Longford Women's Link preparing for awareness campaign '16 Days of Activism'

Longford Women's Link are involved in an innovative awareness campaign this month, which warns about the dangers and devastating impact of domestic abuse.

The '16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence' campaign has a powerful message that 'Domestic violence does not discriminate' and it runs from November 25 until December 10.

The international campaign is an important opportunity to raise awareness and call for change at an international, national and local level to end violence against women and girls.

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Natalie O'Reilly, a Domestic Violence Service Co-Ordinator at LWL stated the initiative is a chance to reach out to women and girls in county Longford and offer them practical, emotional and psychological support.

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"There are different organisations such as Women's Aid and other domestic violence organisations who are involved," she said.

"We have the opening event at Longford Shopping Centre on November 25 and we will have a stand and we will be giving information to people and we will be doing that with the Rape Crisis Centre."

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Natalie stated it is very important to generate awareness that there are supports in the community with the Gardaí are also involved in promoting the campaign.

"It surprises me all of the time that women come in and they have lived in Longford for 20 years and they sometimes say they did not know we were here," she added.

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Natalie explained a lot of women suffer in silence and they are reluctant to come forward and the campaign is another way of encouraging them that assistance is available.

A '16 Days of Activism Against Gender Based Violence' campaign and stall will be at Longford Shopping Centre on Monday, November 25 and Tuesday, December 10 at 11am.

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The LWL team will be at Edgeworthstown Library on Wednesday, November 27 at 1pm, Granard Resource Centre on Monday, December 2 at 12pm and Bridgeways Resource Centre on Wednesday, December 4 at 11.30am.