024
- 4th July 2024
Celebration of the Sheffield events that took place over the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender Based Violence
The 16 Days of Activism against gender based violence has now come to an end for 2023, and DACT would like to thank everyone that has either organised or participated in an activity or event. Some of the events that have taken place across Sheffield between 25th November and 10th December 2023 have included:
- Various agencies including Sheffield Council have promoted White Ribbon Day and encouraged staff to sign the pledge.
- Sheffield Council submitted and published the White Ribbon Action Plan.
- 14 of the city centre pubs, late bars and University of Sheffield Student Bar promoted White Ribbon using drink mats on their tables.
- Sheffield Council released videos featuring real stories form women and men to promote White Ribbon.
- IDAS shared 16 Days of Stories from survivors.
- IDAS held an 'In Conversation' event with IDAS Survivor Ambassadors
- IDAS ran Champion Training events in Barnsley & Sheffield
- IDAS held a 'Let's End Abuse Together' event.
- IDAS delivered a webinar on economic abuse, in partnership with TSB and DWP. To watch the webinar please click here and use the passcode %$kM0jE3
- The Soroptimist have arranged for shop windows in Broomhill to display orange posters and artefacts raising awareness of the 16 Days of Activism against Gender-based Violence.
- Ashiana held a women's event to discuss survivor's life experiences and shared stories.
- VAWG Vigil was held with a great turn out on 7th December.
- Sheffield Women's Aid held their Annual General Meeting
- Sheffield Student Union Reclaim the Night March.
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Community Based Domestic Abuse Support Contract from April 2024
Sheffield Domestic Abuse Coordination Team (DACT) are very pleased to announce that following a competitive, open and thorough tender and evaluation process IDAS have been awarded the new contract to provide community based support to people affected by domestic abuse in Sheffield.
If you / your staff were involved in the evaluation DACT would like to thank you for your involvement and input.
The new contract starts in April 2024 for a minimum of five years plus the option for extensions of up to two years.
As the incumbent provider IDAS will continue to provide:
- a helpline
- one to one support
- group work (both structured and informal)
- administration of and support at MARAC
- Sanctuary Scheme measures and support for survivors to be safe in their own homes
- training for the Sheffield workforce and volunteers
IDAS will also be supporting our wider efforts as a partnership to promote safe early responses to domestic abuse across the city by training domestic abuse champions in partner organisations and by developing a range of self help guides to be available online.
DACT look forward to continuing working with IDAS, and with you as key partners, to reduce the impact of domestic abuse in Sheffield and keep survivors and children safe.
If you have any questions please contact Alison.
Sheffield Domestic Abuse Coordination Team (DACT) have produced there first Domestic and Sexual Abuse Violence Against Women and Girls annual report that covers the period of 2022/2023.
Domestic and Sexual Abuse ruins the lives of too many people in the UK and in our city of Sheffield. The vast majority of immediate victims are women and girls, but we know that many men are also affected. Abuse has a hugely damaging impact on children and on families. By recognising abuse, calling it out, helping victims and changing attitudes and cultures we can reduce the impact domestic and sexual abuse has on individuals, families, and wider society.
Tackling Domestic and sexual abuse, and violence against women and girls, will only be effective if we all work together. That includes public services like the Council, the Police, and the NHS, but also voluntary services and community groups, businesses, individuals, and groups of people who want to make a difference.
If we work together, we can:
• Change attitudes and cultures so that abuse is recognised, called out and not
tolerated
• Protect and support victims and their families through emotional and social
support, and practical help to keep them safe
• Deal with perpetrators and find ways to change their behaviour and attitudes.
In Sheffield we have a long and proud history of partnership working to prevent
domestic and sexual abuse. As a city we have agreed strategies to improve services and support for people, commissioned and delivered a range of services, and worked with women and people with lived experience of abuse to raise awareness and learn from each other to make things better for the future.
The Sheffield Domestic and Sexual Abuse Strategic Board has commissioned this Annual Report. The report sets out some of the wide range of activities the different partners involved in the current Domestic and Sexual Abuse Strategy have undertaken over the last year. It shows the impact these activities have had on the lives of people in the City. It also highlights some of the ongoing issues we face as a city and the things we need to address in the future.
- The Domestic And Sexual Abuse Strategy 2018-22 is still being implemented despite being out of time. This is because:
- The Domestic Abuse Act introduced statutory duty to produce a Domestic Abuse and Safe Accommodation Strategy in place from 2021 until 2024
- Over the next 6 months the Board will be undertaking work with all the partners and wider stakeholders to get a better understanding of what is working, where the gaps in services and support are, and what we need to do more of in the future.
