Why People Across The Country Will Be Standing In Warrior Pose On February 1st

Pic: Paul Sharp

On February 1st, people across the country are going to be standing in warrior 2 pose in order to raise awareness – and raise vital funds – for Women’s Aid.

The warrior pose symbolises strength, resilience, and determination – qualities that Women’s Aid and Allianz Ireland want to highlight this year, as they encourage people to show their support for victims of domestic violence.

RTÉ presenter Jennifer Zamparelli, who is involved in the campaign, says that she feels “incredibly lucky” to feel safe and secure in her home.

“It is something that I never take for granted and something that I will always, always appreciate,” she says. “Did you know that one in four women do not feel like that? One in four women in this country have been a victim of domestic violence. And that is frightening.

“Often, we do not hear about it because there is an element of shame, but we need to show our support, we need to let women know, if they need it, there is help, there is support. They do not need to feel unsafe in the place that they live.”

Pic: Paul Sharp

Jennifer also says that she was questioned for not leaving her former partner, who was abusive: “He was a very charming person. Always the fun guy. Great on a night out. There was this turn in him — and he always took it out on me.

“That was a major red flag that I completely ignored because I believed all the nonsense that came after it. A lot of people used to say to me: ‘Why didn’t you leave?’ The simple fact was because I loved him.

“By supporting Women’s Aid and the Stand Strong Campaign, I want to let people know that this can happen to anyone but there is hope. You can come out the other side and have a successful relationship and a successful life and it does not have to define you.”

CEO of Women’s Aid Sarah Benson says that the new campaign is simple, but powerful. “It could be anyone: your best friend; your sister; your colleague; your neighbour; your teammate; your mother; your daughter,” she says.

“Anyone. Last year women’s aid had our busiest year in our 50-year history. The Gardaí responded to over 54,000 to domestic abuse calls last year. And we know these numbers are just the tip of the iceberg.”

To take part in the campaign, all you need to do is ‘Stand Strong’ in the Warrior 2 pose, ‘Support’ by donating to Women’s Aid, and ‘Share’ using the hashtag #WAStandStrong.

You can find out more here. 

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