The Metro newspaper has received prestigious recognition for its groundbreaking campaign addressing violence against women and girls, winning Campaign Of The Year at the Write to End Violence Against Women Awards.
A Campaign Born From Necessity
Launched on November 25, 2024 - the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women - the 'This Is Not Right' initiative emerged as a direct response to what Metro editors described as feeling overwhelmed by the constant stream of stories about women being harmed or killed by men.
Led by Metro editors Jess Austin and Lucy Mapstone, the campaign partnered with Women's Aid and other leading organisations including Refuge, Hestia and The Circle to confront what they termed a national epidemic.
Claie Wilson, Deputy Editor for Metro, explained the campaign's origins: "The editors admitted feeling overwhelmed by the sheer number of stories about women being killed or hurt at the hands of men. This Is Not Right aimed to change how numb the world seemed to have become to it."
Impactful Journalism That Makes a Difference
Over the past twelve months, the campaign has produced more than 350 articles tackling various aspects of violence against women. Notable pieces included an investigation into why men are spitting at female runners, an interview with Mina Smallman whose daughters Nicola and Bibaa were murdered, and a harrowing first-person account from a woman who experienced economic abuse.
The campaign followed guidance from the End Violence Against Women Coalition on reporting rape and Zero Tolerance's direction on understanding the topic as a systemic issue rather than isolated incidents.
Andrea Simon, director of the End Violence Against Women Coalition, praised Metro's approach: "This campaign saw news coverage, features, deep dives, first person opinion pieces and more produced each week – prioritising the stories of victims, survivors, family members and activists."
Changing Media Practices and Public Perception
The award recognises not just the volume of coverage but significant changes in how Metro approaches reporting on violence against women. Simon noted that the campaign had transformed the publication's internal practices, policies and training on the topic.
The campaign brought an intersectional lens to VAWG by amplifying Black and minoritised women's experiences and highlighting how justice and social systems often work against marginalised women.
When accepting the award alongside Deputy News Editor Isobel Frodsham, Claie Wilson stated: "We wanted to create a campaign that wouldn't shy away from the relentless epidemic but would approach it in a way that would engage, educate and empower our audience. We needed it not only to change the narrative of how people react and absorb stories of violence against women and girls but also consider how the media reports on it."
The Write to End Violence Against Women Awards, judged by a panel including presenter Anita Rani and endorsed by the National Union of Journalists, also recognised other impactful journalism including Sonia Sarkar's feature on FGM in the UK and an investigation into unregulated psychologists used in family court.
Nick McGowan-Lowe, the NUJ's National Organiser, said the awards "showed the talent and dedication of journalists throughout the UK who are shining a light into this darkest of corners of our society."
