Inside Salisbury: ‘Gender Abuse is not OK!’

Women standing for election given extra support

By Annette J Beveridge

WOMEN standing in the forthcoming council elections across Wiltshire have been given a reporting system to combat gender abuse.

Operation Awake is a partnership between Salisbury Soroptimists and Wiltshire Police, providing a way to report gender abuse due to the role they play in serving their local communities.

Making our City Safer Project Lead of Salisbury Soroptimists, Liz Batten, said: “We want to encourage women to stand for public office and are keen to make sure there are no barriers to them doing so.

“Criticisms of politicians for their politics or their policies are acceptable, but gender abuse in the form of emails and social media posts, in some cases threatening violence, often sexual and with deeply upsetting content, is not.”

Project Vigilant was first launched in Wiltshire in 2021 and involved patrols being carried out to prevent violence and sexual offences against women and girls linked to the night-time economy.

Read more: Time to rummage in your bedroom drawers

The response to the scheme has been overwhelmingly positive from candidates and officers alike.

Salisbury Soroptimists have pledged to make a positive difference of the lives of women in public life and to encourage women to consider standing for public office, serving their communities and furthering their careers without the shadow of this kind of abuse.

Credit: Photos by Wiltshire Council