WORKSHOPS to help men better understand sexual harassment and abuse against women are taking place across Northamptonshire under an initiative from the county’s Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner Stephen Mold.
The Stand by Her training tackles harassment and cultural attitudes towards women and girls and forms part of the PFCC’s ongoing Safer Streets project. Reducing violence against women and girls is a priority for Mr Mold and among those taking part is Northampton College.
Training sessions for more than 600 students will take place in the coming months, encouraging them to challenge or intervene when they witness inappropriate behaviour. Ten teachers will also undergo ‘train the trainer’ workshops to futureproof the project and establish the training at the college.
Mr Mold pictured right said: “This is another example of my commitment to making Northamptonshire a safer place, especially for women. Stand by Her training shifts the focus from women keeping themselves safe to target the root cause. This intervention will challenge the culture and attitudes that can lead to further abusive behaviour. It shows how men can be allies to women and play a fundamental role in stopping violence against women and girls.”
The training aims to start conversations with men about negative attitudes and behaviours towards women and will empower participants to actively challenge derogatory and inappropriate behaviour. Harassment is often the precursor to crimes which disproportionately affect women and girls and education is key to changing the culture and make more women feel safe, Mr Mold said.
The training explains that an unwanted touch, an unnecessary sexual comment or a look that lasts long enough to make someone uncomfortable can be classed as harassment and challenges young men to reflect on their behaviours and the behaviours of others.
Northampton College principal Pat Brennan-Barrett pictured left said: “Keeping our young people safe is of paramount importance to us at the college and anything we can do to start a conversation around tackling violence against women has to be a good thing.”
Ms Brennan-Barrett said: “We welcome this opportunity to get involved with a project that is already doing so much to change attitudes in young men towards women and it is something we are looking forward to embedding into the college for years to come.”
Harassment and sexual assault impact the day-to-day lives of millions of women in the UK and happens everywhere, in outside spaces, at work, in the home and online.
Mr Mold called on organisations and schools across the county to take up the offer to host training workshops. To find out more, email .
“We are delighted to be working with Northampton College to deliver Stand by Her workshops,” said the Commissioner. “This partnership enables us to reach a demographic that can really help make a difference in society. I hope that others see the positive impact this will have in protecting women and girls.”
