A CONFERENCE marking an international day for the elimination of violence against women was held last week, as the borough came out in support of the White Ribbon Campaign.

Edmonton MP Andy Love said he would be wearing his White Ribbon with pride to signal his support for the campaign and called on men everywhere to make a personal pledge never to commit violence towards women.

He said: "A lot of progress has been made to stop domestic violence - but some men still see violence towards women as an accepted part of life.

"Domestic abuse still goes on behind too many front doors and it's a crime which destroys families, terrifies children and leaves its victims frightened and vulnerable."

The Enfield Domestic Violence Forum held a conference at the Civic Centre, in Silver Street, Enfield, last week, following the United Nations International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women and Girls on November 25.

This date signals the beginning of 16 days of action, with the White Ribbon a symbol of hope for a world where women and girls are free from the fear of violence.

Speakers from various anti-violence groups spoke about forced marriage, sex-trafficking, rape and female genital mutilation.

Cllr Ertan Hurer, cabinet member for community safety and the voluntary sector, said: "The White Ribbon Conference examined the main forms of violence against women.

"Not only was domestic violence discussed, but other forms of brutality were also examined, such as female genital mutilation, forced marriage and sex trafficking."

He said too often these subjects were hidden and taboo.

The event was opened by the Mayor of Enfield, Cllr Dogan Delman, and culminated in the screening of award-winning documentary Until the Violence Stops' which documents the way in which Eve Ensler's play The Vagina Monologues' has grown into an international grass roots movement to stop violence against women.