A Practical Guide to Tackling the Weaponisation of Violence Against Women and Girls
Violence against women and girls (VAWG) is not a tool for political point-scoring. It is not a justification for racism, xenophobia, or hostility towards migrant communities. And yet, it is increasingly being used as exactly that.
Today Southall Black Sisters (SBS), alongside End Violence Against Women Coalition (EVAW), Hibiscus, Imkaan, Latin American Women’s Rights Service (LAWRS), Women for Refugee Women and Asylum Matters is launching Not In Our Name – a practical guide on how to talk about the weaponisation of VAWG.
As organisations that work on the frontline with women and girls experiencing violence and abuse, we see the devastating impact of misinformation and anti-migrant narratives every day. Far from keeping women safe, these narratives reinforce the ‘stranger-danger’ myth, divert political attention from the real causes of violence, and put Black, minoritised and migrant women at greater risk of harm. When VAWG is weaponised, all women are made less safe.
This guide is a resource for anyone who wants to challenge this – campaigners, communicators, frontline workers, journalists, and anyone having difficult conversations about this issue in their everyday lives. It draws on the lived expertise of specialist organisations to provide practical tools and approaches that shift the narrative from one that divides to one that is grounded in truth, evidence and the shared values that bind us together.
Our message to those who exploit VAWG to fuel hatred and division is clear: Not In Our Name.
#NotInOurName