Pink Lady® supports vital LGBT+ anti-abuse service
At Pink Lady® we are proud to have been LGBT+ allies for many years. And this summer our special Pride packs are helping to support LGBT+ victims of abuse and violence.
You will be able to find 70,000 of our Pride packs in Co-Op stores around the UK from Friday 27 August. Each one will be adorned with a Progress Pride sticker to celebrate the LGBT+ community. And alongside our delicious and nutritious Pink Lady® apples, the packs offer an exciting competition to win two VIP glamping passes to the first Out & Wild festival next summer.
But the packs will also include an important message – supporting Galop, the charity for LGBT+ victims of domestic abuse, hate crime, sexual violence, and so-called conversion therapy. During lockdown, domestic abuse escalated, with few suitable places for LGBT+ people to go to escape. Young people living with hostile families, unable to hide who they are in lockdown, saw violent reactions to their identities being discovered.
Photo posed by models. Photo credit: Külli Kittus, Unsplash
Sadly, anti-LGBT+ hate crime has also increased during COVID-19, with some people blaming LGBT+ people for the pandemic itself. Social distancing made same-sex households easier to identify in public, which led to attacks, and hostile neighbours escalated their abuse during lockdown. Despite these rises, many are unable to access support. This can make them feel “let down”, “alone” or “ignored” which makes the situation even worse. So here at Pink Lady® HQ we are using our Pride packs to promote Galop and are making a donation to help fund its vital work.
Leni Morris, CEO of Galop, said: "Galop works directly with thousands of LGBT+ people who have experienced abuse and violence every year. We support victims and survivors of domestic abuse, sexual violence, hate crime, and other forms of abuse including honour-based abuse, forced marriage, and so-called conversion therapies. We are a service run by LGBT+ people, for LGBT+ people, and the needs of our community are at the centre of what we do. Sadly many LGBT+ people experience abuse and violence in the UK today, and the majority of victims can’t access the help and support they need. So we are delighted Pink Lady® is helping promote and fund our work. It will help us continue to support those who suffer abuse and violence, as well as securing policy change to reduce abuse in the long term."
You can find out more about Galop’s work here [LINK: www.galop.org.uk]. Meanwhile, if you need help, you can call the National LGBT+ Domestic Abuse Helpline on 0800 999 5428 or the LGBT+ Hate Crime Helpline on 020 7704 2040.