Will your MP turn up and Change Herstory on 16 December? www.icchange.co.uk/pmb Trigger warning: violence against women, sexual harassment, sexual violence, domestic abuse. ‘On nights out it has become the norm to have my arse grabbed.’ ‘He got drunk and I tried to leave, but he pinned me down and forced me to have sex.’ ‘Peter was cunning. No matter how hard he hit me, he was always careful never to mark my face’ (Bates, Laura (2014), Everyday Sexism, pgs 339, 348; Refuge website 2016). Violence against women and girls takes many forms and is widespread in the UK. Many of you reading this will have your own stories, your own experiences of this. We can change this. This December there is a chance that MPs could vote for the Istanbul Convention on violence against women to be made law in the UK. Yes, that's right - Parliament has been listening and thanks to your support with the campaign we have pushed the Istanbul Convention up the agenda! As you know, it's strongest tool in the box the UK has ever had to tackle violence against women and girls. The Istanbul Convention would guarantee urgently needed change to prevent and tackle violence against women. For example, it would protect funding for domestic violence shelters, rape crisis centres, and helplines; ensure education on healthy relationships in schools; and guarantee awareness-raising campaigns. We need your help to make sure that happens. On the 16 December 2016 a draft law that will require the UK Government to ratify the Istanbul Convention will be debated in Parliament by MPs. If 100 MPs turn up and vote in the debate, it will pass to the next stage. We will be one step closer to securing this vital protection for women - that we should have had in the UK years ago. However, the 16 December is on a Friday morning - a time when many MPs would normally be in their local constituencies. That’s why it’s essential for each of us to contact our MPs and tell them why it’s so important to show up and support the Bill on 16 December. Will you contact your MP and ask them to show up and Change #Herstory on 16 December? Find out more and see our resources for contacting your MP here: www.icchange.co.uk/pmb (draft letter, draft Tweet, craftivist group ideas and guidelines for meeting your MP). Let's #ChangeHerstory!