Women staged a protest walk as part of the UN’s 16 days of action against gender-based violence.

The Walk for Women aimed at tackling abuse of women and girls started at Haringey Register Office in Wood Green High Road and headed to a rally at Duckett’s Common.

Taking place on on November 27, it was headed by Haringey councillor Lucia das Neves, with the aim to “create a safer borough for all women and girls”. 

“We are taking a targeted approach to tackling gender-based violence in Haringey,” Cllr das Neves said. “Haringey is working with the community to tackle deep-seated problems and focussing on ways we can make a difference to women and girls.”

The council is running specialist support services for those facing abuse and “educating boys and young men on the role they can play in combating abuse”.

Cllr das Neves added: “We all have our part to play in tackling gender-based violence.”

The programme run by the council includes the Hearthstone domestic violence advice centre in Wood Green to help women with safety planning and accommodation, St Michael's Church ‘Safe Space’ in Wood Green and the Solace women's aid pilot project at the Rising Green youth hub in Lymington Avenue that is working with boys and young men to deal with attitudes “that lead to abusive behaviours”.

A survivor of domestic abuse taking part in the protest walk explained how she got help when she decided to leave her abusive partner, on how to get benefits to pay her rent and money for food as well as joining a food bank.

She told the rally: “I didn’t know there were so many services for people in my situation until I made the decision to leave. The message is to look for help.”

She has been supported by the Hearthstone advice centre that at 10 Commerce Road, off Wood Green High Road.

Haringey Council, which is running a survey until December 10 to plan how new support services are organised in the New Year, is lighting up the George Meehan House Register Office building in purple each night to mark the “16 days of activism”.