Police and Crime Commissioner Caroline Henry has launched a campaign to be featured on buses and a tram in Nottingham as part of an effort to protect women and girls from sexual violence.
It will be presented through a double-decker bus and tram as part of a project led by the Commissioner and supported by a host of partners to increase safety for women and girls in the city and reduce violence.
The “AZ of Consent” campaign, developed by the Consent Coalition, aims to raise awareness of the meaning of sexual consent.
The campaign, which will run for 12 months, was unveiled at a special event at the city’s Nottingham Express Transit (NET) depot today (Thursday March 10) attended by Commissioner Henry and key delivery partners.
This is the second awareness campaign to be launched in the city after Commissioner Henry secured over £250,000 from the Home Office’s Women’s Safety at Night (SWaN) fund.
Commissioner Henry said: “Nottingham is a wonderful city to live and visit and we are determined to make it even safer.
“This is a big, bold – and very bright – campaign. I want it to encourage big, bold conversations. I want people to wonder what it’s all about, to reflect and ask questions.
“Violence and sexual harassment against women will not be tolerated in Nottinghamshire. This is not acceptable and I am doing everything in my power to prevent this from happening.
“I am grateful to all the partners who have worked with me to bring this project to fruition, especially the city’s transport providers who are also committed to the safety of women and girls.
“This is about creating a safer Nottingham for everyone.”
Nottingham City Council DSVA portfolio holder Cllr Neghat Khan said: “Communication, honesty and respect are essential to healthy sexual relationships. But why is consent so important? Without consent, sexual activity is sexual violence.
“At Nottingham we are committed to a zero tolerance stance against violence and sexual abuse, not only does this include supporting survivors, challenging perpetrators, but also educating everyone on the importance of consent .
“Consent should be at the heart of all relationships and it is an agreement between people who engage in sexual activity, where each person involved has the freedom and ability to make a choice.
“Nottingham City Council is dedicated to protecting and educating people and so we are delighted to support the Consent Coalition’s new AZ of Consent campaign.
“The campaign contains a number of important consent messages, covering areas such as image sharing, victim blaming, coercion and choice.
“The A-Z of Consent is a fantastic educational resource and we hope people will embrace this campaign and share our vision of being a city free of sexual violence.”
Louise Graham, sexual violence manager for the Nottinghamshire Crime and Drugs Partnership at Nottingham City Council, said: “The Nottingham Consent Coalition recognizes the importance of educating each other about consent and challenging myths and behaviors related to sexual violence. The more you know, the more you can influence positive change.
“We are really proud that Nottingham is taking a zero tolerance stance towards sexual violence by sharing the ‘AZ of Consent’ campaign in such visible public spaces, such as the NET tram and NCT buses. The AZ of Consent campaign gives key facts about consent for every letter of the alphabet, addressing a number of consent topics. By raising awareness about consent, we can begin to create a culture where consent is at the center of all relationships. »
