A NEW campaign urging Nottinghamshire men to stand up to violence against women and girls has been launched by domestic abuse charity Juno Women’s Aid.
The Notts500 initiative aims to sign up 500 men to pledge support and raise money for the charity’s work in helping women and families deal with the impact of abusive relationships.
The awareness and fundraising drive is being spearheaded by four Juno supporters who work for local businesses – Kevin Smith, a director at architects Marchini Curran Associates, Amani Darr, who works at TDX/Equifax, Tom Snee, director at Cartwright Communications and Notts TV presenter Al Booth.
They joined Tasarla Larner, Juno’s fundraising and communications manager, at the campaign launch. She said: “As a women-only organisation, men cannot directly work or volunteer with us, but we are always being asked how they can be involved.
“Many men have told us that they want to do something meaningful and to be a part of changing attitudes and we thought this would be an ideal opportunity. We’re so grateful to our four supporters in our aim to sign up 500 men who will pledge £2 a month towards our vital services.”
Former BBC journalist and Notts TV anchor Al Booth said it was important that people share stories and listen to others’ experiences.
“Even though I work within it, I think how the media reports violence against women and girls needs to change,” he said. “There seems to be a focus on how women can protect themselves from attacks or spikings. What we really need to focus on is how we create allyship for women and be better as men and boys. That’s why this campaign is crucial; it’s about creating a platform where voices can be heard, and real change can begin. For me, it starts with education both for myself and for my son. It’s about starting those conversations early, teaching young boys and men the values of respect, equality, and empathy.
“My involvement in Notts500 comes from that same belief: the change begins at home, with open conversations, encouraging curiosity, and a commitment to raising the next generation with a deeper understanding of the impact their actions can have on others.”
A recent report revealed the scale of the issue in the UK, with an estimated one in 12 women in England and Wales being victims of violence each year. The report by the National Police Chiefs’ Council and College of Policing found a 37% increase in violent crimes against women and girls from 2018 to 2023, describing an ‘epidemic’ of offending.
In Juno’s latest figures for 2023-24, the charity worked with 2,980 women – an increase of nine percent on the previous year – and 501 children, a rise of six percent. Nottingham’s largest domestic abuse organisation receives more than 16,000 calls to its helpline each year.
“The figures are shocking and our work is now more important than ever,” said Juno CEO Yasmin Rehman. “We know that not all men inflict this violence but the majority of victims are women who have been abused, victimised and even tragically killed by men.
“In our new campaign, we’re saying it is time to call out misogynistic, violent and oppressive behaviour. We want to find 500 men in Nottingham and Nottinghamshire who are willing to stand up and protect the women and girls in their communities by supporting our work and pledging a small amount of money each month. It could make a huge difference to people’s awareness of the issues and help to instigate change – this could affect a mum, sister, daughter, friend, neighbour or work colleague.”
Also backing the campaign is Amani Darr, strategy and CX lead at TDX Group/Equifax, who said: “The injustices and barriers women face in our society are a problem we all must confront collectively. As men, we have a responsibility to recognise these inequalities and play an active role in addressing them, not just through words, but through meaningful action.
“The Notts500 campaign has made me reflect on how I can authentically support women without overstepping or overcompensating. It’s about being an ally in a genuine, respectful way.”
Kevin Smith, a director at architects Marchini Curran Associates – which has a long-term partnership with Juno, said: “Partnering with Juno has given me an insight into the abuse suffered by far too many women, and ignored by far too many men. Personally, as a father to both a boy and a girl, I want to make a stand to say it’s not acceptable. Men need to stand together to make a real change.”
Tom Snee, director at PR and digital marketing agency Cartwright Communications, which has supported the charity for five years, said: “While the money raised will be of huge support to the charity’s ongoing essential work with survivors, the Notts500 campaign is as much about advocacy and ensuring that conversations are being had and action is being taken.
“As men, we have a responsibility to be holding each other to account and tackle the spiral of domestic violence – we want Notts500 to be a conversation starter that leads to real change in terms of attitudes, outlooks and awareness.”
Juno’s wide-ranging work includes its helpline, a drop-in service, refuge provision, specialist one-to-one and community outreach support, justice team support through civil and criminal court proceedings and group work programmes.
To pledge your support for the campaign and donate £2 a month, please visit https://www.justgiving.com/campaign/notts500 – select ‘monthly donation’ and complete the direct debit instructions.
Juno resources, including a LinkedIn frame and social media post, can be downloaded from the website at https://junowomensaid.org.uk/fundraise-for-us/. Once you’ve pledged be sure to tell your network using the available resources and tag @junowomensaid.