Events and training to tackle VAWG in Richmond

16 Days of Activism 2026

November 25 marks the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG), also known as White Ribbon Day. November 25 also marks the first day of the 16 Days of Activism against Gender Based Violence. 

This year, the UN Women theme for the 16 Days of Activism is “UNiTE to End Violence Against Women and Girls: Ensure Justice, Protect Survivors, End Impunity.” This theme puts survivors at the centre and calls for stronger laws and accountability while demanding greater action to stop violence before it occurs.

White Ribbon UK is the leading charity in England and Wales working to prevent men's violence against women and girls. Their 2026 White Ribbon Day theme is ‘It Takes All of Us, encouraging everyone, particularly men and boys, to take a stand and challenge sexism and harmful behaviour.

Richmond Council is White Ribbon accredited and supports the annual 16 Days of Activism campaign by organising local awareness events and training opportunities for professionals, voluntary sector organisations and residents.

White Ribbon Walks

As a White Ribbon accredited organisation, we support the global campaign to encourage people, especially men and boys, to act and change the culture that leads to abuse. In Richmond, we organise walks to show solidarity with women and encourage residents to make a stand and call out abusive behaviour.

Richmond White Ribbon Walk

• Date: Saturday 5 December
• Time: Please arrive by 11am
• Meeting point: Amélie Delagrange memorial, Twickenham Green

Join this walk to show solidarity with women and encourage residents to make a stand and call out abusive behaviour. Everybody is welcome. 

Voicebox – Healthy Masculinity Events

Voicebox are a UK based organisation providing expert-led workshops, assemblies and projects designed to challenge misogyny, tackle unhealthy masculinity, and prioritise the wellbeing of young people. During the 16 Days of Activism, they will be delivering a webinar and panel event, which we encourage all parents, carers and professionals working with young people to attend.

Parent webinar: Supporting Boys and Young Men

• Date: Tuesday 1 December, 6 to 7pm
• Description: Understand the pressures boys and young men are navigating today and explore practical ways parents and carers can support them at home.
• Location: Online webinar.

Sign up for the Voicebox parent webinar

Womans Trust: Survivor Workshop

• Date: Wednesday 2 December, 7 to 9pm
• Womans Trust are holding a self-development workshop for women who have experienced domestic abuse and live in Wandsworth, titled ‘Looking at the Impacts of Abuse’.
• Location: Online webinar.

Email Womans Trust

Masculinity panel

• Date: Thursday 3 December, 4.30 to 8pm
• Description: Explore what healthy masculinity looks like and how we can all help challenge harmful attitudes and behaviours in our homes, workplaces, schools and communities.
• Location: In person at Clarendon Hall, Twickenham.

Sign up for the Voicebox masculinity panel

Free training, webinars and forums

Various free training sessions and webinars for residents, professionals, community organisations and the voluntary sector have been organised to increase awareness and share knowledge to help eliminate VAWG.

Please note that these sessions are focused on Violence Against Women and Girls and may include content that attendees find distressing. Support services are available on this website.

Unless otherwise stated, these events are for professionals and voluntary sector organisations.

Richmond and Wandsworth Council: Multi-Agency Risk Assessment Conference (MARAC) Training

• Date: Thursday 26 November, 10am to 1pm
• Description: Learn more about the MARAC process, how to identify high risk domestic abuse, how to refer and best practice.
• Location: Online training.
• Audience: Professionals.

Email the MARAC team to book MARAC training

Ascent: Domestic Abuse and Perpetrator Accountability

• Date: Friday 27 November, 9.30am to 4pm
• Description: This training will explore domestic abuse dynamics, the Domestic Abuse Act 2021, perpetrator decision-making and how to share information accurately in a way that holds perpetrators to account and empowers survivors.
• Location: Online training.
• Audience: Professionals working with domestic abuse perpetrators.

Sign up for Domestic Abuse and Perpetrator Accountability training

Metropolitan Police: Street Harassment, VAWG Offences and Offender Management

• Date: Friday 27 November, 11am to 12.30pm
• Description: Learn more about the new Street Harassment legislation, emerging trends and key themes, protective orders and suspect-focused approaches to offender management and safeguarding.
• Location: Online webinar.

Sign up for Street Harassment, VAWG Offences and Offender Management

Safer Places: Understanding Post-Separation Abuse

• Date: Friday 27 November, 1 to 2pm
• Description: This webinar will explore what post separation abuse can look like and why abuse can continue or escalate after a relationship ends.
• Location: Online webinar.

