Virago, a women’s centre in Headingley, recently hosted Womanchester’s ‘Hearts For Murdered Women’ workshop to collaborate and raise important questions about male violence.
Local Leeds women collaborated with Manchester women to create hearts as a part of the ‘Hearts For Murdered Women’ campaign. A total of 18 hearts were created by the group.
‘The Hearts For Murdered Women’ campaign saw women either donate or come together and attend workshops to handcraft hearts. Every heart represents a woman lost to male violence. Each one is different, like the story of the woman it represents.
Gemma, a volunteer for Womanchester said: “The Hearts For Murdered Women project is our way of making sure these women are never forgotten.”
In 2022, 108 women lost their lives to male violence. Womanchester collected 108 hearts this year to represent the lost women.
The hearts are now on display in St Peters Square, Manchester, around the Emmeline Pankhurst Statue. The display invites the public to remember the women.
Gemma said: “By sharing these hearts with you, we invite you to join us in remembering each of our sisters, and the life that was taken from her by male violence.”
The hearts will be auctioned off in the new year on social media. The funds raised will go towards supporting women in need. The funds are split equally between Trafford Domestic Abuse Services and the Femicide Census, to further build awareness of male violence.
To date, Womanchester have raised more than £7000 for women’s services.
Virago is the only women’s centre in Leeds and Yorkshire and provides a safe space for women to come together and do what they want, including attending workshops, social gatherings and browsing the feminist library.
Every three days, a woman in the UK is killed by male violence. So far this year, at least 87 UK women and girls have been killed by men. Long-term change is needed to end male violence against women.
To buy a heart and help raise funds for women’s services visit Womanchester’s X account – https://twitter.com/womanchestermmn?lang=en
To find the names and stories of the women lost to male violence, visit Karen Ingala Smith’s ‘Counting Dead Women’ webpage – https://kareningalasmith.com/2023/10/02/2023/