The Violence Against Women And Girls (VAWG) mural along Ipswich Waterfront forms part of the Ipswich Safer Streets 4 project funded through a Home Office grant, delivered between August 2022 and March 2023.
About the Mural
The Ipswich VAWG mural was created to provide a lasting public legacy and positive message that challenges attitudes and behaviours. The mural aims to educate and creates a discussion point around VAWG awareness, helping to encourage reporting and reduce this type of crime.
Behavioural attitudes, especially towards women, are changing but this is a slow process requiring sustained action by the whole community. ‘If society educates and challenges inappropriate attitudes we can collectively lead change.’
Whilst focussed on VAWG, this project promoted the safety of everyone, regardless of gender.
Our Safer Streets Mural was delivered by Art Eat Events CIC who led workshops with three community groups to gain the voice, thoughts, feelings and direction from community members, including those affected by VAWG. Input to the content and design was provided through Lighthouse Women’s Aid, Suffolk Rape Crisis and Volunteering Matters.
Art Eat Events CIC is an arts organisation that develops and produces creative projects that focus on community, participation, learning and place-making. Projects take the form of murals, community arts activities, art workshops and events. Art Eat encourages connection through relationship building and working closely with local communities to create exciting and relevant projects that have a meaningful impact for the people and places involved. Art Eat works across East Anglia with a wealth of talented artists from around the UK as well as artists local to Suffolk for clients including charities, local authorities, museums, arts organisations and private businesses.
Art Eat commissioned Catalina Carvajal, a Colombian visual artist and book illustrator based in Ipswich who also delivers art workshops and co-creates public art with local communities and organisations. Catalina is particularly interested in public art and its positive impact on the local surroundings. She has experience working with communities from all backgrounds and is passionate about integration, diversity, heritage and identity.
For further information about Arts Eat Events visit www.arteatevents.com or follow the group on social media @arteatevents
How to intervene safely
For guidance on how to intervene safely if you witness VAWG crimes, visit Help Stop It | ENOUGH.
General advice is to...
- Say Something
- Tell Someone
- Offer Support
- Provide a Diversion
And remember, if you are out and about and don’t feel safe, ‘Ask For Angela’ support may be available.
Whilst our Mural aims to be educational and thought provoking in itself, below are contacts for further help and advice if required.
Support and Reporting
If you need immediate help, contact the Police:
- Emergency for crime that is happening, call 999.
- Silent Solution: If you can't speak safely, call 999, stay on the line, and press 55 when prompted. The call will be transferred to the police as an emergency.
- Non-Emergency for a crime that has already happened, call 101 or report online at Suffolk Police.
- For anonymous or independent reports, contact Crimestoppers online or call 0800 555 111
If you or someone you care about needs dedicated help and support, the following organisations are also available:
Anglia Care Trust
- Website: Visit Anglia Care Trust
- Phone: 0800 977 5690 / 01473 622888
- Email: admin@angliacaretrust.org.uk
- Support: 24/7 domestic abuse helpline
Alumah
- Website: Visit Alumah
- Phone: 07770 468698
- Email: info@alumah.co.uk
- Support: Domestic abuse assistance
Brave Futures
- Website: Visit Brave Futures
- Phone: 01473 353355
- Support: Therapeutic service for children and young people who have experienced sexual abuse
Forced Marriage Guidance
- Website: Visit Forced Marriage Guidance
- Phone: 020 7008 0151
- Email: fmu@fcdo.gov.uk
- Support: Advice and support for victims of forced marriage
Freedom Charity
- Website: Visit Freedom Charity
- Phone: 0845 607 0133
- Email: hello@freedomcharity.org.uk
- Support: Victims of forced or child marriage
Karma Nirvana Honour Network
- Website: Visit Karma Nirvana Honour Network
- Phone: 0800 5999 247
- Email: info@karmanirvana.org.uk
- Support: Honour-based abuse victims and survivors
Leeway
- Website: Visit Leeway
- Phone: 0300 561 0077
- Email: adviceandsupport@leewaynwa.org.uk
- Support: Help for those experiencing domestic abuse
Lighthouse Women’s Aid
- Website: Visit Lighthouse Women’s Aid
- Phone: 01473 228270
- Email: info@lighthousewa.org.uk
- Support: Women, young people, and children facing domestic abuse
Mankind
- Website: Visit Mankind
- Phone: 01823 334244
- Email: admin@mankind.org.uk
- Support: Male victims of domestic abuse
Norfolk and Suffolk Victim Care
- Website: Visit Norfolk and Suffolk Victim Care
- Phone: 0300 303 3706
- Email: nsvictimcare@victimsupport.org.uk
- Support: Help for victims and witnesses of crime
Phoebe Centre
- Website: Visit Phoebe Centre
- Phone: 01473 231566 / 01473 760966
- Email: info@phoebecentre.org.uk
- Support: Psycho-social support for underprivileged women and children
Respect
- Website: Visit Respect
- Phone: 0808 802 4040
- Email: info@respect.org.uk
- Support: For domestic abuse perpetrators, male victims, and young people using violence
Restitute
- Website: Visit Restitute
- Email: support@restitute.org
- Support: For those who care for survivors of sexual or violent crime
Stonewall
- Website: Visit Stonewall
- Phone: 020 7593 1850
- Email: info@stonewall.org.uk
- Support: LGBTQ+ rights and advocacy
Suffolk County Council
- Website: Visit Suffolk County Council
- Support: Links to organisations supporting victims of domestic abuse
Survivors in Transition
- Website: Visit Survivors in Transition
- Phone: 07765 052282 / 01473 232499
- Email: support@survivorsintransition.co.uk
- Support: For adults who experienced sexual abuse in childhood
The Ferns
- Website: Visit The Ferns
- Phone: 0300 123 5058
- Email: contact@theferns-suffolk.org.uk
- Support: For anyone who has been raped or sexually assaulted