Once again, despite the limitations caused by the pandemic, Weston Soroptimists, in collaboration with Citizens Advice North Somerset, will be recognising November 25th, the United Nations Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women and the succeeding 16 Days of Activism, during which we are exhorted to Orange the World!
For the past 2 years, we have gathered in Grove Park and tied placards and orange bows on to the railings around the pond, each bow representing one woman killed by a man she knew. This has been set up on November 25th and taken down 16 days later, on December 10th.
In addition, in 2018, a sculpture created by a Soroptimist was placed in a flowerbed nearby commemorating women killed by their partners.
This year, Covid-19 restrictions prevent a large group from gathering, as before, on November 25th. So we have decided that 2 different people each day will meet at the railings and attach 10 bows until we have reached the total number of women killed by men they knew in 2018 (the most recent year for which figures are available). As well as Soroptimists and CANS members representatives from Next Link, North Somerset Council and Avon and Somerset Police will also be tying on bows – and of course, Tara Arkle who first inspired Weston Soroptimists to campaign on behalf of survivors of domestic abuse.