A flock of peedie birds landed on the Kirk Green yesterday, 25 November, to mark 16 Days of Activism against gender based violence.

16 Days of Activism runs from 25 November to 10 December. The Peedie Birds event is part of the campaign and is run by Orkney Rape and Sexual Assault Service (ORSAS).

The United Nations (UN Women) is highlighting digital abuse this year.

Journalists who stop writing after death threats, activists who delete their accounts to protect their families, girls who lose confidence before they’ve even found their voices, women who are stalked, raped, or even killed. The harm may happen online, but its impact is painfully real, seeping into homes, workplaces, and communities. And it’s happening at a time when sweeping aid cuts are forcing women’s organizations around the world to shut down or drastically scale back programmes to end violence against women.

Misogynistic content in the manosphere is fuelling the abuse and spreading disinformation and hate. When these toxic ideas go viral, they shape how entire generations see and treat women and girls.

Inequality in access and power over technology also deepens the risks for some women and girls, especially those in rural and low-income communities.

Gender based violence is a global problem but it happens in Orkney too.

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