Southwark Council is proud to be working with Peckhamplex and Network Rail once again to challenge sexism and misogyny in the borough.
For the second year running, the council’s women’s safety campaign will be promoted on screens to people as they pass through London Bridge station and audience members at Peckhamplex during the 16 days of activism following White Ribbon Day.
Last year, this joint approach resulted in the council’s campaign reaching up to 3.2 million people, in addition to over 500,000 views across their social media channels since it launched.
Screens in council headquarters on Tooley Steet will also show the campaign video, alongside an exhibition from Sheroes Interventions. The activist art project aims to foster dialogue and raise awareness about gender-based violence and the representation of women through artistic interventions in public institutions that work with and for people.
This year’s White Ribbon Day theme strikes to the core of the council’s campaign: ‘it starts with men’. Southwark’s campaign speaks directly to men and boys as vital allies to encourage them to challenge the harmful attitudes and behaviour that fuel male violence against women and girls.
Cllr Natasha Ennin, Cabinet Member for Community Safety and Neighbourhoods, said: “The message coming out of Southwark could not be clearer: we will not tolerate the toxic culture that normalises male violence against women and girls. We need men and boys to see though a girl’s eyes. To see what it means to face sexual harassment every day. To see the harm. To see the fear. Because once you can see it, you can stop it. Our message will reach millions more people thanks to Peckhamplex and Network Rail, among our other local partners.”
David Davidson, Kent Route Director at Network Rail, said: “We are proud to support White Ribbon Day in Southwark over the next 16 days. With 72 per cent of people under-estimating the prevalence of domestic abuse according to a Women’s Aid survey, our screens in London Bridge station are an ideal way to spread the message to large numbers of people.”
Simone Brown, Director of Peckhamplex, said: “Peckhamplex is fully supportive of Southwark Council's commitment to making woman's safety a priority by challenging sexism and misogyny in the borough. We are pleased to include this film with our scheduled programme following White Ribbon Day for the second year running.”
The campaign film is available to every secondary school and youth setting in Southwark, and over 1,000 schools across London. It’s part of the council’s wider efforts to tackle male violence against women and girls in the Southwark, including:
- Launching the Women’s Safety Survey 2024 to gather insights into local issues to help make women and girls feel safer in Southwark.
- Setting up London’s first cross-borough network of safe havens in partnership with Lambeth Council. Staff at these locations are trained to support anyone who feels unsafe. If you feel threatened, are being harassed on the street, are unwell, or just need some help, look for the Safe Haven sign in the windows.
- Establishing Southwark safe spaces for victim-survivors of domestic abuse. There are 72 safe spaces across Southwark who provide a confidential, private and safe room where you can get support or make a phone call to get help.
- Training street-based staff so they know how best to respond to and support women's safety, as well as CCTV operators so they can direct action on the ground.
- Commissioning women’s safety workshops for businesses, which have been running over the past year and includes training on Ask For Angela, the Women’s Night Safety Charter, the council’s Safe Haven Scheme, and WAVE training.
During the 16 days of activism, Southwark Council is also running a number of events, including community outreach events and professional training. See the full event programme.
For more information, visit www.southwark.gov.uk/through-her-eyes