Activism
Listed below are a few of the local and national campaigns in which the Bristol Feminist Network is active. Please add your support to these campaigns by participating in direct action. Let us know if you are involved in a local project or charity and would like be promoted on this page, or if we can link to a petition or template letter.
Upcoming actions are listed on our events page and you can click through the list below for more info.
You can also subscribe to our activist emailing list.
End Violence Against Women
Bristol marked International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women (25th November) with a week of events. These included a conference, an open day at the dedicated domestic violence court, the launch of websites for Bristol Rape Crisis and The Sky Project and a candle-lit vigil to remember women and girls who are damaged by violence.
BFN public art project
BFN exhibited public art to illustrate the need to give special attention to violence against women and to counter some of the myths and excuses around domestic violence. The artwork took place on saturday 21st and Sunday 22nd November on the Jamiaca Street wall, one of the People's republic of Stokes Croft's public exhibition spaces. More photos can be found here.
The national campaign group, End Violece Against Women (EVAW) has collected data on women's DV services in the UK to produce the Map of Gaps campaign which highlights the situations of women who experience violence and are left without support in 1 in 4 local areas in Britain. Help us to end the postcode lottery in DV services. More details.
There is currently a consultation on whether the End Violence Against Women Coalition (EVAW) should become the organisation through which a future UK Observatory on violence against women works. The National Alliance of Women’s Organisations (NAWO) see EVAW as the best building block to work through but they would like to know the views of the vaw sector and this includes BFN! We are one of over 100 organisations across the UK who are members of EVAW and work towards ending violence against women and girls. Please get in touch by the 5th October if you would like to send your support or other views.
Bristol marked International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women (25th November) with a week of events. These included a conference, an open day at the dedicated domestic violence court, the launch of websites for Bristol Rape Crisis and The Sky Project and a candle-lit vigil to remember women and girls who are damaged by violence.
BFN public art project
BFN exhibited public art to illustrate the need to give special attention to violence against women and to counter some of the myths and excuses around domestic violence. The artwork took place on saturday 21st and Sunday 22nd November on the Jamiaca Street wall, one of the People's republic of Stokes Croft's public exhibition spaces. More photos can be found here.
The national campaign group, End Violece Against Women (EVAW) has collected data on women's DV services in the UK to produce the Map of Gaps campaign which highlights the situations of women who experience violence and are left without support in 1 in 4 local areas in Britain. Help us to end the postcode lottery in DV services. More details.
There is currently a consultation on whether the End Violence Against Women Coalition (EVAW) should become the organisation through which a future UK Observatory on violence against women works. The National Alliance of Women’s Organisations (NAWO) see EVAW as the best building block to work through but they would like to know the views of the vaw sector and this includes BFN! We are one of over 100 organisations across the UK who are members of EVAW and work towards ending violence against women and girls. Please get in touch by the 5th October if you would like to send your support or other views.
Representation of Women in the Media project
Representations of Women in the Media (Reps) aims to raise awareness, research and to provoke debate and action in response to the way in which women are represented in the media. It is a grassroots, volunteer-led research project culminating in exhibitions, presentations and publication of the findings.
The Reps project takes place in November each year and we are looking for volunteers to take part in research tasks ranging from 30 mins to 1 month. Findings are collated and presented to inform on media gender bias. The evidence has been picked up by National Union of Journalists and the Home Office.
Participants are very welcome, please get in touch if you are interested in taking part. More details.
Representations of Women in the Media (Reps) aims to raise awareness, research and to provoke debate and action in response to the way in which women are represented in the media. It is a grassroots, volunteer-led research project culminating in exhibitions, presentations and publication of the findings.
The Reps project takes place in November each year and we are looking for volunteers to take part in research tasks ranging from 30 mins to 1 month. Findings are collated and presented to inform on media gender bias. The evidence has been picked up by National Union of Journalists and the Home Office.
Participants are very welcome, please get in touch if you are interested in taking part. More details.
Bristol Reclaim the Night
Bristol Reclaim the Night will take place on the evening of Friday 26th February. Please see here for full details.
We want Reclaim the Night to be more than just an expression of protest. Three actions have been proposed to make a lasting difference in our city and throughout the UK. Please click through to see how you can help us achieve these aims.
