Hans Price Academy’s older female students participated in a recent day at Avon and Somerset Constabulary headquarters in Portishead for a workshop day on the theme of ‘Violence Against Women and Girls.’
The girls enjoyed a tour round of the building, including a visit to the emergency call handling room.
During the workshops, the group designed some T-shirts which will form part of a large display on the College Green in Bristol during Knife Crime Awareness Week. This is to help raise awareness for youths not to carry knives or become involved with gang culture.
They also listened to Rhia from the Fly Girl Foundation who spoke about violence against girls, recognising red flags, coercive control and exploitation.
Rhia was a survivor herself of coercive and controlling behaviours from a partner and received a custodial sentence for her part in storing some illegal drugs in her home under peer pressure from her partner. She now advocates for females to speak out and have the strength to stand up for themselves.
It was an interesting talk, from someone that has had a lived experience, and has managed to overcome her obstacles for a better quality of life.
This workshop highlighted to all the girls present how anyone can be affected, and the controlling behaviours often start off small and subtle.
The Barnardo’s workshop highlighted the national work being carried out under the police initiative ‘Operation Makesafe.’ This is a programme helping to prevent child sexual exploitation, specifically incidents which take place on public transport and in the hospitality industry.
Students designed their ‘protective shields’ and thought about what red flags they need to be aware of in relationships, how to set boundaries, and how to protect themselves and report to trusted adults.
The girls enjoyed their day and found the talks interesting and informative. They especially liked listening to Rhia and her life story.
Andi Davis, Deputy Designated Safeguarding Lead at Hans Price Academy said: “This was an incredibly valuable experience for our students.
“It gave them the opportunity to engage with important real-life issues in a safe and supportive environment, helping them to better understand the risks and recognise the signs of harmful behaviour.
“Hearing Rhia’s story in particular was powerful, and it really resonated with the girls.
“We are proud of how thoughtfully they contributed throughout the day and how seriously they approached such important topics.”
