Police and Crime Commissioner Caroline Henry has unwrapped a major campaign to be featured on buses and a tram in Nottingham as part of a huge effort to protect women and girls from sexual violence.
It will feature across a double decker bus and a tram as part of a project spearheaded by the Commissioner and supported by a host of partners to increase the safety of women and girls in the city and reduce violence.
The ‘A-Z of Consent’ campaign, developed by the Consent Coalition, aims to raise awareness of what sexual consent means.
The campaign, which will run for 12 months, was unveiled during a special event at the city’s Nottingham Express Transit (NET) depot today (Thursday 10th March) which was attended by Commissioner Henry and key delivery partners.
It is the second awareness campaign to launch in the city after Commissioner Henry secured more than £250,000 from the Home Office’s Safety of Women at Night (SWaN) fund.
Commissioner Henry said: “Nottingham is a wonderful city to live and visit and we are determined to make it even safer.
“This is a big bold – and very bright - campaign. I want it to encourage big, bold conversations. I want people to wonder what it’s all about, to think and ask questions.
“Violence and sexual harassment against women will not be tolerated in Nottinghamshire. It is not acceptable and I am doing everything in my power to prevent it happening.
“I am grateful to all those partners who have worked with me to bring this project together, especially the city’s transport providers who are equally committed to the safety of women and girls.
“This is about creating a safer Nottingham for all.”
Cllr Neghat Khan, Nottingham City Council’s DSVA Portfolio Holder, said: “Communication, honesty and respect are key to healthy sexual relationships. But why is consent so important? Without consent, sexual activity is sexual violence.
“In Nottingham we are committed to taking a zero tolerance stance against sexual violence and abuse, not only does that include supporting survivors, challenging perpetrators but educating everyone on the importance of consent.
“Consent should be at the heart of all relationships and it is an agreement between people engaging in sexual activity, where everyone involved has the freedom and capacity to make a choice.
“Nottingham City Council is dedicated to protecting and educating people and therefore we are delighted to support the Consent Coalition’s new A-Z of Consent campaign. The campaign contains a number of important consent messages, covering areas such as sharing of images, victim blaming, coercion and choice. The A-Z of Consent is a fantastic educational resource and we hope that people will embrace this campaign and share our vision of being a city free from sexual violence.”
Louise Graham, Sexual Violence Led for the Nottinghamshire Crime and Drugs Partnership at Nottingham City Council, said: “The Nottingham Consent Coalition recognises how important it is to educate each other on consent and challenge sexual violence myths and behaviours. The more you know, the more you can influence positive change.
“We are really proud that Nottingham is adopting a zero tolerance stance towards sexual violence by sharing the ‘A-Z of Consent’ campaign in such visible public spaces, like the NET tram and NCT buses. The A-Z of Consent campaign gives key consent facts for each letter of the alphabet, addressing a number of consent themes. By raising the awareness of consent, we can start to create a culture where consent is at the centre of all relationships.”
Julian Smedley, NET Operations Manager, commented: “NET serves many key locations across the city and this eye-catching tram will help to raise the profile of the campaign and its message of zero-tolerance towards violence and harassment of women and girls.
“The campaign is one that we wholeheartedly support, and we are delighted to be working with partners on a wide range of initiatives to make Nottingham an even safer place to live, work and visit.”
Anthony Carver-Smith, Nottingham City Transport (NCT) Head of Marketing said: “NCT are a key partner in ensuring that people who live and visit Nottingham are safe. NCT fully supports the A-Z of Consent campaign and the bright, colourful branded bus will visit all parts of the city over the next 12 months, raising awareness on the important subject of consent.”
The SWaN initiative in Nottingham has delivered a whole package of safety interventions worth around £300,000.
Highlights include:
- The delivery of bespoke Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) bystander training for staff in hospitality venues and transport companies
- The expansion of safety campaigns including Help a Friend and the Consent Coalition’s A-Z of Consent
- The development of a safe space in the city centre at weekends where women can access urgent help and medical attention
- Additional protection through Police Nights of Action on the tram network in the city
ENDS
NOTES TO EDITORS
The Consent Coalition is a group of organisations within Nottingham which are working together to raise awareness of the importance of consent and banish myths about rape and sexual violence.
The organisation, which is supported by a host of partners including Nottinghamshire Police and Crime Commissioner Caroline Henry, also aims to help victims access and support and report sexual violence.
For more information visit: https://nottssvss.org.uk/consent-coalition/
Posted on Thursday 10th March 2022