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Renfrewshire’s men urged to speak out about domestic abuse against women
Home > News and Events > News - release archive > 2008 > November
Male councillors, council employees and police officers in Renfrewshire have teamed up to highlight a campaign encouraging men to speak out to help reduce the level of violence against women.
Renfrewshire Council's Leader Derek Mackay, Community Safety spokesman Cllr Brian Lawson and Chief Executive David Martin joined with representatives of Strathclyde Police and other Safer Renfrewshire partners all wearing white shirts for the White Ribbon campaign.
More than 200 men from Renfrewshire Council, Renfrewshire Community Health Partnership and Strathclyde Police, PPRC, also posed in white shirts for photographs which will be shown on a billboard displayed in Renfrewshire for two weeks around White Ribbon Day (Tuesday 25 November).
Their photographs have been put together and designed into the shape of a white ribbon for the billboard, which will be displayed at St James Street, Greenock Road and Underwood Road, Paisley for two weeks from Monday 17 November.
Around 2000 incidents of domestic abuse were reported to Strathclyde Police in 2007, and a great many more are believed to go on unreported.
White ribbons will be distributed around Renfrewshire for people to pick up and wear to show their support.
Councillor Brian Lawson, Renfrewshire Council's Community Safety spokesman, said: "By wearing a white ribbon we have all pledged to never commit, condone or remain silent about violence against women.
"There has been a significant increase in the number of domestic abuse cases reported in Renfrewshire in recent years and one of the priorities of the new Safer Renfrewshire Strategy is to continue to make sure victims feel more confident about reporting domestic abuse."
Division Commander Chief Superintendent John Harkin said: "Violence against women is a despicable crime. Women are now more confident in reporting this type of crime and we have seen a rise in arrests rates for assaults of this nature. The Strathclyde Police Campaign Against Violence has domestic violence as a care theme and my officers will rigorously enforce the law in this area."
White ribbons are available from locations across Renfrewshire, including Renfrewshire Council's Customer Service Centre at Cotton Street, Paisley.
Press release: Tuesday 18 November 2008
