EXIT SITE Home About Us CCR Network Our Work Resources Training & Consultancy Events & Campaigns Get In Touch Get Support Donate Faith & Communities Programme Faith and VAWG Coalition Our Resources VAWG principles for the Online Safety Bill Sept 2021 Statement on Black Lives Matter Spiritual Abuse During Lockdown Article Organisation Membership Individual Membership Keeping The Faith Report EVAW and Faith and VAWG Coalition Response to the Law Commission Consultation on Intimate Image Abuse May 2021 What is the Faith and VAWG Coalition? The Faith and VAWG Coalition is a partnership of organisations lead by the Safety Across Faith and Ethnic (SAFE) Communities project at Standing Together. The Coalition brings together a range of organisations (Standing Together- SAFE Communities Project, Restored, Respect, Muslim Youth Helpline, Jewish Women's Aid, Forward UK and Latin American Women's Rights Service) and activists (Sara Hyde, Natalie Collins and Nikki Dhillon-Keane) supporting survivors from faith communities to reflect on how survivors and communities of faith can be better supported. Why does it exist? The Coalition seeks to build bridges between members of Faith Communities or Faith-centric organisations and domestic abuse specialists and organisations within the VAWG-sector. The Faith and VAWG Coalition was created following a conference organised by Standing Together in November 2018, which discussed the role of Faith communities in responding to domestic abuse. There was a need for a professional and strategic space where VAWG specialists and professionals working with faith and cultural contexts can come together. Although the work to end domestic abuse at a grassroots level is already rich and diverse, this Coalition will allow a more strategic, regular, and structural approach to tackling the issue at hand. Many survivors with a faith feel that some specialist services and society, in general, are unable to understand their experiences of abuse, and their barriers to accessing support due to their religious identity, their faith community and any spiritual abuse that they may experience at the hands of their perpetrator. Aims of the Coalition The first meeting of the Coalition took place in May 2019. It discussed the foundational conference and assessed its potential for future networking, sharing of resources, and improving understanding surrounding domestic abuse/VAWG and communities’ ability to promote good practice. Moving forward from this, the coalition will aim to meet regularly and share good practice, as well as reflect on each other’s experiences. The Coalition has plans to raise awareness by organising events which include any professionals who regularly encounter VAWG (even if it is not their specialism), as well as launch campaigns through social media, and reach out to relevant institutions. In the longer term, the Coalition will additionally seek to establish an annual conference and generate funding for such events and campaigns. By collectivising the voices of VAWG professionals and members of Faith communities, the Coalition also intends to liaise with Local Authorities more forcefully. Already, the coalition has made its impact on policymakers. It released a statement inviting the government to work with its activists to improve the January 2019 Domestic Abuse Bill’s committee’s understanding of the importance of faith communities in combating VAWG. Safety Across Faith and Ethnic Communities Project Our Resources SAFE Communities Impact Report End of Project Report - Year 3 The SAFE Communities project ensures that domestic abuse and violence against women and girls are tackled holistically by targeting support to those in the community who are likely to be approached first by survivors for help. We know that most survivors of abuse are likely reach out to friends, family and community networks for help in the earliest stages of the abuse. We believe that working with and empowering communities to understand, recognise and address domestic abuse is essential. Grassroots communities and faith groups have the power and potential to make a real difference in the lives of survivors and hold perpetrators to account. SAFE aims to empower communities to be a part of the coordinated community response to domestic abuse and is essential to ensure communities are integral to the response in any locality. To find out more or if you are interested in accessing this support for your organisation or group please contact us. Harmful practices We employ a Harmful Practices Data Coordinator who works with the Harmful Practices Operational Group (HPOG) to collate data to support the aims of the group. The overarching objective of the HPOG is to ensure that the response to harmful practices within the boroughs of Kensington and Chelsea, Hammersmith and Fulham and Westminster City Council is coordinated, safe and effective. Data collection and analysis is a key tool in understanding the prevalence of and improving responses to harmful practices. Our charity About Us Privacy policy Contact us Get In touch Work with us Follow Twitter Facebook Instagram Charity Number : 1088844 | Company Number: 4283131 By using this website, you agree to our use of cookies. We use cookies to provide you with a great experience and to help our website run effectively. 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