‘Men need to talk to the women around them,’ says women’s safety consultant Karen Whybro (Picture: Getty Images)
Two million women are estimated to be victims of violence at the hands of men each year in England and Wales.
That’s roughly one in every 12.
Undoubtedly, many men will shudder at this statistic. It might motivate them to want to take action, or anger them that not everyone feels the same.
In fact, 63% of men believe that members of their own gender aren’t doing enough to ensure the safety of women and girls, according to A YouGov 2021 poll.
The problem is, many simply don’t know how.
It is imperative we change this – and the reflex to say ‘Not All Men’, when the reality is a woman is, on average, killed by a man every three days.
Because it is true that not all men will commit violence against women, but all men have a role to play in bringing about the end of this emergency.
The first step is understanding the sheer scale of the problem.
Learn more about domestic abuse in the UK
One in 4 women will experience domestic abuse at some point in their lives
ONS research revealed that last year the police recorded a domestic abuse offence approximately every 40 seconds
Yet Crime Survey for England & Wales data for the year ending March 2023 found only 18.9% of women who experienced partner abuse in the last 12 months reported the abuse to the police
According to Refuge, 84% of victims in domestic abuse cases are female, with 93% of defendants being male
Safe Lives reports that disabled women are twice as likely to experience domestic abuse as non-disabled women, and typically experience domestic abuse for a longer period of time before accessing support
Refuge has also found that, on average, it takes seven attempts before a woman is able to leave for good.
‘So many of the general public are simply unaware of just how common and urgent this issue is,’ explains Karen Whybro, a women’s safety consultant, education is key.
‘Statistics and data play a crucial role in breaking down the wall of silence around violence against women because once you know, you can’t look away.’
While this may sound like a relatively straightforward solution, the potential for backlash makes it anything but.
Earlier this year, a question on social media divided men and women: Would you rather be stuck in a forest with a man or a bear?
@screenshothq
The question of being stuck in a forest with a man or a bear is circulating on TikTok right now and sparking some interesting conversation…. we know what our answer would be ???????? #manvsbear #tiktok #tiktoktrend #trending #challenge #streetinterview #voxpop
♬ Terror Music (Scary Song) – IMPERIUM RECORDS
A majority (53%) of British women …read more
Source:: Metro
