International Day for the Elimination of Violence against women

24 Nov 2023

UNITE! Invest to prevent violence against women and girls

The United Nation’s International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women is part of the United Nations Secretary General’s UNiTE by 2030 to End Violence against Women campaign including 16 Days of Activism against Gender-based violence, which runs from 25th November to 10th December 2023.

1 in 3 women and girls will or have experienced physical or sexual violence in their lifetime. This is a shocking statistic that we can’t ignore. The global theme for this years’ 16 Days of Activism is ‘UNITE! Invest to prevent violence against women and girls’ encouraging people and organisations to support and invest in women’s rights organisations to end violence against women and girls.

You can visit the UN’s FAQs site to find out more about the definition of gender based violence.

Gender-based violence is violence directed against a person because of that person's gender or violence that affects persons of a particular gender disproportionately. It is essential to understand gender-based violence can impact anyone, and it is important to highlight statistics and support for all:

Statistics (2021-22) on male victims of domestic abuse in England and Wales show an estimated 3.0% of men (699,000) experienced domestic abuse. One in 6-7 men will be a victim of domestic abuse in their lifetime.

Two-thirds (64%) of LGBTQ+ people had experienced anti-LGBT+ violence or abuse.

Of these, 9 in 10 (92%) had experienced verbal abuse, 3 in 10 (29%) had experienced physical violence and 2 in 10 (17%) had experienced sexualviolence.

It is essential all individuals impacted by gender-based violence feel able to speak up and have access to support.

Support for Men: The ManKind Initiative and Men’s Advice Line are UK-wide support organisations supporting males impacting by domestic abuse.

Support for the LGBTQ+ community: Galop, LGBT Foundation and Rise are UK-wide support organisations supporting the LGBTQ+ community impacted by domestic abuse and violence.

Reclaim the Night

Join us this year on Wednesday 29th November and march with us to Reclaim the Night!

Reclaim the Night is our annual campaign against sexual harassment and gender-based violence. Each year, we take the streets to march for an end of sexual violence and ensure safety and autonomy for all women and marginalised genders in Manchester.

Support at the University  

The University has a zero-tolerance stance on any form of bullying, harassment, discrimination, gender-based violence or hate.

Use Report and Support  if you or someone you know has experienced or witnessed any form of bullying, harassment, discrimination, gender-based violence, hate or micro-aggressions, or have a safeguarding concern, you can report it anonymously or get support from a trained advisor.
Domestic Abuse Guidance
Never OK campaign, a collaboration between The University of Manchester, Manchester Metropolitan University and The University of Salford, which aims to promote a zero-tolerance environment and culture towards sexual harassment and violence.   
SafeZone App designed to help keep you safe and give you extra peace of mind across campuses in the city 
Our staff network groups such as Women@Manchester are also available to support any member of our University community.

What can I do to support the elimination of gender-based violence?

Make a pledge to educate yourself and the people around you on gender-based violence  
Donate, volunteer or support a local charity
Promote the University’s SafeZone App   Report any form of bullying, harassment, discrimination, gender based violent, hate or micro-aggressions via the Report and Support platform 
Join a staff network group such as Women@Manchester