Tender: Pilot Street Safety Project: Street Performances, Bystander Training and Communications to Tackle Violence Against Women and Girls

About

This commission is seeking a theatre group to lead a pilot street safety project addressing Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG), developing and delivering street-based performances, delivering bystander intervention training in communities, and running a communications campaign to strengthen the message and increase reach. The work must involve the voices of young women and girls through workshops, be trauma-informed by commissioning a specialist group throughout delivery, and offer public training on how to better respond when witnessing inappropriate behaviours. Local and national evidence cited in the brief includes 182 young women raising concerns about gender-based violence, sexism and harassment, 158 young women identifying feeling at risk from boys and men because of their gender, findings that 51% of girls aged 13 to 18 received unwanted sexual comments (33% aged 13–14) and that 29% revealed they first experienced sexual harassment at ages 11–13, and a 2023 Plan International survey noting over three quarters of young women and girls avoid activities or change behaviours during summer to reduce unwanted sexual attention. The theatre group will lead from research and development through delivery and evaluation of the programme.