Women friendly Leeds blog

Women Friendly Leeds Logo. Purple Logo with pink background for text.

Pink Leeds Arts University Logo with Year EST.1846

 

 

Women Friendly Leeds Tagline in Purple "Better for women, better for everyone"

Q&A with West Yorkshire Police VAWG Superintendent Vanessa Rolfe

In December 2022 women in Leeds came together to Speak Up! to power and ask the West Yorkshire Police questions on their Violence Against Women and Girls strategy (VAWG).

 

Women Friendly Leeds invited women in Leeds to challenge Detective Superintendent Vanessa Rolfe on women’s safety in Leeds at Leeds Beckett University. Alongside the questions that the Women Friendly Leeds community asked, we displayed protest-style artwork. This artwork was created during  the during workshops, in collaboration with Leeds Arts University, where we discussed safety in the city. The Women Friendly Leeds community used the art to express their feelings on safety in Leeds, looking at topics of love; fear; healing (amongst other things). 

Photo of Councillor Garthwaite standing behind a desk. Speaking on Women's Safety to an audience with Women Friendly Leeds logo behind

Councillor Garthwaite speaking on Womens Safety

At the event in December, women had the chance to voice their feelings on what the West Yorkshire Police are doing to keep women safe in Leeds and find out more about what steps the Police are taking to improve their service. The Women Friendly Leeds community asked questions such as 

“what does the reporting process look like?” or “what are the police doing about the ‘bad apple’ officers?

 

Sup Intendent Vanessa Rolfe standing behind table speaking to audience on women's safety for Women Friendly Leeds.

Superintendent Vanessa Rolfe Answering VAWG Questions

SupInt Rolfe spoke about the West Yorkshire Police’s new VAWG Strategy being implemented, such as training that is offered to officers and accessed. Looking at Women’s Safety and how to interact with the public. Rolfe spoke about how interactions with the public, particularly those who report to the police, will be taken on a person-by-person basis, taking into account what that individual wants, needs and asks for. The Women Friendly Leeds community challenged this by sharing their own stories on how they were treated by the police, feeling as though they weren’t seen or heard by the team who interacted with them. 

Women Friendly Leeds collected every question that was given to us by our community and has asked WYP to respond to these questions. You can find out more about this on our blog. 

Thank you to the West Yorkshire Police and Detective Superintendent Vanessa Rolfe for speaking to the Women Friendly Leeds community, and thank you to Cllr Garthwaite for opening our event and being such an advocate for women’s safety in the city. Finally, a big thank you to all the women who spoke up and asked the Police their questions and spoke on their experiences. Women Friendly Leeds appreciates every single one of your. Your voices matter and can make a difference. 

To learn more about the curation of the artwork and for pictures of the art, head over to the Women Friendly Leeds blog.

You may also like…

The 1st Ambassadors’ Network Meeting – 14th April 2021

The 1st Ambassadors’ Network Meeting – 14th April 2021

At this 1st Ambassador Network meeting, we welcomed members and introduced them to the two Women Friendly Leeds campaigns currently running. Ambassadors talked together and set actions and pledges around the different priorities for the campaigns.

Next Women’s Hub Meeting – Tuesday 13th April 6.00pm – 7.30pm

Just a reminder that the next Women's Hub Meeting is on Tuesday 13th April, 6.00pm - 7.30pm It will be an online meeting and the link for the zoom is available through booking your place through the Eventbrite booking system. To book your place click HERE The Notes of...

Women Friendly Leeds Call for Action – Safety Inequalities for Women

Women Friendly Leeds Call for Action – Safety Inequalities for Women

Women Friendly Leeds supports and stands with all women and girls who have been affected by the news of Sarah Everard’s murder, or who have themselves experienced any unwelcome attention whether sexual, verbal, physical or online. We know that safety has always been a...

Women Friendly Leeds LGBTQ+ Panel Discussion Event

Women Friendly Leeds LGBTQ+ Panel Discussion Event

Back in 2020 one of the Women’s Hub members approached the Women Friendly Leeds team to ask if we would consider putting on an event to raise the visibility of, and celebrate LGBT+ women in Leeds, and of course we agreed. The Women Friendly Leeds movement is committed...

Women’s Wellbeing and Arts Packs – Sept to Dec 2020

Women’s Wellbeing and Arts Packs – Sept to Dec 2020

A partnership Project with Space2 with funding by Leeds Inspired What's it all about? In June 2020, Women Friendly Leeds conducted a survey that was designed to learn about the views and experiences of women in Leeds about the disproportionate effects of the COVID-19...

Say No To Islamophobia

Say No To Islamophobia

In our communities, Islamophobia is a daily occurrence for Muslims. We know that Muslim women are disproportionately targeted in Islamophobic attacks but we don't see or hear their voices. From the streets and now to print, Shantona present the stories of British...

Leeds works together to urge women attend for cervical screening

Leeds works together to urge women attend for cervical screening

A new campaign in Leeds is urging women not to delay attending for cervical screening during the coronavirus pandemic through the launch of a new safety video. Cancer Wise Leeds, which is funded by Yorkshire Cancer Research and delivered in partnership with Leeds...

#16daysleeds – your views on safety in Leeds

#16daysleeds – your views on safety in Leeds

As part of the city-wide partnership for the 16 Days of Action campaign, Women Friendly Leeds have been sharing details of the amazing work done by the Women's Lives Leeds Alliance members to support women and girls in Leeds, as well as asking bite-sized questions...

February 28, 2023

Briony Burke

Translate »
Skip to content