“Together, we will continue to speak out, to stand united, and to demand a future where every woman and girl can live free from fear”
Hundreds gathered at last year’s event(Image: Andrew Teebay Liverpool Echo)
A candle-lit vigil will take place in Liverpool city centre to remember women and girls across Merseyside who have lost their lives to male violence. The event, held on Tuesday, November 25, marks the United Nations International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women and Girls (VAWG).
Domestic abuse and sexual violence charities from across the region will gather outside Liverpool Crown Court in Derby Square for what will be the 36th year of commemorations aimed at empowering women to live free from abuse and fear.
Violence against women and girls remains one of the most widespread human rights violations globally. Almost one in three women worldwide have experienced physical or sexual violence, and it is reported that a woman is killed every 10 minutes.
The public are invited to attend the vigil, which will pay tribute to women and girls in Merseyside whose lives have been taken by male violence. Representatives from a wide range of specialist organisations, including Liverpool and South Liverpool Domestic Abuse Services, Knowsley charity The First Step, RASA Merseyside, Amadudu, and Savera UK, will join Merseyside Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) Emily Spurrell.
This year’s vigil will focus on femicide, defined by the Femicide Census as “women and girls aged 14 and over who have been killed by men.”
The vigil will remember Merseyside’s ‘lost’ women
The Census was commissioned locally to produce Femicide in Merseyside: 15 Years of Failing Women, a December 2024 report which highlights the scale of violence against women across the region and the systemic failings that continue to put lives at risk. Its recommendations are now being taken forward by the UK’s first Femicide Oversight Group.
The annual event aims to provide a space for survivors, bereaved families and the wider community to reflect, remember and renew a collective commitment to ending gender-based violence. The evening will include speeches from specialist support services and PCC Emily Spurrell, followed by a candle-lit vigil during which the names of local victims will be read aloud in a moment of silence.
Performances from Sing Me Merseyside, Batala Mersey and poetry from the Savera UK Youth Collective will feature as part of the ceremony.
Attendees will also be invited to add personal messages of remembrance to a dedicated “Hope Tree.”
A range of partners committed to tackling violence against women and girls, including signatories of the PCC-led Working in Partnership to Tackle Violence Against Women and Girls Across Merseyside strategy, will be present to help raise awareness and reaffirm their commitment to ending abuse.
Merseyside Police and Crime Commissioner Emily Spurrell said: “Each year we gather to remember the women and girls whose lives have been tragically taken from us by male violence. Every name we speak represents a life stolen, a family shattered, and a community grieving.
“Holding vigils like this matters because they remind us why we fight for change…
“I urge everyone to join us — to honour those we have lost, to support those who are still suffering, and to commit to building a future where no woman or girl has to fear for her life.”
Rebecca Radcliffe, Director of South Liverpool Domestic Abuse Services (SLDAS), added: “Across Merseyside, too many women and girls have lost their lives to male violence. Each life taken is a tragedy… This vigil is our moment to come together in collective remembrance and solidarity.
“Together, we will continue to speak out, to stand united, and to demand a future where every woman and girl can live free from fear.”