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Write To End Violence Against Women Awards

For over 25 years Zero Tolerance have been working to end Violence Against Women, acknowledging the importance of the media in these efforts. What the media says about women matters. The ways Violence Against Women is reported in the media matters. Now in its seventh year, Zero Tolerance’s Write to End Violence Against Women Awards seeks to recognise and reward journalists and writers who raise awareness of gender inequality and Violence Against Women in a responsible and sensitive manner.

For the first time, this year’s competition will accept submissions and nominations of multimedia pieces as well as written items. This means that pieces of broadcast, radio, short documentaries, and podcasts will be eligible.

You can submit your own or nominate someone else’s article, blog, podcast or video for consideration in six categories:

• Best Piece – News
• Best Piece – Feature
• Best Piece – Opinion and Comment
• Best Piece – Blog and Self Published
• Gender Equity Award – Women and Sport
• Wooden Spoon

The awards will be shortlisted by the Zero Tolerance steering group and judged by a panel of industry experts. They’ll be looking at how well the piece is written, if it challenges gender inequality and/or Violence Against Women, and if it has a wow factor. You can find out more about the judging criteria here and view Zero Tolerance’s Handle With Care guide here.

Last year’s winners included Peter Swindon’s “Students fear ‘academic consequences’ if they report sex attacks on campus”, Dani Garavelli’s “Insight: The Edinburgh clinic helping sex workers stay safe”, Lesley McMillan and Deborah White’s “Technologising Rape and Sexual Assault: Can we really innovate the problem away?”, and Rosie Hilton’s “The everyday resistance of surviving sexual violence”.

To enter this year’s awards all submissions and nominations must:

• Have been published between 01/10/2018 and 30/09/2019
• Be created in Scotland or primarily reaching a Scottish audience

Of particular interest are pieces which represent voices not often heard, for example people of colour, LGBT people, disabled people, and people from rural communities and/or working-class backgrounds. Submissions in other languages will also be accepted.

You can find out more, including deadlines and further information on past winners and shortlists, on the Zero Tolerance website or download a printer-friendly leaflet here.