A race against the dark as Leeds City Council reaccredited as White Ribbon organisation

White Ribbon Day falls on 25 November and is followed by 16 Days of Activism, an annual international campaign that calls for the prevention and elimination of violence against women and girls.

This year, Anthea Sully, founder of White Ribbon, will be joined by Jude Roberts, a Leeds City Council safeguarding manager, in taking on a marathon ‘Race the Dark’ challenge on 22 November. Starting at dawn in Leeds City Centre they will run to Saltaire and back again before it gets dark, bringing awareness to the measures women take every day to keep themselves safe.

The run will start by the ‘Ribbons’ sculpture near Leeds City College’s Quarry Hill campus, which carries the names of hundreds of inspirational Leeds women, and finish again at sundown at Laynes, one of the venues signed up to the city’s Ask for Angela scheme.

On Saturday 23 November, the Woodhouse Moor parkrun, starting at 9am, will be White Ribbon-branded. The charity White Ribbon UK, alongside Leeds councillors, will be there to promote the campaign to an expected 500 runners.

Being White Ribbon-accredited means that the council demonstrates an ongoing commitment to ending violence against women and girls, having launched several safety initiatives. One of these is a partnership with the WalkSafe app, a free app promoting safe walking at night in the city.

Users of the app can also find registered ‘safe spaces’, such as businesses signed up to the Ask for Angela scheme and the Women’s Night Safe Space, a mobile bus for women and girls to attend or be referred to in the city centre at night if they feel unsafe or unwell.

Local events and activities are also planned around the city during the 16 days.

Councillor Mary Harland, Leeds City Council’s executive member for communities, customer service and community safety, said: “We are proud to have received our reaccreditation as a White Ribbon organisation, highlighting the hard work in striving toward a city where women and girls are safe and feel safe, no matter the time of day or night.

“White Ribbon Day and 16 Days of Activism is a great opportunity for people to get involved and show their support for the prevention and elimination of violence against women and girls. We need to be absolutely clear that any form of violence is not accepted in Leeds.”

Councillor Julie Heselwood, Leeds City Council’s Women's Champion, said: “We are proud to be an accredited White Ribbon city, and even more proud of the partnerships the council has to help keep women and girls safe. We welcome everyone to the White Ribbon Parkrun at Woodhouse Moor on 23 November, highlighting the issues women and girls face when undertaking exercise. We look forward to seeing everyone there.”

Anthea Sully, CEO of White Ribbon UK, said: “I hope by taking on the challenge of running from dawn to dusk to race the dark we will show the realities that women face on a day to day basis in keeping themselves safe. As a runner myself I know that it is not only in the hours of darkness that I am careful with the routes I take to avoid been harassed.

“It should not be for women to carry the burden of keeping themselves safe, White Ribbon UK calls for men to show allyship to women, to think through how their behaviour and actions can make a positive difference to the issues women face.”

ENDS

The 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence is an annual international campaign that commences on 25 November, the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, and runs until 10 December, International Human Rights Day. The campaign spans these 16 days to highlight the link between abuse and violence against women and human rights. 

White Ribbon Day is also marked on 25 November and the start of the 16 Days of Activism. On White Ribbon Day everyone, but especially men, is invited to make the White Ribbon Promise. That is: to never use, excuse or remain silent about violence against women. White Ribbon began in 1991 to engage men in the prevention of violence.