On Friday, 29th November, in observance of the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women (IEVAW), The Rt Revd Lusa Nsenga-Ngoy, Bishop of Willesden, will be leading a group of male cyclists across London to highlight the duties and responsibilities men bear in ending all forms of male violence against women and girls.
Launched under children’s author Onjali Q. Raúf’s movement Making Herstory, this powerful symbolic event will call on different communities to take a stand against male violence – and remind them who is responsible for perpetrating the majority of such acts.
This action follows the statements aired by Queen Camilla in the ITV documentary, Her Majesty The Queen: Behind Closed Doors, on Monday 11th November 2024. The queen’s call to “get more people discussing [domestic violence], talking about it…hopefully, in the end, put an end to it” is one which this event will amplify yet further.
Bishop Lusa Nsenga-Ngoy said:
“Men bear a responsibility to challenge the roots of violence that harm women daily. ‘Bishop on a Bike’ is a call to all men to step forward, recognize, and transform the societal norms that perpetuate abuse.”
‘Bishop on a Bike’ will launch at St Mary’s Church in Willesden, and will stop at iconic London landmarks, raising funds for nia women’s refuges and sparking crucial discussions on the roles men and boys must embrace to end violence in all its forms. The ride will be joined by Alaistair Hale, an Ambassador of White Ribbon UK.
In launching the ride at St Mary’s Church, Bishop Lusa underscore the purpose of this journey in an opening speech: to advocate for an end to male violence and abuse and to promote safety and respect for women and girls.
This message is poignantly encapsulated in the campaign’s hashtag, #LeaveHerBe, inspired by a biblical account of a command uttered by Jesus in response to male followers harassing a woman (believed to be Mary Magdalene) for her actions. His command of “leave her be” directed at men, places focus on men’s unacceptable actions and forges a universal call for respect and protection for all women.
The riders will stop at key London landmarks, including the Houses of Parliament and House of Lords, symbolising a call for legislative action and societal responsibility in addressing violence against women; and culminate at Greenwich Observatory in connection with The Star Outside My Window, a children’s novel by Onjali Q Rauf that explores themes of domestic violence and the impacts of femicide from a child’s perspective.
All proceeds from the event will support the construction of a new therapeutic space for women survivors of domestic violence being sheltered by nia. Funds will be raised through a dedicated JustGiving page, with the ultimate aim of establishing a space where women can heal in safety.
This ride invites men, women, and children from all walks of life to join Bishop Lusa on a journey toward real, actionable change. By amplifying the voices of survivors and calling on men in society to play an active role in recognising and confronting all forms of violence, ‘Bishop on a Bike’ envisions a world where women and children can finally live free from the daily harms resultant from male-led abuses.