A march is planned in Jersey to advocate for the end of violence against women and girls (VAWG).
Scheduled for 23 November, the event will include a walk through St Helier, concluding with a speech by the Chair of the VAWG taskforce. Organized by Soroptimist International Jersey, the march aligns with global UN Day commemorations, during which people worldwide will call for an end to violence against women and girls.
Christine Spink, a long-standing member of Soroptimist Jersey, shared the event’s purpose: "Gender-based violence remains one of the most pervasive, persistent, and devastating human rights violations globally, threatening millions of women and girls both online and offline. It impacts females across all ages, backgrounds, and education levels, manifesting as physical, sexual, psychological violence, and economic abuse."
A recent survey by an independent task force in 2023 revealed that nearly every female respondent in Jersey reported experiencing sexual harassment, and a quarter had faced rape or attempted rape.
Out of approximately 3,000 annual crimes reported, 24% relate to VAWG. From 2018 to 2022, 3,543 VAWG incidents were recorded, with 677 cases (17%) leading to charges. The march, open to all, will start at 11:30 am in West’s Centre.
Participants are encouraged to wear orange, a color that symbolises hope for a safer, brighter future. Fort Regent and St Helier Town Hall will also be lit in orange as a show of solidarity.
"Orange might seem like a strange choice," Spink explained, "but it represents our hope for a better world and is meant to bring a sense of optimism as we work toward positive change."