White Ribbon Day will take place this Saturday, aimed at ending male violence against women and girls.

The day marks the beginning of 16 Days of Activism, an international campaign tackling gendered violence through prevention. It is run by the UK’s leading charity against male violence, White Ribbon.

In March 2022, White Ribbon reported that 1.7 million women had experienced domestic abuse that year. Men are encouraged to wear a white ribbon in support, and events will take place across London and internationally.

Here is what each of the EastLondonLines borough councils are doing to mark the occasion:

Lewisham

Lewisham Council will be running a campaign on the Council’s communication channels to raise awareness about violence against women, educate residents about different strands of domestic abuse, and signpost residents to available help.

They are also running multiple events, including training and talks from the Domestic Violence Intervention Project, Streetlight,Athena, Goldsmiths University, and BelIEve UK.

The training will cover a range of topics, including victim blaming, women in prostitution, gaslighting, and coercive control.

Iranian Kurdish Women’s Rights Organisation will run a special session on forced marriage training, and We Are Hourglass will focus on elder abuse.

Africa Advocacy Foundation will run poetry workshops, virtual workshops, podcasts, and a sip and paint event with the theme ‘Divine Feminine Energy’.

Hackney

Hackney Council will be kicking off their 16 days of activism with a launch event on Monday, November 27, which will be held on the Town Hall steps from 10am.

Councillor Susan Fajana-Thomas OBE, Hackney’s Cabinet Member for Community Safety, said: “Over the next two weeks, we’re hosting a range of events, workshops, and activities with partners, staff, and community members to highlight and share learnings from our sector-leading services. Check out our social media to find out more about what we’re doing.”

Tower Hamlets

Tower Hamlets Council will be engaging with residents on their community safety bus, which will be at Shoreditch overground station on November 25 from six to eight pm and also at Mile End on November 28 from 11am until one pm.

There will also be a series of internally focused webinars, training sessions, and events for council staff and residents, taking place in the town hall.

Enforcement officers will also be out and about in Tower Hamlets, engaging with women on women’s safety.

Croydon

ELL has approached Croydon Council but is yet to receive information about how it is marking the day.