Havering Community Stands Together For the White Ribbon Campaign Tackling Violence Against Women And Girls.

Yesterday, Tuesday 25 November, Havering’s Mayor -Councillor Sue Ospreay joined community representatives to launch this year’s White Ribbon campaign. Supporters gathered outside the Town Hall before marching into South Street behind a banner reading “It Starts With Men.”

The event was organised by Havering’s proactive Enforcement Team, led by Diane Egan, and brought together Police Inspector Connolly, firefighters, Leader of the Council -Councillor Ray Morgon, Margaret Mullane MP and local community champions — all standing shoulder to shoulder against violence towards women and girls.

Havering Council is once again backing White Ribbon Day and the 16 Days of Action campaign, which calls for the prevention of Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG).

This year’s theme, running from 25 November to 10 December, is “Men Challenging Men”, alongside White Ribbon Day’s call to “Speak Up for Change”. The message is clear: male allyship is vital in ending gender-based violence. Men are encouraged to stand beside women, challenge harmful behaviour and promote respect to help build safer communities.

Council and community partners including YouThrive and Youth Unity also came together for a borough-wide conference focused on the role of men in tackling VAWG.

The event featured mainly male speakers addressing VAWG-related issues, highlighting why men must play a leading role in creating cultural change. Presentations were also given by organisations supporting women and girls in Havering, as well as police representatives discussing trust, confidence and community safety. Attendees also heard from those who have experienced violence and abuse first-hand.

Key statistics shared included:

• 70% of women in the UK have experienced sexual harassment in public
• 3 in 5 women have faced harassment, bullying or abuse in the workplace
• Nearly a quarter of girls in mixed-sex schools have experienced unwanted sexual touching
• 1.4 million women experienced domestic abuse in the past year

Following the conference, the White Ribbon flag was raised outside the Town Hall by the Mayor of Havering. Attendees then marched through Romford Town Centre in solidarity with women and girls affected by abuse.

Councillor Ray Morgon, Leader of Havering Council, said:

“Today, for White Ribbon Day and the start of the 16 Days of Action against Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) 2025, we have once again come together as a community in Havering, to lead on action and to raise awareness.

“Sadly, we know many women and girls suffer from domestic violence and misogyny and it’s sometimes difficult for them to come forward and ask for help.

“We want our borough to be a safe place for women and girls, both in our town centres and also at home, at work and in school, and for them to seek the help they need and feel safe in doing so.

“Our teams continue to provide support and advice along with the many partners we work with. We encourage anyone who has concerns or is suffering abuse, to come forward and get the support they need.

“For this year’s campaign, we are also looking for the men in our communities to stand up, challenge the behaviour of others and speak up against VAWG.

“We all have a part to play in helping to make Havering a safe borough for women and girls and helping towards changing harmful behaviour for good.”

Inspector Connolly told the Havering Daily

“I had the honour of presenting at Havering’s White Ribbon initiative at the Town Hall led by Havering Council. I was able to support and talk about various internal processes in place to support VAWG (Violence against women and girls) whilst also discussing what officers are doing to challenge and change the narrative within the MPS. I was joined by DS Sam Tyler who is leading on Domestic Violence Protection Orders for Havering MPS and is currently piloting a project for Having targeting breaches and enforcement.   

“Throughout the year, the Council’s community safety teams support women and girls experiencing or at risk of violence, domestic abuse and controlling or coercive behaviour. They also provide training to professionals to help them recognise abuse, shift perspectives, reduce fear and empower victims to reach safety.“

As part of the campaign, the Council and police will be offering advice and support at the following locations:

• Thursday 27 November – Hornchurch Library, 3pm–4pm
• Monday 1 December – Rainham Tesco, from 2pm
• Wednesday 3 December – Outside Superdrug, Hornchurch High Street, 1pm–2pm
• Thursday 4 December – Farnham Road, Harold Hill, 2.30pm–4.30pm
• Saturday 6 December – Romford Town Centre, from 7pm

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