- A new strategy will be written in 2024 to cover Violence Against Women and Girls in its entirety, and domestic / sexual abuse experienced by all genders and include Safe Accommodation to meet the statutory requirement
- It will also include the city’s White Ribbon status.
I hope that the information in this report is useful and look forward to working with all our partners over the coming months and years as we develop our new strategy and continue to work hard to prevent domestic and sexual abuse, and violence against women and girls.
Sam Martin, Chair of the Domestic And Sexual Abuse Strategic Board, Head of
Commissioning Vulnerable People
To read the full Domestic and Sexual Abuse Violence Against Women and Girls annual report please click here.
IDAS has launched an online Live Chat for survivors of domestic abuse to get information relating to the Family Court.
The Live Chat launches on Wednesday 13th December 11am - 12.30 pm and will be available every Wednesday and Thursday thereafter.
IDAS recently secured additional funding from Access to Justice funding for dedicated Family Court IDVAs (Independent Domestic Violence Advocates) and to launch a Live Chat to assist survivors going through the Family Court.
The Live Chat can support you to navigate the Family Court system, provide assistance and signposting. IDAS do not offer Legal Advice.
Visit the IDAS website between the times mentioned for dedicated Family Court support.
For further information about the work IDAS are doing to improve the experience and safeguarding of survivors of domestic abuse in relation to Family Court proceedings, please see our latest newsletter.
https://mailchi.mp/idas.org.uk/familycourtlivechat
In addition, we have a dedicated Family Court website.
Family courts and domestic abuse (idas.org.uk)
Please do share this information with colleagues and your networks.
IDAS would like to thank you for supporting their urgent appeal, the Big Give Christmas Challenge. IDAS were overwhelmed by your kindness and generosity, raising £23,397 in just seven days. Each year IDAS need to raise around £100,000 in addition to our mainstream funding, and so the funds raised in this campaign will have a huge impact on our charity, and victims and survivors of domestic abuse and sexual violence in Yorkshire.
If you haven't already, there's still time to donate and give families devastated by abuse and violence a Christmas to remember.
Children's Toy Parcel - £20 Many of the mothers and children we support in our refuges fled the family home in an emergency, leaving all their belongings behind. Your donation could provide new toys, games, and books, and make their Christmas special.
Christmas Dinner Parcel - £40 Make Christmas magical by donating a festive feast with all the trimmings for a family in one of our refuges.
A Night in a Refuge this Christmas - £60 Help a mother to escape abuse with her children and give the gift of safety, by donating the cost of a night in one of our refuges.
Run our Helpline this Christmas - £175 Your donation could help to run our free, confidential helpline for an hour, providing a literal lifeline for families trapped at home with an abuser this festive season.
Run a Refuge over Christmas - £500 Help us to give a warm welcome and a place of safety this Christmas to families who have fled abuse and violence. There are so many ways you can get involved and make a life changing difference to the 10,000 women, men and children we support each year here in Yorkshire.
If you have any questions about IDAS funding, please contact IDAS at fundraising@idas.org.uk
Help Us Help encourages people to get involved helping people who beg and sleep rough in Sheffield, and have updated their city centre maps of services and healthcare services for people on the streets.
Download Help Us Help map of city-centre services for people on the streets here.
Download Help Us Help map of healthcare services for people on the streets here.
Read the new Best Practice Guidance for street outreach provision.
Watch the Help Us Help video to find out more about the partnership work we do in the city, click here.
For more information about Help Us Help please click here.
Changing Lives NetReach Project offers a free and non-judgmental tiered support system to anyone (16+) who is at risk of or who has experienced online harms or tech abuse, including intimate image abuse, cyberstalking, online exploitation and grooming, online harassment, and cyberbullying. They also undertake online outreach work and offer support to individuals who advertise sexual services/sell sexual content online.
The local contact information for South Yorkshire is: 07384671016 - net.reach5@changing-lives.org.uk or for more information please click here.
A new report entitled "Changing The Narrative: Understanding the Realities of Adult Exploitation" was launched by the Changing Lives STAGE Project, which includes Ashiana, shines a light on the experience of women who have been targeted, groomed and sexually exploited across the North East and Yorkshire, and calls for urgent change. To read the report please click here.
Sheffield Agency Events
ShipShape Community Hub are hosting a Christmas Meal for people in need on Tuesday 19th December at 12noon to 2pm to be held at Highfield Trinity Church, off London Road S2.
The meal is aimed at those on benefits, or are feeling isolated and lonely – please do share with your clients and team who might benefit from coming along to our Christmas event.
Booking is essential – please ask anyone who is interested to ring Ship Shape Community Hub on 0114 250 0222 to reserve a place
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