One in Three Women and Girls, The Silent Emergency – A Collaborative Conference.
Represent Women attended the first Cleveland Women’s Network VAWG conference, delivered in partnership with the Cleveland Police and Crime Commissioner, to explore the impact of domestic and sexual violence in Cleveland.
The half-day conference brought together influential speakers, policymakers, funders and those who work in the women and girls sector.
About the Cleveland Women’s Network:
Cleveland Women’s Network is a group of women-led, domestic and sexual violence charities who have come together to achieve better outcomes for women and girls who have been subjected to abuse at any time in their lives. The group meets regularly to share information and be a collective voice for women and girls in local communities. They aim is to ensure equality of service provision for all women, regardless of their circumstances.
Opening with key data and a united call to action
Yasmin Khan, Chair of CWN, opened the event by grounding us with stark statistics and data that highlighted the urgency of the issues facing women and the sector. This was followed by a powerful and emotive film featuring women with lived experience, all of whom had been supported by organisations within the Cleveland Women’s Network. Their voices expressed deep gratitude for the care and connection they received, underscoring the vital role these services play.
“Thank you for walking alongside me.” – Woman featured in the film
Yasmin spoke about a call to action to come together to produce a masterplan to address VAWG across Cleveland and that VAWG services needed to be part of a sustainable infrastructure and partnership working was integral. Yasmin called for, ‘equality of access for all women, not a patchwork of services’. Represent Women exists to amplify the led by and for women’s sector. We believe that organisations in this space are experts in delivering trauma-informed support and today’s conference confirmed this.
Frontline Realities: Insights from ARCH Teesside
Conference also heard from Nicky Harkin the CEO of ARCH Teesside, a specialist sexual violence service offering free and confidential support, help and advocacy to people in the Teesside area who have experienced rape and sexual abuse, at any point in their lives.
Nicky Harkin, CEO of ARCH Teesside, reinforced Yasmin’s message by sharing shocking statistics and amplifying the voices of women who have experienced sexual violence. She recounted the story of one woman who carried a lifelong secret of abuse, another who was gaslighted by statutory services, and a third whose life remained on hold due to delays at the Crown Prosecution Service. Nicky stressed that these are not isolated cases, they reflect patterns her team encounters repeatedly across their services
Nicky spoke about the expectation placed on services to respond to a public health crisis with piecemeal funding, further highlighting the barriers faced by women-led and women-focused organisations.
Joined-Up Thinking: Commissioners and Funders Getting It Right
We also heard from Matt Storey, Police and Crime Commissioner for Redcar and Cleveland and from Andrew Ballinger, trustee of the Ballinger Charitable Trust.
Matt reported that 22.5% of all recorded crime in Cleveland consists of violence against women and girls (VAWG) offences. He emphasised his belief that empowering women is the most effective way to grow the economy.
He also shared insights into inequities in Government funding models, explaining how his office has actively lobbied for a fairer funding formula based on deprivation rather than population size. This campaign is titled “Fairer Funding, Safer Cleveland”. Fairer Funding, Safer Cleveland – Cleveland Police and Crime Commissioner
Matt reiterated his frustration about what he heard at the conference today, reflecting concerns he had previously raised during his visits to the services. He affirmed that VAWG remains one of his office’s highest priorities and will continue to be so.
It was refreshing to hear the Ballinger Charitable Trust describe their funding approach. While their mission focuses on supporting young and older people, they’ve come to understand that helping children often means supporting the women around them, a perspective Andrew said he gained through a conversation with Tees Valley Women’s Centre
Their approach is centred on simplicity, trust, and relationship-building with the organisations they fund. They aim to minimise reporting burdens by relying on existing published materials or reports already submitted to other funders. This approach is especially vital for organisations led by and for women, which often operate with small teams and limited resources. These organisations are frequently funded through multiple streams, making the demands of bid writing and reporting particularly heavy.
Andrew Ballinger, trustee of the Ballinger Charitable Trust, summed up the challenge with a simple plea:
‘Please, please- Can’t we make it simpler?
To close- a clear call to action
Penny Thomas closed the day with a call to conference attendees to actively contribute to the development of the master plan. It was encouraging to see strong partnership working across the Cleveland Women’s Network, the wider women’s sector, commissioners, funders, and allies- all united in support of the cause to make Cleveland a more equal and safer place for women.
Cleveland Women’s Network Homepage