Sign up for Understanding Post-Separation Abuse

Faith & VAWG Coalition: Faith, Safety and Support for Survivors of VAWG

• Date: Monday 30 November, midday to 1.30pm
• Description: This webinar will explore how the current Coordinated Community Response (CCR) to domestic abuse and VAWG often overlooks the experiences of women from faith backgrounds, barriers and how to provide better support.
• Location: Online webinar.

Sign up for Faith, Safety and Support for Survivors of VAWG

Hestia: Recognising Domestic Abuse for Professionals

• Date: Monday 30 November, 2 to 3pm
• Description: Join this webinar to increase your understanding of domestic abuse and build confidence in identifying and responding to the signs of abuse.
• Location: Online webinar.

Sign up for Recognising Domestic Abuse for Professionals

Everyone’s Invited: Navigating Online Spheres of Influence

• Date: Monday 30 November, 4 to 5pm
• Description: This session aims to bridge the generational gap between young people and the adults who support them, empowering them to navigate these pressures with confidence and to promote a culture of change.
• Location: Online webinar.

Sign up for Navigating Online Spheres of Influence

Token Man: Men’s Role in Tackling Male VAWG

• Date: Tuesday 1 December, 4 to 5pm
• Description: This panel will explore how men and organisations can become part of the solution to ending VAWG.
• Location: Online webinar.

Sign up for Men’s Role in Tackling Male VAWG

Womans Trust: Survivor Workshop

• Date: Wednesday 2 December, 7 to 9pm
• Description: Womans Trust are holding a self-development workshop for women who have experienced domestic abuse and live in Wandsworth, titled ‘Looking at the Impacts of Abuse’.
• Location: Online webinar.

Email Womans Trust

SW London and St George’s Mental Health NHS Trust: Domestic Abuse Conference

• Date: Thursday 3 December, 9.15am to 2pm
• Description: Join this event to hear from a panel of speakers on topics including the voices of children, domestic abuse experiences in the LGBT+ community, the intersection of domestic abuse and suicide, and domestic abuse experiences in the deaf community.
• Location: Online.

Join the Domestic Abuse Conference live

Survivor-Centred Practice: Trauma-Informed Perspective

• Date: Thursday 3 December, 10.30 to 11.30am
• Description: This session aims to help practitioners build confidence in recognising the impact of trauma, understanding why some client responses can feel challenging or difficult to interpret, and using this awareness to create safer, more effective conversations that strengthen trust and engagement.
• Location: Online.

Sign up for Survivor-Centred Practice: Trauma-Informed Perspective

Safer Places: Risk Assessing is More Than a Tick Box

• Date: Friday 4 December, 1 to 2pm
• Description: This webinar will explore the importance of professional curiosity, critical thinking and understanding patterns of perpetrator behaviour when identifying and responding to risk.
• Location: Online webinar.

Sign up for Risk Assessing is More Than a Tick Box

Safer Places: Coercive Control, Why Are We Still Missing the Signs?

• Date: Monday 7 December, 1 to 2pm
• Description: This webinar will explore the gap between legislation and practice, and why recognising patterns of abuse is essential to protecting victims.
• Location: Online webinar.

Sign up for Coercive Control, Why Are We Still Missing the Signs?

Vigil for Amélie Delagrange

• Date: Monday 7 December, 6.30pm
• Description: The Alliance for Women’s Equality are holding a vigil to remember Amélie Delagrange.
• Location: In person at the Amelie Delagrange Bench, Twickenham Green.
• Audience: Open to everyone.

No sign-up needed.

Faith & VAWG Coalition: Faith in the System

• Date: Tuesday 8 December, midday to 1pm
• Description: This webinar will explore the invisibility of faith in VAWG policy and practice, and what it means for survivor support and safeguarding.
• Location: Online webinar.

Sign up for Faith in the System

Richmond and Wandsworth Council: Become an Active Bystander

• Date: Tuesday 8 December, 7 to 8.30pm
• Description: Have you ever witnessed an incident of sexual harassment in the street, at work, or on public transport and wished you had known how to intervene safely? Become an Active Bystander in your local community and play your part in preventing harm.
• Location: Online session.
• Audience: Open to everyone.

Sign up for Become an Active Bystander

Refuge: Women’s Domestic Abuse Survivor Forum

• Date: Wednesday 9 December, 12.30 to 2.30pm
• Description: This forum provides a safe space where women can share their experiences of accessing support services and receive peer support. It ensures that survivors’ voices are heard and that their feedback influences change within local services.
• Location: In person in Richmond. Details shared after registration.
• Audience: Victims and survivors of domestic abuse, residing in Richmond or Wandsworth.

