Badge of honour: Humberside Scouts become first Scouts in world to join White Ribbon campaign
PIONEERS: The world’s first White Ribbon badge for Scouts
EXCLUSIVE
By Simon Bristow
Humberside Scouts are to become the first Scouts organisation in the world to award White Ribbon badges as they join the campaign to end violence against women and girls.
The initiative is the result of a partnership between the regional scouts group, White Ribbon UK, and Jacky Bowes, the High Sheriff of the East Riding, who pledged to campaign on the issue as one of her priorities when she was appointed to the ancient role on April 1.
The initiative will be formalised in a ceremony at Humberside Scouts’ base in Raywell Park, East Riding, on Saturday, November 26. The date was chosen as it sits within the 16 days of action of White Ribbon’s annual campaign ‘Call to Action’, which starts on Friday - White Ribbon Day - and runs until December 10.
Scouts will then begin work to earn their badges, with the first being presented to one Scout in each age group at the East Riding of Yorkshire Legal Service at Beverley Minster on March 5.
Jacky said: “We will be launching the world’s first White Ribbon Scouts Badge, which Humberside Scouts and I are so excited about.
“It is already generating so much discussion, support and interest from a wide circle of people and organisations, not least from The Lord Lieutenant [of the East Riding, James Dick OBE], Humberside Police, Humberside Fire and Rescue Service, Hull City, and The East Riding of Yorkshire Council, local mayors, senior members of the judiciary, and so many charities associated with domestic abuse and violence against women and girls, all of whom are attending the launch.”
White Ribbon is a global movement of men and boys working to end male violence against women and girls. It was formed by a group of men in Ontario, Canada, in November 1991, as a response to the massacre of 14 female students on a university campus in Montreal.
‘FANTASTIC OPPORTUNITY TO GET MESSAGE ACROSS’: Jacky Bowes, High Sheriff of the East Riding. Picture credit: Simon Kench / Echo Media Group
White Ribbon UK said: “The badge, the first ever of its kind, poses an incredible opportunity for young people to learn about and adopt values that contribute to creating a gender equal society.
“We would like to say a huge thank you to the Humberside Scouting Team and also to Jacky Bowes, the High Sheriff of the East Riding of Yorkshire, for making this happen and for prioritising education that promotes positive attitudes and behaviours towards women and girls. We are so excited about this brilliant initiative happening in the heart of the East Riding of Yorkshire.”
The criteria to earn the badge falls into two different categories, with much softer language and messages for younger age groups while still getting across the desired messages.
Jacky said: “I am thrilled to have had the privilege to work with Gary McCune (County Commissioner) and his Deputy Commissioner, Rachel Macadam, to develop the badge and the criteria. We all believe that this is a fantastic opportunity and method to communicate to young people about what are appropriate and inappropriate behaviours, and about healthy relationships.
“We are planning to present this to the National Board of Scouting Trustees very soon, in the hope that this will become a nationally recognised badge. We are so grateful to Humberside Police who are fully endorsing the benefits that they believe will be gained by the launch of the badge, and the positive messages that will be passed to young people as a direct result of this.”
She added: “We of course recognise, and are very mindful, that the launch of the badge may be difficult for some young people, especially those who are, very sadly, experiencing domestic abuse and violence against women and girls in their lives.
‘WE NEED TO END THIS EPIDEMIC’: Deputy Chief Constable Paul Anderson
“The launch of the badge gives us the opportunity to provide support for these vulnerable young people and I assure you that all the appropriate safeguarding and support mechanisms have been put in place.”
On Thursday, Jacky and representatives of Hull City Council, Hull Domestic Abuse Partnership, Humberside Police, Humberside Fire & Rescue Service and other organisations will visit Green Way Academy in Hull.
Students will be able to talk about what domestic abuse and bullying means to them, and about the importance of respectful and healthy relationships. The day will involve a range of activities, including an opportunity for students to sign the White Ribbon pledge.
Councillor Rob Pritchard, portfolio holder for communities, crime prevention and culture, said: “The White Ribbon campaign is about changing behaviours, improving reporting and supporting those who experience domestic abuse.
“By working together to host events like this, we are raising awareness locally, encouraging conversations amongst communities and educating people.
“But we also understand this problem needs more than a singular day of awareness. We have numerous, ongoing programmes across the city that support women and children experiencing domestic abuse, whenever they need it.”
Paul Anderson, Deputy Chief Constable of Humberside Police, said: “Violence and abuse, in all its forms –a domestic setting, a party, a park, on our streets or in a school – will not be tolerated. We need women and girls to feel safe and listened to in coming forward with reports of abuse and we need our criminal justice system to work effectively for all victims and survivors.
“We must start with addressing the perpetrators of the violence and abuse. We live in a society and culture where misogyny and sexism have been tolerated too long, where girls and women are over-sexualised in the media and victims are wrongly, often depicted as being somehow to blame for the crimes committed against them.
“This must change. We need to focus on the perpetrators of this violence – those committing domestic abuse, sexual offences and harming our children. Now is the time for us all to act on tackling this epidemic of violence against women.”
The city council is also to provide free Domestic Abuse Champion Training, with the first event taking place on December 9.
In Hull, Humberside Police respond to up to 1,000 domestic abuse calls every month. Between April 2021 and March 2022, the city council’s Domestic Abuse Partnership Support Service supported 3,124 women and their children - a 25 per cent increase in the number of victims seeking support from the previous year.
Hull gained White Ribbon City status in February 2015. Since then, the council and its partners have worked on city-wide anti-violence campaigns, including Hull Men Say No and Hull Young People Say No. In 2022 White Ribbon status was secured for a further three years.
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A plaque to commemorate this will be unveiled by the High Sheriff and Anthea Sully, CEO of White Ribbon, at Hull Guildhall on December 1.
Earlier that day, Jacky will attend a breakfast meeting with businesses at the Sewell Group Studio in Hull focusing on the impact of domestic abuse in the workplace.
She said: “Some of our local employers already have domestic abuse policies in place and give amazing support to employees who are experiencing abuse, and some have very kindly agreed to share their journey and experiences at the meeting.
“Sadly though, a huge percentage of employees who are facing abuse do not get the support which they need. This often results in their work being adversely effected and it often doesn’t end with the individual either; it often creates conflict and tension between them and their colleagues and can also adversely impact upon morale.
“We are hopeful that the output of the meeting will be to gain pledges from businesses to both implement domestic abuse policies and gain commitments to support those employees who are experiencing abuse.
“Most organisations would not consider life without first-aiders or health and safety representatives, and probably many now have brilliant mental health first-aiders - we believe passionately that the introduction of Domestic Abuse Champions could be life-changers, indeed life-savers.”