Knowledge – Vigilance – Protection

Xena’s Angels

Xena’s Angels is a new ‘Not for Profit’ organisation in Jersey, based around the protection of women and girls, and will undertake to provide islanders with useful information, skills, seminars, courses and products while acting both remotely and in the field, in an effort to aid the reduction of sexual assaults (including rape) and non-sexual offences. We will liaise with and, if appropriate, alongside established charities offering specialised support to women and girls, and will be able to add our own expertise in a number of areas including policing, self protection and awareness for women and girls, the criminology and psychology of offenders, and strong links with licensed premises door security supervisors.

We aim to offer practical support to the States and Honorary Police, relevant Charities and organisations, Street Pastors, Door Security staff, Licensees, hospitality venues and any other organisation that promotes safety for women and girls. The TASK FORCE set up to explore violence against women and girls, under the extremely able leadership of Kate Wright, the CEO of FREEDA (Free from Domestic Abuse), produced some very sobering statistics for Jersey.

Opening Campaign – the ‘ANGEL CARD’*

To announce the founding of XENA’S ANGELS we will soon be showcasing the ANGEL CARD, a simple card, the size of a standard business card, that has a number of contact details (telephone numbers, emails, websites) of organisations such as FREEDA, JAAR (Jersey Action Against Rape), Dewberry House which includes the SARC (Sexual Assault Referral Centre), Emergency and Non-Emergency Police numbers, a link to the States of Jersey Police online reporting portal and advertising ‘KULPA’ a national (including Jersey) App that allows survivors to log important information of abuse including incident reports and photographic evidence.

The ‘Prototype’ ANGEL CARD has already been produced in a small number (250) and it is eventually hoped that boxes of Angel Cards will be available in all licensed premises, business houses, retail outlets, the Parish Halls, States of Jersey Police Station, and any other establishment that wants to hold some to hand out when needed. This would go hand-in-hand with staff training on what to do when asked for an ‘Angel Card’ and how to be both an Upstander and an outcry witness for those that are victim of sexual assaults and non-contact sexual offences. YOU WILL ALSO BE ABLE TO ADD THE DETAILS OF THE ANGEL CARD TO YOUR GOOGLE or iPHONE WALLET so that you may find that important information close at hand.

*There are a number of similar ways in the UK and further afield, that try to address these issues such as ‘Ask for Angela’ and in America, asking a bar person for an ‘Angel Shot’ however, this type of campaign is only as good as the continuous training of licensed premises staff, especially when a survivor of a sexual offence, or a victim of a bad date, needs to escape quickly, but then has to then fully explain why she is asking for a non existent employee called Angela or an Angel Shot that isn’t on the drinks menu. These campaigns are of course worthwhile; anything to assist female survivors of assault but they are mainly aimed at premises that hold a liquor licence and not other places of work, other groups, charities and administrative offices in the area.

What are we doing next ?

Our first tasks are to:

Register as a NOT-FOR-PROFIT organisation with the JERSEY FINANCIAL SERVICES COMMISSION.

Seek Publicity for our LAUNCH through the local MAINSTREAM MEDIA and SOCIAL MEDIA.

Set up a Board of Trustees.

OBTAIN FUNDING for the opening campaign (ANGEL CARD) and sign-post what type of venue would benefit first from training and holding Angel Cards, most likely Licensed Premises as a starting point.

Contact possible stakeholders in the launch of the ANGEL CARD, such as Breweries, Licensees, the Hospitality Association, the Police, both States and Honorary and other organisations and charities dealing with aftermath of violence against wome.n and girls.

How to Contact Us:

The Founder of Xena’s Angels is Miss Róisín Pitman and she can be contacted in a number of ways.

Email: roisin.pitman@hotmail.co.uk

Mobile Telephone Number: 07797-713370

Facebook: Róisín Xena Pitman