West Lothian backs 16 Days of Action campaign to end violence against women and children

West Lothian Gender Based Violence Committee (GBVC) is leading on the campaign at a local level which runs from Saturday 25 November, International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, to International Human Rights Day on 10 December.

This year the West Lothians campaign starts a day early on Friday 24th November with organisations from across West Lothian taking part in our annual awareness march to 'Imagine a West Lothian without GBV'.  

Members of the public are invited to join the march which will be leaving Howden Park Centre at 10.15am and making its way down to the Civic Centre where a rally will take place featuring guest speakers.  

The partnership has coordinated a calendar of events throughout the 16 Days period featuring training opportunities, information sessions and much more all designed to equip individuals with the tools to spot signs of domestic violence and coercion and support those impacted.

For more on these events and all other local activity taking place over the 16 Days, please visit: www.westlothianhscp.org.uk/16-days-of-action

The start of the campaign also coincides with White Ribbon Day with West Lothian Council signing the White Ribbon pledge. The White Ribbon Campaign is the largest effort to end men's violence against women and encourages men and boys to wear a white ribbon to show their support.

You can sign up to the pledge and find out more about the campaign on the White Ribbon Scotland website- https://www.whiteribbonscotland.org.uk/make-your-pledge/

Help is available for anyone experiencing gender-based violence or domestic abuse through the specialists in the council's Domestic and Sexual Assault Team (DASAT) and West Lothian Women's Aid (WLWA).

Contact DASAT on 01506 281055 or dasat@westlothian.gov.uk or WLWA on 01506 413721 or info@wlwa.org.uk for confidential and friendly support.

In an emergency, always call the police on 999.