CALL FOR CHANGE 🚨

A new study by @runnymedetrust.bsky.social trust has found that up to 9 million people in the UK (3 in 5) could be at risk of having their British citizenship stripped under current laws. This equates to about 13% of the population.

Say it louder for the people in the back #16DaysOfActivism

On International Volunteer Day, we want to take a moment to shine a light on all the women who have chosen to give AWRC their time over the past 45 years.

Whether you've helped us out with admin tasks, event setup, marketing or gardening, we want to say thank you for everything you've done. 🧡

Women with disabilities can be particularly vulnerable to #TechBasedAbuse especially when their identity intersects with other marginalised groups. On #InternationalDayOfPersonsWithDisabilities we want to highlight unique challenges women with disabilities can face when experiencing domestic abuse.

"I am really pleased with the support I have received – I can’t thank you enough. I don’t know what I would have done in this country without your service."

"I want to express my heartfelt gratitude for being there for me during one of the most difficult times in my life. Being away from my family overseas, my caseworker's support has truly been my pillar of strength."

"I was crying and depressed, didn't know what to do. My caseworker is such a generous person. I really appreciated her assistance and kind approach."

"He does get angry when I don't text back straight away, but it's just because he cares."

"It's really embarrassing when he starts calling nonstop while I'm in an important meeting with my boss."

"At first, it was flattering, but now every message feels like a ticking time bomb."

Survivors of online abuse, particularly image-based abuse, often blame themselves for sharing images with the perpetrator.

If they're on the receiving end of abuse or harassment as a result of content they've published, they may feel like they should have just kept silent.

Some sobering facts about women and online abuse:

🔶 Women are 27 times more likely than men to be harassed online
🔶1 in 5 women have experienced online harassment or abuse
🔶Black women are 84% more likely to receive abusive or problematic than white women

(Source: @evawuk.bsky.social website)

One of the ways perpetrators exert control of their victims is through the use of devices, particularly 'smart' devices such as internet-enabled cameras, voice-activated assistants like Alexa or Siri or location-tracking settings on fitness trackers or smart watches.

Today is the first day of @unwomen's #16DaysOfActivism. This year is focused on technology-based abuse, which affects millions of women and girls every day.

Tomorrow marks the beginning of #16DaysOfActivism, a global campaign by UN Women to raise awareness around gender-based violence that continues to be widespread around the world. This year's theme is “UNiTE to End Digital Violence against All Women and Girls”.

On 20 November, Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood announced a new round of proposed #ImmigrationReforms that would make it significantly harder for immigrants to settle in the UK.

AWRC's statement on Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood's proposed reforms to the UK's asylum system:

According to the latest Home Office figures, so called 'honour'- based abuse (HBA) related offences have risen by 7% in England and Wales. There has also been a 13% increase in police reports of incidents related to #HBA.

AWRC's statement on the racially motivated rape of a Punjabi woman in Walsall.

We were honoured to have guest speaker Naana Otoo-Oyortey (Executive Director of FORWARD) joining us, along with Miss Yankey, who gave a powerful spoken word performance. We were also joined by a survivor who bravely shared their story.

It was great to connect with our partners, stakeholders, and service users at our AGM last Tuesday, where we celebrated our successes and impact over the last year and shared our vision for the future of AWRC.