Co Antrim man taking on Belfast Marathon with 16kg on his back for important reason
Jack Dawson, from Carrickfergus, is undertaking the physically demanding feat to raise awareness of the shocking prevalence of domestic abuse in Northern Ireland. The added weight is symbolic: on average, the PSNI responds to a domestic abuse call every 16 minutes.
He is also using his marathon challenge to raise funds for Women's Aid, an organisation supporting women, childen, and young people affected by domestic abuse across Northern Ireland.
Read more: NI women reveal sexist behaviour or harassment as children
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Ahead of taking on the challenge next weekend, Jack said: "I'm expecting to complete the marathon in around seven hours, walking it with the 16kg weight. In that time alone, the PSNI will receive, on average, 28 domestic abuse calls. That's 28 people reaching out for help while I'm doing this challenge.
"I think it's so important that awareness is brought to this issue — and that we work to bring about real change. We all know the awful statistics surrounding domestic abuse, especially towards women and children, but we can't let it be something that's talked about for a moment and then drops off the radar until another incident occurs.
"I really hope this challenge not only sparks an important conversation, but also raises funds to support the work of Women's Aid to help end domestic abuse in our society. I've had my own experiences and have built a wonderful working and personal relationship with Women's Aid over the last five years — through my play Holding Ground, the Social Action Youth Project, and their Responsible Reporting initiative.'
In 2023/24 alone, Women's Aid services across Northern Ireland supported over 7,600 women in the community who had been affected by domestic abuse. Additionally, more than 500 women and 291 children accessed emergency refuge accommodation across the province.
You can support Jack's 16kg Marathon Challenge by clicking here.
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