Harriet Thacker reflects on the importance of social media in raising awareness about organisations such as NDVF:

Being involved in feminism, women’s issues and rights I have always been aware of the magnitude of domestic abuse in the UK, but it wasn’t until I worked on the social media for NDVF that the reality of the situation became really apparent to me. There are some really shocking figures out there that can leave you feeling a bit like you’re standing against an unstoppable wave of abuse that is so common it’s almost considered normal. But more than feeling helpless, it makes me feel angry. It is astonishing that in 2012 nearly half the women in the UK have or will experience domestic abuse and two women a week are murdered by their partners or ex-partners. The best thing about doing work for NDVF is being able to see that something is being done, and that it’s pro-active as well as reactive.

NDVF (Nottingham Domestic Violence Forum) provides services and information for people dealing with domestic abuse in Nottingham and Nottinghamshire and they work closely with Women’s Aid and Nottingham City and County Councils to implement central government policies on domestic violence.  Primarily, NDVF aims to reduce domestic violence and offers a wide range of information and support for both survivors and perpetrators.  

When faced with the facts and figures on domestic abuse and the staggering amount of people who experience it, questions are raised on how best to tackle the problem. It’s all about changing attitudes and education and some of the most important work NDVF is doing is with young people, educating them about healthy relationships. The group most at risk from domestic abuse is young girls aged 16-24, which is why the Respect not Fear project is so important. This project gives young people information on healthy and unhealthy relationships, the law, their rights, and services. It’s imperative that young people know these things as surveys have found many of them are confused about domestic abuse – unsurprisingly given that media portrayals of abuse and female homicide often try to provide causes and excuses for perpetrators. If only more people working in the media had read this Good Practice Guide.  

The need to change attitudes extends beyond teenagers and young adults. 750,000 children a year witness domestic violence and a third of boys and young men think it is acceptable to hit a woman if she is ‘nagging’. The G.R.E.A.T Project (Good Relationships are Equal And Trusting  is designed to enable children in year 5 and 6 to recognise their right to live free from fear and to encourage healthy attitudes to relationships. NDVF deliver workshops, presentations and projects to children to develop their understanding of healthy relationships, and where to go for help and support.  

This year, NDVF’s hard work has paid off and they were shortlisted for the Charity Awards 2012 for their work with the G.R.E.A.T project. Here at Shake Social we are incredibly proud to have them as a client because of the vital work they do with young people and adults to not only respond to domestic abuse but to also try to reduce it. Awareness, education and understanding are the best ways to combat an issue like domestic abuse and we are here to spread the word on the work that NDVF do. If you want to show your support and pledge to end domestic abuse then please sign the Man Enough petition here.

By Harriet Thacker

Harriet is currently working as an intern with Shake. You can follow Harriet on Twitter here or read her blog here.