Men Step Up, a new campaign to tackle Violence Against Women and Girls, has been launched in South Yorkshire.
Led by the South Yorkshire Violence Reduction Unit (VRU) in partnership with campaign agency Jaywing, Men Step Up focuses on positive male role models and behaviours, and the role men can play in tackling Violence Against Women and Girls.
The campaign is built around the 5Ds of Bystander Intervention: Direct, Distract, Delay, Delegate, Document, outlining scenarios where men can step up and make a positive difference as an ally of women and girls in tackling violence against them.
Men Step Up is aimed at men over 30.
The campaign launch was held at St Mary’s Church in Sheffield.
Speakers included the South Yorkshire Police and Crime Commissioner, Dr Alan Billings, Head of the VRU, Graham Jones, and the team from Jaywing. Attendees came from organisations across South Yorkshire, including local councils, public services such as South Yorkshire Fire and Rescue, charities, and community groups.
You can visit menstepup.co.uk to learn more about the campaign.
Graham Jones, Head of the South Yorkshire Violence Reduction Unit said: “Violence Against Women and Girls is an incredibly important issue, which affects our whole society, both those who experience it directly, and other women and girls who too often are left feeling unsafe.
“Men Step Up, the VRU’s new campaign, aims to contribute to efforts to tackle that, highlighting the positive and proactive role men can play in tackling this issue.
“We hope that this will make a real difference with our target audience, and in addressing this issue more widely.”
Dr Alan Billings, South Yorkshire Police and Crime Commissioner said: “As Police and Crime Commissioner, my aim is to make sure that South Yorkshire is a safe place to live, work, and travel.
“Key to that aim is addressing Violence Against Women and Girls, which has become much more prominent as an agenda over the last two years.
“Tackling this issue means not just supporting victims and survivors, but working to bring about long term change to the attitudes and behaviours of boys and men which lead to Violence Against Women and Girls in the first place.
“Men are sometimes genuinely unaware of how some ways in which they behave cause women upset and distress and want to change. This campaign will help them think more carefully in future.
“I was pleased to speak at the launch of Men Step Up, a campaign which can make an important contribution to our efforts in this area.”
