University News Last updated 05 May 2010
A Birmingham City University student is helping to raise the awareness of domestic abuse in same-sex relationships.
Angela Gilraine, a final year student on the Foundation Degree in Housing at Birmingham City University, has been working with the West Midlands Police and Birmingham City Council on the ‘Unzip The Silence’ campaign that was launched last September.
Angela, who is studying whilst working in the Housing Department at Birmingham City Council, is also the chair of Pink Shield, the community group responsible for bringing attention to issues affecting the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community. She said: “I am delighted with the support our group has received from the police and council. ‘Unzip The Silence’ is such an important campaign; we want to dispel the taboo surrounding reporting domestic abuse in same sex relationships, and encourage people to come forward and not to suffer in silence.”
And Angela’s campaign doesn’t just stop in the West Midlands. She plans to roll it out to police forces in other areas as well as hold a series of road shows to help educate people further.
“I have undertaken a lot of research into this area as part of my studies at Birmingham City University and my work has found that there are no safe houses that are specifically for the LGBT community. That’s what I’d like to see next,” Angela added.
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Photo-caption: Anglea Gilraine, bottom left, with Birmingham City Council Chief Executive Stephen Hughes, West Midlands Police Chief Constable Chris Sims and Vice-Chair of West Midlands Police Authority Judy Foster.