The Women of Westminster network is pleased to continue its work and conversations on Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (SGBV) as a part of the United Nations' 16 days of activism against gender-based violence which runs from the 25 November (International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women) to 10 December (Human Rights Day).
As a part of the Westminster Conversations series, we welcome everyone to engage in conversations to tackle the issue of SGBV in our workplace. The expert speakers will address issues such as survivor-centred, trauma-informed and intersectional approaches to understanding SGBV in higher education.
A safe and inclusive university is the right of every staff and student within the university community. So this conversation aims to bring together different stakeholders to discuss how we can join as a community to support survivors and change cultures of patriarchy and violence that often shape higher education. Together we can make change!
About the speakers
Jodie Das - Chair
Jodie Das has worked nationally and internationally for many years, as an activist/educator/researcher, in the field of domestic abuse prevention work. Jodie has developed the CRAFT framework: a model for collective development of domestic abuse prevention practice that seeks to specifically engage men in domestic abuse prevention/prevention work. Jodie is completing a professional doctorate with the University of Westminster; early findings from the research are published in the International Practice Development Journal.
Dr Adrija Dey
Dr Adrija Dey is a Senior Research Fellow at the School of Social Science and School of Media and Communication at the University of Westminster, where her project is titled "Decolonising Sexual and Gender Based Violence in Higher Education: Innovations in Theory, Policy and Practice".
Adrija conducts her research with a specific focus on the Global South and through a decolonial and intersectional feminist lens. She is the author of "Nirbhaya: New Media and Digital Gender Activism". She has been a vocal campaigner against sexual misconduct in Higher Education and currently is the Director of International Knowledge Exchange at the 1752 group.
Richie Benson
Richie Benson, representing Beyond Equality, is an experienced educator, youth worker, trainer and facilitator, focused on social activism, building inclusive communities and gender-based violence (GBV) prevention. He has worked with young people in schools, youth groups, colleges, universities and community centres; and with adults in a range of corporate and charity settings, both in the UK and Internationally.
Alongside his facilitation work, he is a yoga teacher and journalist. He studied Political Science & American Studies at the University of Sussex, as well as Documentary Production and Directing at EICTV in San Antonio de Los Baños, Cuba, and Met Film School. London.
