In March 2009, Ann Moulds waived her anonymity and spoke out publicly about her terrible experience of being the victim of a long and horrendous stalking campaign. For over two and a half years, a sadistic sexual predator waged a campaign of terror on her life and everything she had worked hard for was slowly destroyed. In order to gain a sense of safety, Ann was forced to relocate over 80 miles away. In doing so, she lost her business, her home, her friends and her family. Her case was classed as one of the worst recorded in Scottish History.
On 31 March 2009, Ann launched Action Scotland Against Stalking and spearheaded a media campaign to raise awareness of stalking to the general public and criminal justice agencies involved, to inform of the serious impact stalking has on its victims and to campaign for legislative change to recognise stalking as a crime in Scotland. Her efforts paid off and on 13 December 2010, stalking became a criminal offence in Scotland.
“Smile, You’re beautiful” is a peer education group offered through the PEEK Project based in the East End of Glasgow. The peer education group is made up of three local young women who prioritised sexualisation, sexual exploitation and trafficking as the issues they wanted to educate other young women about. They completed confidence building sessions along with some skills training. They then identified other external agencies whom they could invite in to inform them about the issues. As a result of this, they developed and led peer education sessions to raise awareness of some areas of violence against women.
The Feminist Dalit Organisation (FEDO) was established in 1994 by a group of Dalit (low caste) women in Nepal to fight caste and gender discrimination and build a fair and equal society. FEDO promotes the rights of Dalit women and works on issues including health and sanitation, food security, political empowerment and access to justice as well as working to end violence against women and girls across Nepal. Their programmes provide Dalit women with the awareness and empowerment they need to improve their lives and the women themselves influence and inform FEDO’s strategy and create change at the grassroots level.
Leyla underwent FGM (female genital mutilation) at the age of seven — an act that changed her life — and as an adult she has ceaselessly campaigned to ensure that other young girls do not suffer the same fate. Since 2002 she has been working and fighting for the right of girls and young women within the FGM practising communities, putting her life and family at risk with the mission to ensure girls are safe. Her motto is: “To save one girl”.
Nominees
Aisha Gill
Cath Elliott
Colleen McCrystal
Helen Roytoff
Jo Wood
Leigh Forster
Pippa Simpson
Rebecca Mott
Million Women Rise Coalition
Open Clasp Theatre Company
SEEDS