Why Rotary should get serious about domestic abuse
story by: DAVE KING
Nicky Alberry joined Swindon Rotary Club in 1997 impressed by the work the Wiltshire-based club was doing around domestic abuse.
“When I found out about that, I thought it was a really brave thing for a group of men to be doing for an issue which, back then, was not talked about as much as it is now,” reflected Nicky.
“That was one of the reasons why I joined the club which has been supporting Swindon Women’s Aid for almost 50 years now, which is remarkable. I take my hat off to them.”
In 2016, in preparation for becoming High Sheriff of Wiltshire in 2018-19, Nicky decided to focus on domestic abuse as an issue which, as she put it: “I could hang my hat on”.
Ever since then, Nicky has chaired the Swindon Domestic Abuse Support Service, a charity established 50 years ago this year which provides a range of free and confidential support services supporting all victims of domestic abuse, and which today runs a purpose-built refuge which can accommodate up to 22 families.
“I thought it was a really brave thing for a group of men to be doing.”
It’s no surprise, therefore, that Nicky was appointed as the first Lead of the newly created Domestic Abuse & Violence Against the Person Team, tasked with raising awareness of what is already being done by Rotary across Great Britain & Ireland, ideas for ways to get involved and opportunities to increase the impact and to share ideas and successes.
“We’ve got an experienced team who are interested in starting a conversation about what is Rotary already doing and what else might it do,” explained Nicky.
“How do we get Rotary members thinking about domestic abuse as a serious topic and how, without trying to become experts, we can work with others in our communities to increase our impact, in the same way as polio?”
Swindon and Nottingham Rotary clubs are two good advocates of embedding domestic abuse awareness and fund-raising into their community activities.
The Crime Survey for England and Wales estimated that 2.1 million people aged 16 years and over (1.4 million women and 751,000 men) experienced domestic abuse in the year ending March 2023.
In a policy statement, the Nottingham Rotarians have committed to supporting the White Ribbon campaign – a global movement working to end violence against women and girls pointing out: “Underpinning that status is a conviction that everyone has the right to live free from abuse.”
They add: “We recognise that anyone, including Rotarians and their acquaintances, friends and family, can be a victim of ‘abuse against the person’ as anyone can be a perpetrator of abuse.”
Nottingham Rotary Club will be hosting a White Ribbon Awareness event around White Ribbon Day on November 25. Swindon Rotary Club will also be actively involved.
Domestic abuse is manifested through physical or sexual abuse, violent or threatening behaviour, controlling or coercive behaviour, economic along with psychological and emotional abuse. Nicky Alberry acknowledges that although it is firmly in the public eye, more needs to be done.
TV programmes such as Coronation Street and EastEnders, along with BBC Radio’s The Archers have included domestic abuse in their storyline.
“People are talking about domestic abuse much more, but are we tackling it? Absolutely not,” added Nicky.
“There's not enough money to deliver the services, and the big problem today is the influence of social media and the internet particularly on our young people who are increasingly becoming both the victims and perpetrators of domestic abuse.
“Today, the services and support arms are much more professional and joined up. They certainly are in Swindon where we are working closely with public sector partners. But are we anywhere near to tackling the root cause? I think we’re a million miles away from all of that, which is where Rotary has got a role to play in terms of raising awareness within their communities.
“I read a letter once asking why Rotary was getting involved with domestic abuse awareness, stating it has nothing to do with us. That’s ridiculous.
“Just think of the thousands of Rotarians in Great Britain & Ireland, and then recognise that one in four women and one in six men will be affected by domestic abuse at some stage in their life. Every single Rotarian will know someone who has been affected by it directly or indirectly.”
“IF EVERY ROTARY CLUB REACH OUT TO A DOMESTIC ABUSE SUPPORT CHARITY OR REFUGE, THEN THINK ABOUT THE IMPACT THIS WOULD HAVE.”
Nicky explained that the purpose of the Domestic Abuse & Violence Against the Person Team was to highlight opportunities for Rotary to make a difference, sharing stories of where Rotary clubs can work with other organisations.
She added: “We’re absolutely not saying that Rotary delivers any services because there are professionals out there doing that. What we are saying is that Rotary can support those organisations who are working in this sphere.
“If every Rotary club reached out to a local domestic abuse support charity, a refuge, or organisations like the NSPCC who are running programmes for children affected by it, then think about the impact this would have in terms of awareness and impact.
“And we all know that Rotary is really good at raising money. Small amounts of money make a great deal of difference to lots of these charities. We will also be sharing ideas for possible District or Global grants from The Rotary Foundation to support the work.
Social media and the internet continue to prove a significant problem, particularly among young people, when it comes to domestic abuse.
“If Rotary clubs want to be more serious about this issue, a bit like my club, you could get the charities to come along to a meeting, invite the Chief Constable, the local authority or a social worker to talk to the club about the work they are doing to tackle domestic abuse on their patch.
“You could appoint a club champion who could act as a catalyst for some of the information.”
In Swindon, the Rotarians raise money each Christmas for the Swindon Domestic Abuse Support Service, and several club members volunteer at the charity shop each week.
On November 25, as part of White Ribbon Day, club members will wear white ribbon lapel badges, and join with other members of the Swindon community to link arms around a tree with a white ribbon by the Civic Offices.
“We have to focus our energy and effort on education and prevention,” added Nicky. “We have to stop domestic abuse happening in the first place and we have to work with the perpetrators to change their focus. I believe this has to be the focus for the future.”
For more information about the Domestic Abuse & Violence Against the Person Team contact Nicky Alberry.
Useful websites on this topic include:
- White Ribbon UK: whiteribbon.org.uk
- Swindon Domestic Abuse Support Service: wadomesticabuse.org
- Men’s Development Network: mensnetwork.ie
FOLLOW US
