Want to email your local MP about male violence against women? Here’s how
This template email makes it easy to get involved in Stylist’s new campaign to tackle male violence against women and girls.
If you’re reading this, you’re probably aware of A Fearless Future: Stylist’s new initiative calling for a culture-shifting public awareness campaign around male violence against women. We’ve sent an open letter to Home Secretary Priti Patel, signed by more than 60 experts, activists, academics, specialist organisations, politicians and public figures – and now, we need your help.
Below, you’ll find a template email to send to your local MP, asking them to support A Fearless Future and put pressure on the government to fund a public awareness campaign on men’s violence against women and girls.
You can find your local MP’s contact details at the UK Parliament website and email them directly.Alternatively, send a message via writetothem.com, an online tool that simplifies the process of getting in touch.
The template below isn’t prescriptive – in fact, emails to MPs are often much more impactful when constituents explain in their own words why a particular issue matters to them.
So please feel free to think of this as a helpful starting point. We’d love for you to personalise your own message, and let your MP know exactly why you believe it’s so important that the government commits to challenging the attitudes behind male violence against women.
Template email in support of A Fearless Future
Subject line: Awareness campaign about male violence against women
Dear [insert MP name]
I am writing to you as a constituent in [insert constituency] to ask you to advocate for a government-funded public awareness campaign about male violence against women and girls.
Experts agree that policing and legislation alone will not eradicate the wider cultural attitudes that cause and tolerate abuse. That’s why I’m asking you to support Stylist’s #AFearlessFuture campaign, calling on the Home Office to commit to funding an ongoing, high-profile, expert-informed awareness campaign as part of its forthcoming Violence Against Women and Girls Strategy.
This is in line with recommendations from the UN Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women and the Women & Equalities Committee, as well as the Istanbul Convention’s requirement for parties to regularly promote awareness-raising campaigns about gender-based abuse.
We know that government-funded awareness campaigns can make a difference. Previous UK initiatives have positively influenced beliefs and behaviours around alcohol consumption; road safety; smoking; and the importance of condoms in protecting against HIV/Aids. Most recently, the government has spent millions on Covid-19 awareness campaigns.
Violence is a larger risk to women’s health than obesity, blood pressure and heart disease, costing the economy at least £66bn per year – so we’re asking the Home Office to treat misogyny like the public health crisis it is.
I am asking you to:
1. Write to the Home Secretary, Priti Patel, calling on her to ensure that expert-informed public awareness campaigns are included in the forthcoming Violence Against Women and Girls Strategy
2. Pressure the government to focus proactively on preventing male violence against women and girls – not just policing and punishment
3. Support Stylist’s #AFearlessFuture campaign on your social media channels
[Add your thoughts about this issue or explain why the issue matters to you personally here.]
You can find out more about the #AFearlessFuture campaign on Stylist’s website: www.stylist.co.uk/a-fearless-future
We cannot allow the next generation of girls to grow up in a climate of fear. I refuse to let that happen and I’m calling on you to act now.Yours sincerely,
[insert your name]
Images: Getty
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