News

Supporting young people to Expect Respect

Released on 13 October 2009

As part of Surrey Heath's contribution to Surrey Domestic Abuse (DA) Awareness Week 2009, on 19 to 23 October, the Safer Surrey Heath Partnership and Surrey Women's Aid (SWA) challenged Year 10 pupils of Tomlinscote School, Frimley, to design a domestic abuse awareness poster for young people.

Pupils voluntarily worked on the project during the summer 2009 term and in August, a winning design was picked by a panel of judges including SWA Director, Bev Pass, and Surrey Heath Borough Council Chief Executive, Michael Willis, representing the Partnership.

The winning design was by Emily Rawson, 15, of Frimley whose hard-hitting image impressed the judges. The runners-up were Oliver Surey and Yuki Yamane, also both 15 and of Frimley, whose designs were praised for originality. The pupils, now of Year 11, were awarded prizes of vouchers of their choice worth £150, £100 and £50 respectively.

Emily's design has now been printed into A3 and A4 versions and is being launched to mark the start of DA Week. It will be displayed across the borough where it may be seen by young people, such as in schools and youth clubs. Emily, who chose H&M vouchers as her prize, said: "I can't believe I won, it's amazing! I'm really interested in things like this and am currently training for a marathon to raise money for charity."

Bev Pass commented: "Recent online research undertaken by a national teen magazine revealed that one in four 16-year-olds had been hit or hurt in some way by someone they were dating. Young people should be able to expect to enjoy healthy relationships in which power and control is not an element. We were delighted to work with Tomlinscote School on this pilot poster competition and were very impressed with the pupils' entries.

"We will be continuing to work with local schools to ensure that teachers, pupils and parents have the resources they need to send out the message that we should all Expect Respect in our relationships."

Michael Willis said: "Emily's design makes a very strong visual statement, and we believe it will capture the attention of young people. On behalf of the Partnership, I'd like to congratulate all those pupils who took the time to help raise awareness of this important issue."

Tomlinscote School Head of Year 10, Jim Rutherford, added: "We were happy to get involved with this project to help publicise this very worthy cause; congratulations to Emily, Oliver and Yuki for their efforts."

DA Week 2009 activities

• Borough-wide dissemination of posters and leaflets providing contact information for male and female victims, children, teenagers and domestic abuse perpetrators
• Information displays in Surrey Heath Borough Council (SHBC), The Mall and The Atrium (Friday 23 Oct 4.30-7pm only) with officers handing out DA materials during busy periods; also at Camberley rail station (Thurs 22 Oct 4.30-6.30pm)
• Feature in the autumn issue of borough magazine, Heathscene
• Distribution of discrete products featuring SWA's 24-hour helpline number
• Showing of a short film about domestic abuse to multi-agency staff at SHBC

Ring SWA's 24-hour helpline on 01483 776822 or email help@surreywa.org.uk.. Male survivors can also contact Surrey Heath Mankind direct on 01276 604604. The Childline number is 0800 1111. Children and young people can visit www.thehideout.org.uk Opens in a new window, set up by Women's Aid, for advice and information. In an emergency dial 999.