On Tuesday 7th December, Rose Project Mentors Anna and Lizzie took part in a webinar run by Supported Loving and Learning Disability England that was attended by over 50 women supporting the UN 16 days of Activism – Stopping Violence Against Women. The session was called Human Rights of Women: Relationships, Peer Support and Speaking Up.
Anna and Lizzie presented a short PowerPoint explaining what the Rose Project is and how it is helping people with learning disabilities to stay safe from sexual exploitation.
At Rose’s monthly meeting, Anna and Lizzie shared their experiences with the other Rose Mentors.
Anna said: “Different groups of women with LD talked about violence against women. We listened to different opinions on how women dealt with situations of violence and how difficult it can be to talk about personal experiences. It was great to hear that some groups are working with the police to improve training around how they deal with women with learning disabilities coming forward, as they are not always listened to properly. I didn’t feel very confident doing this webinar, as it was very different to what I have done before. But I am pleased with what we did.”
Lizzie shared: “It was a new experience – it was hard sometimes as listening to other women share their personal experiences is a very emotional thing. I was a bit worried about it before I started presenting but I am glad I had a chance to explain what the Rose Project does. I also shared the story about the violence my friend experienced. We explained how we are trying to make a difference by helping people with learning disabilities stay safe and hopefully never let anyone hurt them.”
Feedback from women who attended the webinar included the following positive comments:
“These presentations are so powerful. Thanks so much everyone for sharing your work and your experiences.”
“I’m so sorry Lizzie. Thank you both for sharing such powerful messages.”
“Such important work. These things shouldn’t happen at all.”
Rose Project Consultant, Bridget Fisher, said: “It was fantastic to see Anna and Lizzie deliver their presentation online to such a receptive audience. We were all very proud of them and how they used their voices to speak up for women with learning disabilities. We look forward to continuing these important discussions in the future.”
If you would like more information about the Rose Project, please contact Rose Project Coordinator Kay Greenwell at kay.greenwell@reachuk.org.
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