White Ribbon Campaign Launch

The event will be held in the foyer of University Campus Suffolk at 1.30pm and will be attended by the Mayor of Ipswich, Councillor Mary Blake, and Suffolk High Sheriff, Andrew Norman-Butler.

White Ribbon is an international anti-domestic violence and abuse initiative aiming to raise public awareness about domestic abuse against and to support early intervention.

This year's campaign is the biggest yet in Suffolk and focuses on young people caught up in domestic violence. This year will see members of the Ipswich Domestic Abuse Forum (IDAF) visiting high schools from 23rd November to 10th December to ask them to pledge their support for the campaign.

They want young people to understand the prevalence of teen relationship abuse, recognise the form it might take and how and where they can seek support.

A new county-wide project "Abuse in a Relationship is Never Okay" to prevent and respond to teen relationship abuse will be launched by Councillor Colin Spence, Suffolk County Council's Cabinet Member for Public Protection, and Councillor Joanna Spicer, Suffolk's County Domestic Forum Chair, at Endeavour House from 9am.

Also being launched is the annual Sue Poole Award, in honour of Sue Poole, who was the Ipswich Domestic Violence Co-coordinator who died in 2011. The award acknowledges innovation, achievement and commitment in the field of domestic and interpersonal abuse.