Safer Streets and West Wales Domestic Abuse Service hosted an International women’s day event at Aberystwyth’s bandstand earlier today (Wednesday 8 March).

West Wales Domestic Abuse Service’s Safer Streets campaign offers training, support and ‘change’ for women and girls throughout local communities in the Dyfed Powys area.

The campaign hopes to stop street harassment, sexual violence, violence against women and girls, as well as domestic abuse.

Safer Street’s Project Coordinator, Iona Roberts, explained: “We started this project after the Sarah Everard case, looking at how we can work with men to call out sexist, misogynistic, hateful and demeaning actions that are of no benefit to women or men.

“The event will bring together the community and groups within the Dyfed Powys area to discuss and inform issues affecting women and girls in today’s society.”

A number of activities were held at the bandstand throughout the day, with singing and a tombola, thanks to donations from local businesses.

Iona added: “The event itself will be there to inspire those around us into taking action. “It shows women that even in male dominated roles, they can and should still try to get in. There is space for them. It’s also a place where people can come together and see the services that are offered to support people in the Dyfed Powys area.”

The organisations behind many of these services hosted stalls at the event, explaining what services and support they can offer. These organisations included the police, West Wales Fire and Rescue Service, Aberystwyth University’s Student Union, as well as the university’s new support service, which will support students through rape, bullying, and sexual misconduct. As part of this, the service has trained seven liaison officers who work within the university.

Nik Vasilev, the police community support officer who attended the event, called the university’s training of liaison officers “really important, because they are trying to prevent these crimes occurring in the first place, whereas we will only get involved after it has happened.”

Mr Vasilev continued: “You’d hope that in the 21st century, this would be in the past. “But it’s unfortunately still everywhere around us. I’m surprised that in 2023, people still carry such prejudice.”

Aberystwyth’s Cor Gobaith also made an appearance at the event. Singing a variety of songs themed around the struggles of women in society, both historical and today. Among others, the group sung Rosa’s daughters, Rosa parks, Bread and Roses and a song they put together out of quotes from last year’s climate summit, COP 27.