On the 25^th of November, a voluntary sector assembly (VSA) was held by Macc at St. Thomas Centre in Manchester, bringing together diverse voices to address sexual violence from multiple perspectives, particularly men, the LGBTQ+ community and women from ethnic minority backgrounds. Speakers from We Are Survivors and Saheli contributed valuable insights, while workshops on bystander intervention and trauma-informed approaches were expertly facilitated by Manchester City Council staff.

You can view the event slides in full at this link. 

The document linked below provides a summary of the table discussions, highlighting key learnings, takeaways and outlining next steps moving forward.

Macc invites you to participate in an important conversation aimed at fostering communities where everyone feels safe, valued and connected. This event will bring together a diverse group of participants, including community leaders, frontline staff, volunteers, statutory colleagues and representatives from across various sectors, to share insights and explore best practices.  

Together, we will look at actionable solutions that enhance safety and well-being in our neighborhoods. By leveraging the collective knowledge, experience of our attendees and harnessing the power of place within our local communities, we aim to cultivate environments that not only promote cohesion but also ensure that all individuals feel a genuine sense of belonging.  

During the event we will hear from Jeannine Burke (BeParTOfChanGe), Damian Dallimore (GM Violence Reduction Unit Director and GM Lead for tackling serious and organised crime), Julie Wharton (Hideaway Director) and more to be announced. 

Plant-based lunch will be provided.

'Join us for our 7th Pankhurst-Fawcett Scorecard Data Reveal, where we present the latest insights into the experiences of women and girls across Greater Manchester. Over the past seven years, we’ve been closely tracking ten key indicators through national databases and academic research to provide a clearer understanding of gender equality in our region.

In addition to unveiling the general data, we will present deeper insights into our five thematic areas: employment, safety, participation, education, and culture & active lives. You’ll also have the opportunity to share your own experiences and take part in interactive breakout sessions to explore these topics further.

With just three years left until 2028, we are excited to share the latest findings and explore trends as we move past the halfway point. What progress have we made so far? What challenges remain? Don’t miss this opportunity to engage with the latest findings and contribute to the ongoing dialogue on gender equality'. 

Are you a social enterprise, Community Interest Company (CIC), trading charity, or other social-value-led business or group? Are you looking for investment to take your business to the next level or kickstart a new project? Then this free workshop is for you!

This 2 hour session intends to offer a clarification about everything you need to know about 'social investment', but never knew who to ask: what it is, how it differs to other types of loans, why and when it may be a better option than grants, and how to get the rest of your organisation on board with the idea of it. The session will also clarify that if it's not right for you, what the alternatives are to help raise money may be, that you need to support setting up new/larger ideas.

Adrian Ashton has been supporting and influencing the wider social economy sector for 3 decades. In the context of this session, he has managed social investment funds, trained sector advisors on how they can support groups to apply for this type of money, worked with a number of local and national social investors to review how they support local groups, and directly supported groups successfully raise investment through all of the non-grant ways that will be profiled in this session.
https://linktr.ee/adrianashton

This workshop is funded by 10GM, the Greater Manchester Combined Authority, and the UK Government. It’s a great opportunity to gain valuable knowledge and take your social business, group or charity to the next level. 

The 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence is an annual campaign that starts on November 25, the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, and concludes on December 10, International Human Rights Day. 

This campaign serves as a chance to renew commitments, urge accountability, and push for action from decision-makers as the world nears the 30th anniversary of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action in 2025, a groundbreaking framework for achieving gender equality and advancing the rights of women and girls globally. 

Led by civil society, the campaign is supported by the United Nations through the UNiTE by 2030 initiative to End Violence against Women. This year, the UN observes the 16 Days under the theme "UNiTE! Activism to End Violence Against Women and Girls.

The crisis of gender-based violence demands urgent attention. There is #NoExcuse for violence against women and girls. In 2023, an intimate partner or family member killed a woman every 10 minutes, and nearly one in three women will experience violence in their lifetime. Girls are especially vulnerable, with one in four adolescent girls subjected to abuse by their partners. 

Ongoing and intense global conflicts, coupled with significant displacement, are escalating the risk of violence for millions of women and girls. Preventing gender-based violence and providing support to survivors are crucial components of any humanitarian response. 

In emergencies, all types of gender-based violence, including sexual and intimate partner violence, tend to increase. It is estimated that one in five refugee or displaced women and girls in complex emergencies has suffered sexual violence. Additionally, trafficking, abduction, and harmful practices such as female genital mutilation and child marriage often rise during crises. 

Survivors of gender-based violence in humanitarian emergencies face significant barriers to accessing vital healthcare and support services. These challenges may include the destruction of infrastructure, the dangers of navigating conflict zones, and the fear of stigma or retaliation.

Raneem’s Law, named in memory of Raneem Oudeh and her mother Khaola Saleem, aims to integrate domestic violence specialists into 999 control rooms to enhance police responses to domestic violence calls. Raneem and her mother were murdered by Raneem’s ex-husband in 2018, despite 13 prior reports to the police expressing concerns for her safety, and no arrests being made. On the night of her death, Raneem made four 999 calls for help. 

The government will fund a pilot program in selected police forces starting in early 2025. Domestic abuse specialists will be placed in 999 control rooms to assist with risk assessments and collaborate with officers in the field, ensuring victims receive a swift response and are promptly connected to support services. 

These specialists will be supported by dedicated teams working to improve police handling of such calls, including the use of new technologies like rapid video response for quicker intervention. 

Raneem’s Law will be formalized with national guidelines that police will be mandated to follow. 

To get in touch

Telephone information service: 0333 321 3021

• Support line open Monday to Friday 10am - 4pm
• Calls are charged at the same rate as a local call, whether made from a landline or mobile phone

Email: info@mcrcommunitycentral.org

Web: www.manchestercommunitycentral.org