Sign up for the Women’s Domestic Abuse Survivor Forum

Refuge: Technology-Facilitated Abuse

• Date: Thursday 10 December, 11.30am to 12.30pm
• Description: Learn more about what technology-facilitated abuse is, the impact it has, how to assess and ask questions, safety planning and where to signpost victims and survivors for support.
• Location: Online webinar.

Sign up for Technology-Facilitated Abuse

Support

If you or someone you know has experienced abuse or violence, confidential, free support services are available

Richmond Safe Space

If you’re feeling vulnerable in Richmond town centre on your night out, visit the Safe Space for signposting, support or simply company while you wait to get home.

Find it:

• Days: Fridays
• Time: 8 to 11pm
• Location: The green marquee outside Richmond train station

Stalls

If you want to learn more about what we are doing, members of the Community Safety team will be hosting public engagement stalls during 2025.

We raise awareness of:

• Drink spiking
• Personal safety
• Local support services for domestic abuse and sexual violence

Information leaflets for local support services and free personal safety resources will be available.

Women’s Walk, Talk and Do

Police Community Officers host ‘walks and talks’ with female residents to give local women the opportunity to discuss issues around women’s safety.

Officers can offer advice and support, while hearing from you on what needs to be done to help women feel safer. Walks are also promoted on local police Twitter accounts.

Please check back for future dates.

Find out more about Walk, Talk and Do.

Become an active bystander

Have you ever witnessed an incident of sexual harassment in the street, at work, or on public transport and wished you had known how to intervene safely? Become an active bystander in your local community and play your part in preventing Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG).

Online sessions

We are running online sessions over Microsoft Teams, to help members of the public become more confident in safely intervening and becoming active bystanders.

E-module

You can access our online e-module version of the ‘become an active bystander’ session which can be completed on a day and time to suit your own needs.

The module can be completed independently or in a small group and takes approximately 1 hour to complete.

Access the active bystander e-module

Sensitivity warning

The session will cover sensitive topics including domestic abuse, sexual harassment and violence, with a focus on VAWG. 

Training needs

If your organisation or community group is interested in taking part in an online or in person active bystander session, email Abi Jonas, VAWG Community Safety Officer for Richmond, at abi.jonas@richmondandwandsworth.gov.uk, to discuss your needs.

If you have any other training needs related to VAWG, please reach out to discuss your requirements, as we may be able to assist.

Sexual harassment and drink spiking e-learning

We have created a free sexual harassment and drink spiking prevention e-learning module for businesses, licensed venues and customer-facing organisations. This aims to help staff recognise the signs of sexual harassment and drink spiking and respond safely and appropriately.

Women's Hub

Voices of Hope’s Women’s Hub featuring the Sisterhood Choir and Sisterhood Sanctuary. The Women’s Hub is a free project providing a safe and welcoming community for women to come together to form connections and build self-confidence. The Women’s Hub offers support from volunteers, and numerous activities ranging from singing to crafting, and all attendees are offered a free lunch and refreshments.

• Date: Every Wednesday (term time only)
• Time:  11am to 12.30pm (choir), 12.30 to 2.30pm (sanctuary) 
• Location: The Vineyard Community Centre, The Vineyard, TW10 6AQ 

VAWG Community Forum

In partnership with Wandsworth Council, organisations working to tackle VAWG are invited to a forum aimed at sharing ideas, collaborating, and ensuring there is a strong coordinated response across the system that supports women and girls at risk of abuse and violence.

Next forum TBC

How to join

If your organisation would like to join the VAWG Community Forum, please email Abi Jonas, VAWG Community Safety Officer, at abi.jonas@richmondandwandsworth.gov.uk.

White Ribbon

We support the global campaign to encourage people, especially men and boys, to act and change the culture that leads to abuse.

In Richmond upon Thames, we organise walks in our different wards to show solidarity with women and encourage residents to make a stand and call out abusive behaviour.

Everyone who lives, works or studies in the borough is invited to join us on White Ribbon Walks. Look out for further updates.

One Stop Shop

The One Stop Shop is the borough’s weekly drop-in service offering free, discrete support, advice and information concerning domestic abuse, stalking and sexual violence.

Drop-in details:

• When: Every Friday
• Time: 10am to 12 noon
• Location: Citizens Advice, 94-102 High Street, Hampton Hill, TW12 1NY