Bus tour tackles violence
Last updated April 23, 2009
Bus tour highlights violence against women and girls
SWINDON residents have been encouraged to take part in the largest ever public consultation on tackling violence against women and girls.
A single-decker bus to enable a truly public debate on this issue spent the day at the Wharf Green Shopping Centre, Swindon, on Thursday, April 23.
The awareness-raising tour by the bus is stopping at local shopping centres, universities, sports grounds and train stations in 40 towns and cities throughout England.
The public are being encouraged to find out more by visiting the bus.
A team of advisers are on hand to answer questions, raise awareness of the issue, offer information about the support available to women affected by violence and canvas public opinion through participation in the consultation exercise.
The new consultation,Together We Can End Violence Against Women And Girls, launched last month, sets out action the Government has taken to tackle all forms of violence against women and girls.
It looks at what more can be done to challenge the attitudes that may uphold it in order to help women and girls feel safe, and includes a review into police powers for dealing with serial perpetrators of domestic violence and a review of the sexualisation of teenage girls.
The visit comes just a month after a Ministry of Justice announcement of 18 new specialist domestic violence courts across the country - taking the total to 122.
One of the new courts will be based in Salisbury.