S I Lichfield and District works in partnership with Pathway Project, West Midlands Police, Staffordshire Police, and Staffordshire Police & Crime Commissioner, in a wide range of projects covered by the complex area of “Domestic Abuse”.
The UK government defines domestic abuse as: “any incident or pattern of incidents of controlling, coercive or threatening behaviour, violence or abuse between those aged 16 or over who are, or have been intimate partners, or family members, regardless of gender or sexuality. This can encompass, but is not limited to, the following types of abuse: psychological, physical, sexual, financial and emotional.”
Coercive control, honour-based abuse and forced marriage are also included.
Some of the projects in which we are proactive are:
- Distributing safeguarding packs to vulnerable women via local driving instructors in Lichfield & Tamworth
- Working with young men (16-18 years) via local sports clubs on what constitutes healthy relationships
- Providing practical support and donations to Pathway Project
- Collecting for and packing kids’ bags for The Buddy Bag Foundation
- Holding a day-long Domestic Violence Workshop for local partners, Soroptimist clubs and interested parties
- Acting as observers in specialist domestic violence courts as part of a nationwide Soroptimist project instigated by Victims’ Commissioner Dame Vera Baird QC, herself a Soroptimist
- Raising awareness locally in various ways such as our 2018 World Cup Beer Mat Campaign, and along with our German Friendship Link Club S I Kaarst, on their “Orange The World” Campaign
The breadth of this subject offers many ways in which Club members can be involved – directly or indirectly – as this is a key and ongoing theme of the organisation as a whole, enabling us to work locally at our own club level and with clubs in Tamworth and Burton-on-Trent; and at regional, national and international level.
If this is a subject you care about, why not come along and see what we do?