The Farmer’s Union of Wales have reaffirmed its continued support to end violence against women and girls by joining the National Federation of Women’s Institutes’ (NFWI) ‘Not in My Name’ campaign.
The Not in My Name campaign aims to end violence against women by raising awareness and engaging men to pledge to never commit, excuse or remain silent about male violence against women.
“Myself and the Farmers’ Union of Wales say loud and clear – violence against women and girls is not acceptable and it has to end,” said FUW president Glyn Roberts, speaking at a candlelight vigil on Monday, November 22, arranged by NFWI-Wales.
“It is a sad sign of the times that we are still having candlelight vigils to highlight the extreme situation many find themselves in through domestic violence and abuse,” he said.
Yet it is important, critical, to not give up in the plight to raise awareness and change attitudes.”
As part of the campaign, FUW is also working with organisations such as Welsh Women’s Aid and the DPJ Foundation to provide domestic abuse training to all staff, in order to better understand domestic abuse and how to sign post people to specialist support.
“Domestic abuse affects all of our communities, urban and rural,” Roberts added.
For the 12-month period to year-ending March 2021, domestic abuse-related crimes in England and Wales rose 6% to 845,734, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS). Demand on domestic abuse helplines also increased in the year ending March 2021, by 22%.
“With this in mind and as part of the campaign, the FUW will be working with partner organisations to provide Domestic Abuse Training to all staff to better understand domestic abuse and how to sign post people to specialist support.
We believe that we have a duty as an organisation, embedded in our rural communities, to play our part in raising awareness of these issues and supporting people where we can.
“United we stand in making the promise to never commit, excuse or remain silent about male violence against women,” he said.
