Wokingham council strategy aims to reduce violence against women

Councillor Sarah Kerr said she wanted to develop a strategy to keep women safe after herself being targeted by verbal abuse

A strategy to help stop violence against women is being spearheaded by a councillor after a man "hurled" abuse at her.

Wokingham Borough councillor Sarah Kerr said the attack was in a "safe space" and "it really shook me".

Ms Kerr said the strategy would ensure the council's attitude to sexist violence put the responsibility on the perpetrator - not the victim.

She said abuse "quite often is hidden and goes underreported".

"This abuse exists here in Wokingham," she said.

"I was talking to a male friend the other day who didn't think it did, didn't understand that in Wokingham women and girls suffer violence."

This happens all the time and it's quite often hidden - it's underreported. A lot of time women and girls fear going to the authorities because they are not always believed."

Ms Kerr launched her effort to change how the council tackles violence against women and girls last year.

The council's executive committee approved the strategy on 28 September.

She said she wants to encourage a culture where men challenge sexist behaviour.

"What I'm talking about here is, things like upskirting, stalking, bullying, it can be sexual assault, it can be rape and in some cases it's murder", she added.

"The reasons why this happens is because of the deep-rooted misogyny that we have in society that still exists that objectifies women and girls."

Now that the strategy is approved, Cllr Kerr says the next step is for Wokingham Borough Council to develop a "more detailed action plan".

The council is also seeking accreditation from the White Ribbon charity, which tackles violence against women and girls. This involves adopting a three-year action plan drawn up with the charity.