On the 1st of September, our Girls On The Go charity team ran a women’s 10k in Sefton Park and raised £24,000 for Liverpool Domestic Abuse Service (LDAS) 🏃🏻♀️🌟💞
1 in 4 women and girls experience domestic abuse or violence at some point in their lives and a domestic abuse related call is made to the police every 30 seconds in the UK. These statistics are absolutely heartbreaking and we are wholeheartedly committed to showing our support and doing our best to help victims and survivors of domestic violence. We cannot thank our community enough for helping us with this.
We are so over the moon with the fundraising efforts of our amazing team and how much they have helped raised for such an important cause. The money raised will help LDAS to support an extra 300 women in the merseyside area with access to life saving support, providing them with counselling support and abuse group support.
We had 173 girls in our community raise money for the cause, with 150 girls taking part in the 10k run. Our goal was to raise £10,000 and to have raised more than DOUBLE this amount is absolutely amazing and we cannot thank our community enough. 👟💗
We asked our community why they are raising money for domestic violence with Girls on the go, and two of our members have generously shared their personal stories with us:
“I am raising money for Liverpool's domestic abuse services because it provides vital support to individuals who are often in their most vulnerable moments. Domestic abuse affects countless people in our community, cutting across age, and gender, especially young women and girls. It's not just about physical harm; it's about psychological and emotional trauma that can have lasting impacts on survivors. I have personally noticed this during this year's Euros and the recent riots across the UK after the horrific Southport attack.
By raising funds, I hope to continue helping those affected by domestic abuse, thereby empowering survivors to rebuild their lives, regain their independence and confidence, and ensure their day-to-day safety.
In a time when funding is often stretched thin, every contribution can make a meaningful difference. This cause is close to my heart because I believe everyone deserves to live without fear, and by supporting Liverpool's domestic abuse services, we can help make that a reality for many in our community.”
“I'm supporting Liverpool Domestic Abuse Service, because I was in a controlling/toxic relationship for 13 years & suffered from domestic abuse. We share 2 children together & although I thought I was breaking free, unfortunately this narcissist is still affecting my life through my kids & it has been 12 years since we separated. I remain single to this day. I am raising awareness for this organisation, as I didn't know where to turn to for support. I then went on to volunteer for LDAS & was made fully aware of the vital service they provide, for vulnerable women & children”
We believe it’s crucial to handle discussions about domestic violence with sensitivity and care. Through our social enterprise, we have previously shared our perspectives on how domestic abuse is portrayed in popular media, such as the film adaptation of It Ends with Us. Additionally, we've addressed important campaigns like Women's Aid's ‘He’s Coming Home’ campaign, which highlighted domestic abuse concerns and statistics during the Euros.
The money raised by GOTG will enable LDAS to support an additional 300 women and girls this year. They will be able to provide an additional 150 women with access to counselling support and domestic abuse Group support, as well as providing specialist advice and support for women and girls to live safer lives going forward. The support gotg have given has also raised awareness of the issue and given more women access to the support they need to live a life free from abuse. The number of women’s lives that this will have an impact on us incomprehensible and we are SO proud of our community’s effort in supporting this life-saving charity.
Girls on the go is committed in addressing women's concerns, such as domestic abuse, and we are determined to support as many women in the UK as possible through our charity initiatives. If you want to be involved in our upcoming campaigns and help us make the UK a safer and less lonely place for women, please sign up for our email list below to stay informed and take part.