GMP lead empowering 'Listening Circle' addressing Violence Against Women and Girls with school students and the Tameside Civic Mayor

On Wednesday 27 September 2023, Chief Inspector Claire Galt of GMP’s Tameside district returned to her former school in Tameside where local leaders came together with students to talk about lived experiences and their thoughts around Violence Against Women and Girls.

Chief Inspector Claire Galt, along with the Tameside Civic Mayor, joined several year 11 students in conversation which gave all involved a platform to openly express their thoughts, emotions, and concerns regarding violence against women and girls in their local community. This event allowed young girls to voice what matters most to them and articulate their vision for a safer, more inclusive community.

The event was a significant step in promoting awareness and empowering young people to become catalysts for change in their community. It aimed to deepen understanding of the challenges surrounding violence against women and girls while equipping the youth with knowledge and resources to drive positive transformation.

Chief Inspector Claire Galt of GMP’s Tameside district: "Coming back to my former school in Tameside, it's truly heartening to witness local leaders and students uniting to discuss their lived experiences and thoughts on Violence Against Women and Girls. This event highlights the power of dialogue, empathy, and collaboration. The voices of our young girl’s matter, and this platform allowed them to express what's most important to them, paving the way for a safer, more inclusive community. The session has been a significant milestone in our ongoing efforts to raise awareness and empower our youth to be the change-makers in their community. By deepening our understanding of the challenges surrounding violence against women and girls and providing resources, we're working together to drive positive transformation across Tameside. The collaboration between School Engagement Officers, the Mayor, school authorities, and the students at Fairfield School for Girls exemplifies the strength of collective action in addressing these important issues. Tameside is forging ahead with a renewed and more collaborative approach to tackling Violence Against Women and Girls.”

Tameside Civic Mayor Cllr Tafheen Sharif said: “It was really positive to work together with GMP on this initiative to gauge views on safety from the young girls of Fairfield High School. We had open and honest conversations, which were very insightful although -being a woman myself - nothing came to surprise. I feel reassured that partners like Greater Manchester Police are helping to lead on this issue, so we can all work together to ensure the safety of our women and girls in the borough. Tameside Council recently attained White Ribbon accreditation in recognition of our ongoing work to tackle violence against women and girls and I look forward to seeing this develop further.”

Report and Support

If you or someone you know has been a victim of crime, we encourage you not to suffer in silence and report it to the police immediately by calling 101 or report on our website using our ‘report’ tool: www.gmp.police.uk.

Always dial 999 in an emergency.

Alternatively, you can report information anonymously to the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

If you require any support or crime prevention advice please visit our support pages.