Sharon Apold Davies’ Post

Be the change.

Today, I stand with millions of voices around the world to say: 𝗡𝗼 𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝘀𝗶𝗹𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲. 𝗡𝗼 𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝘃𝗶𝗼𝗹𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲. 🧡 On this 𝗜𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗗𝗮𝘆 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗘𝗹𝗶𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗼𝗳 𝗩𝗶𝗼𝗹𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗮𝗴𝗮𝗶𝗻𝘀𝘁 𝗪𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗻, we face a harsh truth: domestic violence isn’t just a statistic; it’s a reality that affects countless lives. The 𝟭𝟲 𝗗𝗮𝘆𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝗔𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗶𝘀𝗺 𝗔𝗴𝗮𝗶𝗻𝘀𝘁 𝗚𝗲𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿-𝗕𝗮𝘀𝗲𝗱 𝗩𝗶𝗼𝗹𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲, spearheaded by UN Women, reminds us that this is not just a personal issue—it’s a global crisis. 𝟭 𝗶𝗻 𝟯 𝘄𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗻 𝗲𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗽𝗵𝘆𝘀𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝗼𝗿 𝘀𝗲𝘅𝘂𝗮𝗹 𝘃𝗶𝗼𝗹𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗶𝗿 𝗹𝗶𝗳𝗲𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗲. 𝗧𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗶𝘀 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗻𝗼𝗿𝗺𝗮𝗹, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗶𝘁 𝗶𝘀 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗮𝗰𝗰𝗲𝗽𝘁𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲. 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝘄𝗲 𝗱𝗼? - 𝗥𝗮𝗶𝘀𝗲 𝗮𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀: Share stories, resources, and campaigns that bring light to the issue. - 𝗦𝘂𝗽𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁 𝘀𝘂𝗿𝘃𝗶𝘃𝗼𝗿𝘀: Listen without judgment and connect them with resources to help them reclaim their lives. - 𝗧𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻: Advocate for policies and programs that prioritize the safety and well-being of survivors. If you’ve experienced abuse, know this: You are not alone. There is hope, there is help, and there is a life waiting for you beyond the shadows. Today, I speak out not just for myself, but for every person still trapped in silence. 𝗟𝗲𝘁’𝘀 𝗯𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗲. 𝗟𝗲𝘁’𝘀 𝗲𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗰𝘆𝗰𝗹𝗲. 💔➡️ 🧡 #16Days #OrangeTheWorld #EndDomesticViolence #SpeakOut #TogetherWeCan https://lnkd.in/dNmkEg7x

According to the United Nations, in 2023 an estimated 21,700 women and girls in Africa were killed by intimate partners or family members, representing the highest regional rate of such killings globally at 2.9 per 100,000 people. Today marks the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women and the beginning of the #16days days of activism against gender-based violence across the world. This serves as a call to champion initiatives that protect women, amplify their voices, and invest in their safety and empowerment. As someone deeply committed to the empowerment of women, I believe there is #NoExcuse and it’s crucial to recognize that addressing violence isn’t solely about prevention and support. It’s about creating a world where equality, equity, respect, and dignity are fundamental, non-negotiable principles for everyone. #EndViolenceAgainstWomen #16DaysOfActivism #GenderEquality #HumanRights #gender-basedviolence

November 25th is an opportunity to remind the world that violence against women (and against any human being really) is plain wrong. We can all take action against any type of violence, from misogynistic comments or "jokes" to aggressive male behaviour, standing up against violence in our daily interactions can help change the deeply embedded yet changeable culture of toxic masculinity. Let’s aim for a world without any violence, where the only female rate raising is women becoming CEOs, not victims of femicides. 🧡 #DíaContraLaViolenciaDeGénero #Genderequality #November25 #bethesolution

This heartbreaking statistic is a global call to action. Gender-based violence should never exist, never be excused, and never be justified under any circumstances. But it can and must be prevented—through education, reshaping societal values, and robust action by governments and legal systems. Let’s ensure this isn’t just about the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence. This must be an ongoing commitment—365 days a year—until the very idea of gender-based violence becomes unthinkable. Be part of the change: https://lnkd.in/dhK9Wiet #EndGenderBasedViolence #16DaysOfActivism #GenderEquality #HumanRights #SocialJustice #EducationForAll #PreventGBV #GlobalAction UN Women

Inner peace for outer peace 🌍✨ ⁉️How can there be peace when discrimination and violence based on gender still persist? That’s why #sdg5 and #innerdevgoals #being #thinking #relating #collaborating #acting Peace is about shared understanding, and shared understanding is built through the ability to truly understand. This ability is a superpower 💡 that touches all five dimensions of the IDGs! ⚠️ Attention: What we need is an action plan, and the IDG framework is exactly that! Inner Development Goals

Every 10 minutes, a woman is killed by an intimate partner, family member, or even by a stranger—simply because of her gender. Society often seeks to justify gender-based violence and abuse, perpetuating harmful norms and stereotypes. One of the most significant challenges I have observed while working in the protection sector is the widespread lack of understanding about what constitutes violence and abuse. Many people are unaware of the different forms of violence and the behaviors that fall under the term 'abuse.' Awareness sessions on gender-based violence (GBV), women’s rights, referral mechanisms, and the community's role in addressing violence are critical first steps in tackling these issues. Educating individuals about their responsibilities when they witness violence against women can foster a culture of accountability and support. Quick and effective responses to GBV cases, along with proper referral mechanisms, are essential in addressing incidents as they arise. While these steps may not eliminate violence entirely, they can significantly reduce its occurrence. More importantly, these efforts empower women to recognize violence and abuse, equipping them with the knowledge of their rights and the actions they can take when they face such situations. Raising awareness is a vital step towards creating a safer and more equitable society.

Today is the first day of 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence. In 2017 we introduced our Domestic Abuse Policy, which sets out our zero tolerance position on domestic abuse and outlines how can recognise domestic abuse and support our staff and volunteers who are victims of it. The United Nations also recommend the following actions as part of their UNiTE campaign: - End impunity by holding perpetrators accountable and establishing zero tolerance of violence against women and girls. - Adopt, implement and fund National Action Plans to end violence against women and girls.  - Invest in prevention and women’s rights organisations to ensure rights and access to essential services for survivors.

Opportunistic gender-based violence is commonplace in transit, so public transport has a key role to play in prevention. 🚃 As communities work to improve and expand their transport networks, there's an opportunity to embed women's and girls' safety into design to transform these public spaces into beacons of safety. We've done this with Transport for London, so we know it requires a joined up approach. Get in touch this International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women to learn more about how you can make a difference. #4OC #ComplexChangeMadeEasy #InternationalDayForTheEliminationOfViolenceAgainstWomen #EVAWG

A life every 10 minutes! it might seem like a number that doesn't matter to us because maybe we want to believe this doesn't happen in our families, friends circle and happens in some backward country. we know not every instance of violence ends in death as well...I don't know how many instances of violence result in death..let's assume 10000..is it difficult to now imagine that of all the women you know maybe couple of them are facing violence in their lives? does that stat make it more realistic?? Does that want you to now check in on them? how would you know who to check in with? see below..