Today is International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women and also marks the beginning of the 16 Days of Action, a campaign headed up by UN Women which aims to raise awareness of gender-based violence and domestic abuse, as well as what we can all do to help put an end to it.
Violence against women is one of the most widespread human rights violations in our world today, and less than 40% of women who experience violence seek help due to the stigma and shame surrounding the issue. This violence continues to be an obstacle to achieving equality and the fulfilment of women and girls’ human rights.
That’s why we’re supporting the Orange the World movement as part of the 16 Days of Action campaign and changing our logo to orange. This colour was chosen as it represents a brighter future, free from violence against women and girls.
It’s also important to highlight that domestic violence affects men too. Studies carried out by the Office for National Statistics show that around 757,000 men are victims of domestic abuse each year, and often the stigma around this prevents men to report it.
Our customers and colleagues' safety are our number one priority, and we take any reports of concerns seriously, involving the right people and organisations when needed to help intervene.
We work hard to support our colleagues to ensure that they work in a safe and equal environment and are trained to look out for our customers, and each other, and raise any concerns if they think something is wrong.
We also provide wellbeing resources and support to our colleagues, such as access to a confidential helpline which is open 24-hours a day as part of their Medicash Healthcare membership where they can talk to a medical professional for support and advice about their situation.
To learn more about the 16 Days of Action campaign and what you can do to help put an end to violence against women you can click here.