1. Help victim support organisations
2. Educate on safety and respect to prevent sexual violence
3. Improve justice systems and increase rape convictions
Please click through for more details and to take action.
Prochoice actions
BFN is respecting of all positions on abortion and is dedicated to protecting the right to be able to make your own abortion decisions. We support actions to grant women equal access to abortion services and lobby for legal reform to better defend the right to choose. More details.
The Abortion Support Network is calling for volunteers and hosts in Bristol who could provide a meal and a safe place to sleep for Irish women forced to travel to England for abortions. In Northern Ireland women do not have access to NHS abortion services and abortion has always been illegal in the Republic of Ireland. Women and girls must find £400- £1500 to pay for the procedure, travel and lodgings. More details.
BFN is respecting of all positions on abortion and is dedicated to protecting the right to be able to make your own abortion decisions. We support actions to grant women equal access to abortion services and lobby for legal reform to better defend the right to choose. More details.
The Abortion Support Network is calling for volunteers and hosts in Bristol who could provide a meal and a safe place to sleep for Irish women forced to travel to England for abortions. In Northern Ireland women do not have access to NHS abortion services and abortion has always been illegal in the Republic of Ireland. Women and girls must find £400- £1500 to pay for the procedure, travel and lodgings. More details.
Donations and Appeals
Mobile phones for Refuge: Recycle your mobile phone to help Refuge support women and children who have experienced domestic violence. More details.
Toiletories for Unseen: Donate toiletories and care packs to help Unseen, who campaign against human trafficking and provide safety, hope and choice to women who have been trafficked for sexual exploitation. More details.
Mobile phones for Refuge: Recycle your mobile phone to help Refuge support women and children who have experienced domestic violence. More details.
Toiletories for Unseen: Donate toiletories and care packs to help Unseen, who campaign against human trafficking and provide safety, hope and choice to women who have been trafficked for sexual exploitation. More details.
Lobbying Letters
Anti Airbrushing Campaign: Please write to the editors of your local media in support of more responsible and realistic imaging of women and girls.
Anti Airbrushing Campaign: Please write to the editors of your local media in support of more responsible and realistic imaging of women and girls.
| anti_airbrushing_campaign.doc |
Gender Pay Gap: Ask your MP to urge the Government to strengthen reforms to equal pay law.
| gender_pay_gap.doc |
Petition Power
Anti Airbrushing Campaign: Want advertisers to be honest and upfront about the sheer amount of airbrushing that goes on? Want to make a start on helping children to beat body image pressures? Sign the petition here.
Four new Rape Crisis centres in London: Hold Boris and the Tories to their promise for funding for four new Rape Crisis centres. Sign the petition here.
End the Gender Pay Gap: Petition the Prime Minister to End the national scandal that is the gender pay gap by including mandatory pay audits, hypothetical comparators, and representative actions in the Equality Bill. Sign the petition here.
Teaching of positive body image: Petition the Prime Minister to add a new compulsory hour per year to the National Curriculum that will seek to alleviate the rising body image problems in the UK’s 12-20 year olds. Sign the petition here.
Pregnancy Related Discrimination: Petition the Prime Minister to ensure that the Government and employers actively enforce the law prohibiting workplace discrimination on pregnancy related ground and that the Government does not weaken the law on pregnancy discrimination in the Equality Bill. Sign the petition here.
Anti Airbrushing Campaign: Want advertisers to be honest and upfront about the sheer amount of airbrushing that goes on? Want to make a start on helping children to beat body image pressures? Sign the petition here.
Four new Rape Crisis centres in London: Hold Boris and the Tories to their promise for funding for four new Rape Crisis centres. Sign the petition here.
End the Gender Pay Gap: Petition the Prime Minister to End the national scandal that is the gender pay gap by including mandatory pay audits, hypothetical comparators, and representative actions in the Equality Bill. Sign the petition here.
Teaching of positive body image: Petition the Prime Minister to add a new compulsory hour per year to the National Curriculum that will seek to alleviate the rising body image problems in the UK’s 12-20 year olds. Sign the petition here.
Pregnancy Related Discrimination: Petition the Prime Minister to ensure that the Government and employers actively enforce the law prohibiting workplace discrimination on pregnancy related ground and that the Government does not weaken the law on pregnancy discrimination in the Equality Bill. Sign the petition here.