Every year, Bristol Women’s Commission launches a local campaign as part of UN Women’s global 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence. The 2022 campaign involved city leaders sharing what they’re doing to tackle male violence.
This year’s campaign featured a range of actions from commissioners, from representatives of local and national government, local charity leaders, the police and those running educational institutions. All shared the many different ways they were playing their part in tackling the issue.

During 16 Days, Bristol South MP and member of our Women’s Health Task Group Karin Smyth led an important parliamentary debate for International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women. Find out what was said here.
Bristol Women’s Commission also contributed a guest blog to the Mayor’s Blog. Claire Bloor, Chair of our Women’s Safety Task Group and CEO of SARSAS wrote passionately about how telling women to adjust their behaviour/actions was never going to be enough – and how we need to address the root causes, including a culture of misogyny we allow to persist in wider society. Read the full blog here.

The campaign ran alongside a Nextlink led candlelit vigil in remembrance of those women and girls who’ve lost their lives to male violence. Next Link are part of the Women’s Safety Task Group and Commission Chair Penny Gane took part in their campaign too.
Previous years 16 Days campaigns by Bristol Women’s Commission include sharing 16 different ways we can all take action to tackle male violence; and videos from city leaders with their suggestions for what you can do to tackle male violence.
A big thank you to everyone who took part in our 16 Days campaign, and for the ongoing work you all do to help tackle gender-based violence. Only by working together can we stop this epidemic of male violence.
