October 2024 marks the beginning of Domestic Violence Awareness Month.  Domestic abuse has far reaching consequences, affecting not only the survivors but also children who may witness or grow up in an environment where abuse is prevalent.    

The goal of this month is to raise awareness and educate the public about the various forms of domestic abuse and their impact.  In Wolverhampton an Arts Council England funded project called the 1in3 Project (It`s Our Right) is preparing to hold a 3 day exhibition next month in the Mander Centre plus 4 book launches from survivors of domestic abuse at the Clarendon Hotel.  The aims of the 1in3 Project (It`s Our Right) are working toward realising women`s empowerment and gender equality including protecting the rights and improving the lives of women, girls and the LGBTQIA  Community.  

Standing in solidarity with the 1in3 Project is award winning poet, playwright, author and musician Brendan Hawthorne.  Brendan (pictured) was the former Wednesbury Poet Laureate.

Poet, playwright, singer-songwriter, author and comic compère, Brendan Hawthorne is a born and bred Black Countryman. He is widely published, has held several writing residencies and delivered many bespoke commissions throughout his career. He was one of Anthony Gormley’s ‘Fourth Plinthers’ where he performed his work in Trafalgar Square, London, atop the empty the plinth.

Project Manager Diyodi Devinda Menon said "We are called 1in3 because 1 in 3 women will experience gender based violence in their lifetime.  This equates to around 736 million who are subjected to physical or sexual violence by an intimate partner or sexual violence from a non-partner."  

Brendan was made Wednesbury Poet Laureate in 2014, appeared on BBC The One Show with Shirley Bassey and has held the ‘Bill o Bowes’ national award for best written dialect for two years running (2018 and 2019) and has recently received the award for a third time in 2023. He has featured on Radio Three as an essayist and is currently working on producing his own on-line show.

His recent collections of poetry Seventies Child and Other Fashion Trends is available via Dream Well Writing (a dyslexia friendly publication) and his latest self-published work Calling Out Time is available from Brendan’s website www.brendanhawthorne.org

His first collection of short stories, Synapse, is illustrated by artist Jason Fullwood and has been published this year (2024) by Tenebrous Texts receiving the following comments in a review.

‘Even at first blush it is apparent that "Synapse" is the work of a master wordsmith.  Brendan Hawthorne is not just an author but a playwright, poet and musician.  This is apparent when reading "Synapse".  Drama mixes with the poetry and the reader is transported on a magic carpet of images, feelings and places.’

Brendan continues to write and perform his work either as a solo artist or with singer Kerry Halford as acoustic duo So It Goes …

He has also assembled a performance group Worrapalava which focuses on regional stories through song, poetry and sketches.

His monthly acoustic music and poetry evening Ere We Bin ( formerly know as Poetry Wednesbury) is soon to enter its 25th year of providing a performance and social platform for writers.

For more details or bookings  please contact Brendan via his website: www.brendanhawthorne.org 

In the UK over 2 million women are estimated to be victims of male violence each year, an epidemic that the government and police chiefs have branded a "national emergency".  According to figures published by the National Police Chiefs` Council in July, at least one in 12 women in England and Wales  will be a victim of crimes including stalking, harassment, sexual assault and domestic violence each year.     However - this may be an underestimate because even the report states "We know much crime goes unreported and in policing we often only see the tip of the iceberg".  

Nicole Jacobs, appointed in 2019 as the first Domestic Abuse Commissioner, has said that domestic abuse incidents account for 1 in 3 violent crimes recorded by police and a fifth of annual murders while 30% of people on probation are current or previous perpetrators of domestic abuse.   One woman is killed by an abusive partner or ex every 5 days in England and Wales according to the  charity Refuge.  The police receive a domestic abuse-related call every 30 seconds

The event on 3rd November will be held at the Clarendon Hotel, 38 Chapel Ash, Wolverhampton WV3 OTH

 Photo Credit Garry Corbett