#ChangeHerStory 16Days Campaign.
Over the course of the last 16 days CASWA alongside 13 other organisations across the Highlands and Islands took part in a joint campaign to raise awareness of gender-based violence and how it affects people in our local communities. Partners included rape crisis centres, various Women’s Aid groups from across the highlands, the Police, and the University of the Highlands and Islands (UHI).
The #ChangeHerStory campaign ran alongside the global 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence which takes place annually from 25 November to 10 December. For each of the 16 days of the campaign, the campaign partners shared resources and stories, including those written by survivors, on the campaign website www.changeherstory.co.uk For a more in-depth read of the 16 posts for 16 days, please visit the website or click on any of the links below.
- Day 1 – Ending Gender Based Violence on Campus (UHI)
- Day 2 – University Develops digital learning materials for national gender based violence training (UHI)
- Day 3 – Rural Experiences of Gender Based Violence (Lochaber WA)
- Day 4 – Highlands and Islands Service map (West Highland College)
- Day 4 pt2 – Reclaiming the Playground
- Day 5 – The Magic Prince (Inverness WA)
- Day 5 pt2 – Signs of Solidarity (Scottish Prison Service)
- Day 6 – Change Her Story Poem (Anon – Scottish Prison Service)
- Day 7 – It’s More than just Physical Violence (Highlands & Islands Police)
- Day 8 – Domestic Abuse the BIG question (Inverness WA)
- Day 9 – Changing the Narrative (Ross-shire WA)
- Day 10 – Reflections from a Rape Crisis Worker (RASASH)
- Day 11 – Too Many forms of Gender Based Violence (Anon)
- Day 12 – #WisToo Walk on International Volunteer Day (Shetland Rape Crisis)
- Day 12 pt2 – My Dad Doesn’t Like Children – Boy aged 10 (Ross-shire WA)
- Day 13 – Sexual Violence is a Global Problem (Highlands Support Refugees)
- Day 14 – Talking About Consent (CASWA)
- Day 15 – It’s Time for an Affirmative Consent Law (Women’s Equality Part)
- Day 16 – Domestic Abuse In Young Relationships (Ross-shire WA)
- Virtual Reclaim the Night March
The campaign also invited the public to show solidarity towards survivors. People were encouraged to post a placard on their social media using the hashtag #ChangeHerStory (or anonymously via the website) with a message in answer to the campaign’s question: what would you like to see change for women and girls? At CASWA the invite to participation was embraced by our community with enthusiasm and open arm. For those who believe we have reached equality, the voices of those who joined this campaign prove otherwise. The question posed by the campaign generated a huge variety of answers locally. Placards highlighted the abuse and blame experienced by women and the challenges they face in systems meant to protect them. The campaign also generated conversations around women’s place and roles in society and how outdated these ideas can be, particularly in rural areas. We’ve created a gallery of all the placards we have received below.
We hope the campaign has inspired people not only to quietly reflection on a personal level, but that it sparks important conversations at community levels. Conversations we absolutely must be having. In order to tackle significant, serious issues like gender-based violence, we must tackle gender inequality more generally in its day to day guise.
We are truly grateful for each and every person and organisation which took part in this campaign. Not only did you help to shine a light on gender-based violence and gender inequality, you also helped to spread awareness of our organisation helping to break the stigma which often comes when being associated with a Women’s Aid organisation. This year we celebrate our 15 year anniversary and while it wasn’t the year we anticipated, we could not have ended the year in a better way: we’ve brought these important conversations to our community and our closing wish for the year is that the community keeps having these conversations. We all need to be the change to create the change. Please keep talking…
We would like to thank the local press for the coverage of this vital campaign along with all the partners involved in planning the campaign and delivering content throughout the 16days.
