Womenspeak
“Thank you to everyone involved in setting up this site. Over the last few weeks, thanks to this sharing of experiences, I have realised how I am coping with the aftermath and that maybe there is light at the end of the tunnel.”
This was the first ever official online parliamentary consultation carried out in the UK .
Womenspeak set out to reach survivors of domestic violence and enable them to share their experiences. It was also intended that feedback from the project would help inform future legislation on domestic violence.
A highly moderated online message board was at the heart of the project and as a result of extensive outreach work, good press and broadcast media coverage, more than 800 people (mostly women) contributed.
Following the online phase of the project, a report was produced and launched to senior ministers. This has already had a significant impact on six pieces of legislation since Womenspeak and contributed in a major way to the first ever domestic violence legislation.
What did the participants say about the project?
- Of the 199 women who participated, the vast majority (94 %) said that the
consultation was a worthwhile exercise - 92 % felt that they learnt something from each other’s contributions
- 93 % said they would be willing to participate in such an event again
- Several women called for the site to be a permanent arrangement or for a longer term
initiative to be set up. These calls were reflected in the popularity of the site
and widespread acknowledgement of its achievements.