Woking Council commits to tackling violence against women and girls 

Following a motion from Lib Dem Councillor Ellen Nicholson, Woking Borough Council has made a commitment to tackling violence against women and girls.

Ellen Nicholson, one of the Lib Dem Councillors for Mount Hermon, said:

"I am delighted that my motion proposing that Woking Borough Council work towards becoming a White Ribbon accredited authority received unanimous support in the chamber on Thursday night. This is a really important and timely issue given the rise in domestic violence during the pandemic and the horrific murders we have seen in the news over the last year."

"The World Health Organisation note that violence against women is a serious threat to women's health and well-being. Sadly, the COVID-19 pandemic has contributed to an increase in exposure to domestic violence and an increase in reports of violence against women as the pandemic has decreased the availability of social support and access to services."

"The White Ribbon Campaign is part of a global movement to end male violence against women and girls. It focuses on asking supporters to pledge to never commit, condone, or remain silent about men's violence against women in all its forms whilst spreading a message of equality and respect."

"While Woking is generally a safe place, we know that across the UK there is an unfortunate cultural problem around how women and girls are treated. Through pursuing White Ribbon Accreditation and working with other organisations in the town we will come up with an action plan to tackle violence against women and girls in all its forms."