Queen Consort calls for end to 'global pandemic' of violence against women

Three Queens, a Princess and a Countess joined forces on Tuesday to call for the end of the "heinous crime" of violence against women.

The royal show of force at Buckingham Palace saw the Queen Consort make her first major speech in her new position, asking assembled guests to use the "precious opportunity to speak up and galvanise action" to halt rape and domestic abuse.

Joined by Her Majesty Queen Mathilde of the Belgians, Her Majesty Queen Rania Al Abdullah of Jordan, Her Royal Highness The Crown Princess of Denmark and the Countess of Wessex for a drinks reception in the Picture Gallery of the palace, the Queen Consort set out her hopes for a future without gender-based violence.

The reception, held as part of the UN’s "16 days of activism against gender-based violence", included around 300 guests - campaigners, politicians and celebrity ambassadors - to draw attention to the ongoing crisis.

Guests of honour included Olena Zelenska, the first lady of Ukraine, who was there to boost awareness about the scourge of sexual violence in conflict. She said that rape of women and girls had taken place at the hands of invading Russian soldiers.

The Queen Consort has made domestic violence one of her key campaigning issues since joining the Royal family, and chose the topic for her first major speech since the death of Queen Elizabeth.

'We refuse to be desensitised by cold facts'

"We are uniting today to confront, rightly, what has rightly been called a global pandemic of violence against women," she said.

"Faced with such challenges, it can be hard to know what practical steps we can take to even begin to make a difference.

"Over the years, in my previous role, I had the privilege of meeting many survivors of rape and domestic abuse; and of sharing in the sorrow of people who had lost family members to violence.

"And again and again, I heard that two of the most powerful ways in which to help were to remember and to listen."

Listing a small selection of women who have been killed "at the hands of a stranger, or of the person who should have loved them best", she said: "We refuse to be desensitised by cold facts and figures and we resolve to keep the names and the memories of these women alive."

'There is life after abuse'

She continued: "I have learnt from my conversations with these brave survivors that what they want, above all, is to be listened to and believed, to prevent the same thing happening to others.

"They know there is power in their stories and that, in the telling, they move from being the victims of their histories to the authors of their own futures.

"I have heard countless examples of the ways in which victims have become victors, using their experiences to hold out a hand to help others escape abuse."

Addressing the women and small number of gentlemen assembled for drinks and canapes, the Queen told them: "Your vital work is... evidence that there is life after abuse.

"You are also evidence that we can have hope as we head towards our goal of ending violence against women and girls.

"Armed with that hope, let us press on. Let us not lose this precious opportunity to speak up and to galvanise action that will see the end of these heinous crimes forever.

"With determination and courage, we will succeed. Thank you."

Mrs Zelenska, speaking through a translator, added that it was important the democratic world unites in the face of violence against women and girls.

"We now face a huge amount of rapes of Ukrainian women and children by Russian soldiers," she said. "The youngest victim of rape (in Ukraine) is four and eldest is 85.

"When the efforts of the democratic world unite to combat challenges like this, it always gives hope that we will win."

The Queen Consort spent around an hour at the reception. She first greeted members of international royal families who have also used their positions to campaign to end violence against women.

Camilla has previously met Queen Rania and visited her Family and Child Centre in Jordan in November last year.

Crown Princess Mary of Denmark works through her Mary Foundation, which supports victims of domestic violence. The then-Duchess of Cambridge visited one shelter with her during a visit to Copenhagen earlier this year.

The line-up of guests also included "ambassadors" who campaign on the topic of violence against women, including Melanie Brown, the former Spice Girl; Fiona Bruce, the journalist; and Zara McDermott, a victim of revenge porn.

The families of murdered women - including Sabina Nessa and the sisters Bibaa Henry and Nicole Smallman - were also among the guests.

Lady Glenconner, a former lady-in-waiting to Princess Margaret, said after the event that it was a particularly important topic to keep discussing. She has spoken frankly about the abuse she suffered at the hands of her late husband.

"I’m so delighted that she’s brought this into the public domain," she said. "The problem was people were so ashamed of it. People are talking about it more now."