November 25th marked the World International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women. It also saw the beginning of the ‘16 Days of Action Against Gender-Based Violence’ campaign, which RGU: Union is currently supporting.
November 25th marked the World International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women. It also saw the beginning of the United Nations (UN) campaign; the ‘16 Days of Action Against Gender-Based Violence’ (GBV).
RGU: Union joined the UN’s global campaign in order to mark their own campaign ‘Speak Up Speak Out’.
During this campaign, the Union plan to share images and media on their various social media platforms to show support and encourage students to become involved.
They have produced placards that state ‘#SpeakUpSpeakOut’ and ‘NO! To Violence against Women’. There have already been a number of images shared with students holding these placards up in support of the campaign.
There are three steps to the social media campaign;
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Take a photo holding the placard.
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Tag Emmanuel Akerele (President of Education and Welfare), RGU: Union, RGU and UN Women in your post.
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These images will be reposted.
It is hoped that this will show that the wider student community care about the issue of GBV.
President of Education and Welfare, Emmanuel Akerele, stated that RGU’s Report and Support system relates strongly to the ‘16 Days of Action Against GBV’ campaign. He said:
“As a student community, we need to always come together. This campaign relates to our welfare, even though we may not be directly affected ourselves.
“We should look out for one another as students. On a night out look out for your friends.”
He explained that as an institution the core value is to eliminate unsociable behaviour, adding that the executive committee are acting “against lad culture and sports initiations”.
The Report and Support system is anonymous and available for anyone who needs to use it, including students and staff. There is various support available on the site and it addresses issues beyond GBV such as welfare issues for different student groups. If you report an incident you can be offered the support you need.
Since the launch of the Report and Support system last year there has been some engagement, but Emmanuel explains “it can always get better”.
Here are some of the support services available at RGU:
Report and Support
Peer Support Group
RGU Nightline
RGU Counselling and Wellbeing
Or, alternatively, you could email Emmanuel Akerele, President (Education & Welfare) at e.akerele1@rgu.ac.uk