From 25 November, Tower Hamlets will be supporting this year’s White Ribbon Day and 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence, global campaigns to raise awareness and inspire action to end violence against women and girls (VAWG).
White Ribbon Day is the world’s largest movement of men and boys working to end violence against women. This year’s theme, We Speak Up, encourages everyone, especially men and boys, to challenge harmful behaviours and attitudes that perpetuate gender-based violence. Wearing a white ribbon is a pledge to never commit, excuse, or remain silent about abuse.
Violence against women and girls: a national crisis, a local reality
Across the UK, violence against women and girls remains widespread. Between July 2023 and June 2024, 69,184 rapes were recorded by police, yet fewer than 3 in 100 resulted in a charge that same year. It’s estimated that more than 1 in 4 women and 1 in 18 men have been raped or sexually assaulted as adults, and 1 in 2 survivors have experienced it more than once.
Domestic abuse continues to affect millions: in the year ending March 2024, 2.3 million people experienced abuse, 1.6 million women and 712,000 men. Women are disproportionately affected, with 65.4% of domestic abuse related deaths being female, and in most cases, the suspect was male.
Online abuse is also rising, with over 1 in 10 women in England experiencing online violence. This figure climbs to 25% among young women aged 16–24, and 35% among lesbian and bisexual women. Alarmingly, 13% of those affected said the abuse progressed to offline violence.
In Tower Hamlets, the picture is equally concerning. The borough has the second highest number of domestic abuse offences in London (4,335) and there were 3.1 sexual offences per 1,000 people in 2021/22. Tower Hamlets also has some of the highest positive outcome rates in London for domestic abuse and sexual offence cases by volume. Victims are overwhelmingly female (84%), and local surveys show that women feel significantly less safe than men, both during the day and at night.
Year-round support for survivors
Tower Hamlets is committed to supporting survivors of gender-based abuse every day of the year. We work closely with partners to provide:
- Specialist services for survivors of domestic abuse, sexual abuse, and coercive control.
- Culturally sensitive support for those affected by honour-based abuse and female genital mutilation (FGM).
- Community outreach and education to challenge harmful attitudes and promote safety.
- Training for professionals to identify and respond to abuse effectively.
Tower Hamlets Council’s VAWG, Domestic Abuse and Women Safety Team, plus the Women’s Network and Male Allies, will be using the awareness days to encourage council staff to sign White Ribbon pledge the pledge during the 16 days.
What’s happening during the 16 Days of Activism
During the 16 Days of Activism, Tower Hamlets will host a range of events to raise awareness and support survivors. Highlights include:
- A stallholders’ fair connecting residents with local support services and community organisations. Including a powerful photo exhibition by SHEWISE, in collaboration with artist Sujata Setia. A Thousand Cuts captures the lived experiences and resilience of women affected by violence.
- A screening of BBC’s Murdered by My Boyfriend, based on the true story of Ashley, a young woman murdered by her controlling partner — spotlighting the dangers of coercive control and domestic abuse.
- Over 40 activities planned with partners to engage communities and offer guidance.
If you or someone you know is impacted by domestic abuse and needs advice or support, please contact Solace on 020 3795 5064. If you would like to know more about events or training, email Domestic.Violence@towerhamlets.gov.uk.
Lutfur Rahman, Executive Mayor of Tower Hamlets, said:
“Violence against women and girls is a horrific crime. We are supporting White Ribbon Day and 16 Days of Activism to tackle this national crisis and to make sure Tower Hamlets is a safe place for all. I encourage everyone to sign the pledge and report incidents of abuse.
"That is also why we are investing in measures and working with partners to improve women’s safety across the borough through our VAWG and Women’s Safety Strategy. That work includes creating dedicated safe spaces for women and preparing to launch the Women’s Resource Centre which will have a Domestic Abuse One Stop Shop, designed to provide support for those who need it."
Cllr Abu Talha Chowdhury, Cabinet Member for Public Protection and Integrated Enforcement, said:
“Ending violence against women and girls is everybody’s business and collectively we all have a part to play in working towards a borough where nobody - regardless of ethnicity, gender, class, religion, or sexuality – feels unsafe on the street or at home.
“We continue to put the safety and promotion of women and girls at the heart of all aspects of council services, and work to shine a spotlight on the need to bring wider cultural change around misogyny in our society.”
Posted on Monday 24th November 2025