Archived - The Write to End Violence Against Women Awards

From 2013 to 2024 Zero Tolerance hosted the The Write to End Violence Against Women and Girls (WEVAW) Awards to recognise and reward journalists, writers, and content creators across the UK who raise awareness of gender inequality and Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG).

In 2023 and 2024 we cohosted the Awards with the End Violence Against Women Coalition (EVAW), opening the awards UK wide. In 2025 we handed the awards over to EVAW’s care5. 

You can find information about past awards on this section of our website. To nominate articles for the current WEVAW awards, visit EVAW’s website.

 

We held the Write to End Violence Against Women Awards around the 16 Day of Action on Gender Based Violence. 

Categories

Best Piece – News

• A “hard news” story, i.e. a piece of reporting intended to communicate the facts of the story.
• The author must have received financial compensation for the piece.
• The piece may be published in any local or national UK publication, online or print.

Best Piece – Feature

• A lengthier feature piece, i.e. a piece of writing intended to provide more analysis and context than a straightforward news piece.
• The author must have received financial compensation for the piece
• The piece may be published in any local or national UK publication online or print.

Best Piece – Opinion and Comment

• A piece where the author expresses their personal opinion.
• The piece may be published in any local or national UK publication, online or print.

Broadcast: Experts’ pick

In 2023, we introduced an award to recognise good reporting via television, radio, or internet. We considered news broadcasts, podcasts, and documentaries that covered violence against women well. This award was chosen by experts on violence against women rather than accepting submissions for this award.

As well as celebrating good articles on VAWG we have the Wooden Spoon Award. This is rewarded to a common practice within articles that reinforces attitudes that perpetuate VAWG. Previous Wooden Spoons have been awarded to dramatic headlines, ‘Sex Game Gone Wrong’ as a murder defense, and articles focusing on the impact of violence on the perpetrator rather than the woman.

Public Recognition Awards

Due to COVID-19, our annual Write to End Violence Against Women Awards did not take place in 2020 or 2021. Instead we invited the public to nominate articles, blogs, and other media content for the Write to End Violence Against Women Public Recognition Awards.

What makes a good article?

When choosing the pieces we think deserve recognition we looked for a number of qualities.

1. How well written is the piece?

• Is this a good piece of journalism?

• Is the quality of the writing good?

• Does it flow well? Is language well utilised?

• Is it enjoyable to read?

2. Does this piece challenge gender inequality and/or violence against women?

Does the piece:

• Follow good practice guidelines when discussing violence against women and girls?

• effectively raise awareness about gender equalityas an issue and challenge it?

• Challenge or reinforce myths and stereotypes? e.g. implying the survivor is to blame; portraying perpetrators as beasts or fiends, or as misunderstood anti-heroes; describing violence as crimes of passion etc.

• Use quotes from experts, facts, or figures to place the story in a wider context of VAWG?

• Talk about the root cause of VAWG?

• Include the voice or the impact of this violence on a victim-survivor?

• Treat the victim-survivor of abuse or violence with respect for their experience, dignity, and safety?
• Provide helplines at the end of the article?

3. Does this piece have a wow factor?

• Is it innovative?

• Is it original?

• Does it contribute something new to the discourse?

• Is it on an unusual topic, or does it shed new light on an old topic?

• Does it give an interesting perspective to a story?

• Is it from a voice you haven’t heard before?

• Is it from the perspective of an underrepresented group?
• Does it make you think?

For more information on how writing may challenge VAWG see our media guidelines on VAWG.