‘Our silence only serves those who control and be violent...’
The Welsh-born Hollywood actor Michael Sheen has urged men to start taking responsibility for domestic abuse. Liz Perkins reports...
HOLLYWOOD actor Michael Sheen has urged men to “start to take responsibility” for domestic abuse and warned “silence only serves those who control and abuse others.”
The 50-year-old star went on to criticise the criminal justice system and Family Court for leading victims to be placed in an “abusive situation” again at the Stand Up To Domestic Violence conference – at Newport’s Celtic Manor Hotel – which he hailed as “ground-breaking.”
He described the survivor-led event as “a real moment” and “a real opportunity” and said “we are changing the world today.”
The actor underlined there was “real power” under their “horrific experiences.”
Mr Sheen said: “We find it difficult as a society to talk about domestic abuse and domestic violence.
“Our silence only serves those who control and be violent, there’s no neutral ground.
“Those of us who can, have to use our voices.
“If we as men are unable to confront and examine our fears and insecurities, we are a grave danger to our communities and to the people we profess to love.
“We have to accept we are dangerous to ourselves. We as men must start to take responsibility.”
Mr Sheen made clear his belief that although there were good people working within the justice system, overall it was “flawed.”
“Going into the criminal justice system, the Family Court at the point when you are at your most vulnerable, you are being put in an abusive situation by our institutions again,” he said.
“There are good people working within a flawed system.”
He has spoken out in the wake of harrowing new figures, which reveals domestic violence killings had reached a five-year high.
Last year, 173 people were killed in domestic violence-related homicides, according to new figures released from 43 police forces across the UK - an increase of 32 deaths on 2017.
In England and Wales, between April 2014 and March 2017, around three-quarters of victims of domestic killings by a partner, ex-partner of family members were women, while suspects are predominantly male.
Meanwhile, Victims Commissioner Dame Vera Baird has underlined “we must keep the Prime Minister to his word” over the Domestic
Abuse Bill and urged for it to be “much better” and
“much stronger.”
She called on survivors and professionals to
“never ever be silent” over domestic abuse and revealed pressure had been put on to reintroduce the bill in the Queen’s
Speech. Prime Minister Boris Johnson has pledged to tackle the “horrific crime” of domestic abuse and said the legislation would go forward under the next session and underlined the government was “fully committed” to dealing with the issue.
Dame Vera said: “We must keep the Prime Minister to his word.
“We should say it’s not enough to bring it (the Bill) back as it is.
“It must be much better and much stronger.
“We still have to make a very loud noise indeed until domestic violence is stopped - let us never ever be silent.”
The conference heard the evidence of a 15-year-old victim who saw her mother killed after her estranged husband discharged a shotgun into her torso and neck, leading to the severing of her arteries.
“Children are not witnesses, they are victims,” she said.
More than 120 survivors from right across the UK took part in the conference.
A special message was read out on behalf of coercive control victim Sally Challen, who had been due to attend the conference with her campaigner son David but was unable to do so following the birth of her grandchild on Friday morning.
She had suffered years of humiliating abuse before killing her husband Richard in 2010.
“Victims voices are powerful and are vital in raising awareness,” she said. “I am now free and I am able to live a true life.
“I want people to understand coercive control.
“I am so grateful to Justice For Women and my sons David and James – it’s released me from prison after nine years.”
Both Sally and David described the conference as “a seminal and vital event that gives victims a voice.”
The Duchess of Cornwall has raised hope that the first domestic abuse conference of its kind “will also inspire positive steps to tackle the shocking prevalence of domestic abuse” in Britain.
In a special message to the conference, she said she had been moved by the horrifying ordeal of event organiser Rachel Williams.
She said: “I met Rachel Williams in Safe Lives in 2017 and her harrowing story made a deep impression on me.
“It is a testament to her courage that she was able to write her book ‘The Devil At Home’ to spread the word about the reality of living with domestic abuse.
“Rachel’s determination to give a voice to those who have been through so much has now prompted her to organise the ‘Wales First Survivor-led Domestic Abuse Conference.’
“Its aim is to simply bring together survivors and professionals to listen to each other.
“I’m sure their stories will remind everyone that there is still much to be done, but I hope that the conference will also inspire positive steps to tackle the shocking prevalence of domestic abuse which affects so many people in this country and leaves some in fear of their lives.”
The Duchess of Cornwall has worked to raise awareness of the issues facing those affected by sexual violence and domestic abuse since 2009.
Event organiser Rachel Williams said domestic abuse claimed more lives than cancer.
She said: “And at this point I want to call on the PM to deliver the Domestic Abuse Bill, which has faced numerous delays since 2017!
“Thousands of survivors over the last two years have been courageous in sharing their experiences of domestic abuse with the government…we will not be fobbed off any longer.”
She added: “I didn’t ask to come into this arena, I was thrust into it due to one man’s actions back in August 2011.
“His actions were meant to defeat me, but instead they promoted me!
“My hurt, anger and loss was transportation... transportation onto a platform to enable me to do what I do, and hopefully lift all your voices up.
“I want to encourage others who have felt the cut of the knife, which many of you in the room today have…to come out stronger than ever before.
“We have Red Nose Day, NSPCC, Stand up to Cancer... yet Domestic Violence is a bigger killer in young girls and women aged 16-44 than Cancer, so it’s about time society recognised Domestic Abuse and Violence for what it is, the epidemic that we must find a cure for. We all play a part in doing this.”