Aphra Brandreth organised and chaired a panel at today's Conservative Party Conference in Birmingham addressing Violence Against Women and Girls - How do we break the cycle.
Aphra was joined on the panel by Katherine Fletcher MP - Minister for Women, Donna Jones PCC for Hampshire and the Isle of Wight, and Cllr Rebecca Smith.
Aphra says: "Violence against women and girls can take many forms, it can include sexual assault, domestic abuse and violence, stalking, drink spiking, honour based abuse, rape and homicide. And the impacts can be long-lasting and traumatic, potentially leading to mental health issues, suicide attempts and homelessness. Sadly, many women feel that sexual harassment and violence is almost an inevitable part of being a woman, we need to ensure that women have the support to know that they will be taken seriously. This is such a vital issue to address, and I was pleased to get the opportunity to chair this panel and raise awareness of a number of these issues."