THE BOXER AND THE BATTERER

The Marriott Hotel Bristol is hosting ‘An Evening With Floyd Mayweather’ on the 8th of March 2017, which is also the date of International Women's Day. In February 2016 the Colston Hall cancelled a similar event after objections from women's charities and groups. Ashton Gate, who were previously hosting, cancel the event stating that it went against the family values of the club and stadium. Please sign this petition to ask the Marriott Hotel to follow suit and cancel the event. Businesses and corporations prioritising profit over the voices of women and choosing to ignore VAWG is a huge problem - some of the tickets at this event are £1000. 
Mayweather is a man who has long history of violence against women, including several convictions we should not be providing a platform for him to speak and sell his image. The idolising of a perpetrator of domestic violence is unacceptable and damaging. 
Over Fourteen thousand women and girls aged sixteen to fifty nine suffered from Domestic Violence in Bristol last year. In a time of austerity when services for domestic violence are being cut, and still two women a week are dying in the hands of male ex/partners, we believe providing Mr Mayweather with a platform to speak, particularly without questioning him about his violent, misogynist acts, gives a dangerous and damaging message to the public.
As a community we must stand together against violence against women and challenge the idea that talent and money make it excusable. The Marriott is prioritising profit over womens voices by going ahead with this event. By not providing Mayweather with a platform we can make that stand and choose to tell him and others that his actions and behaviour are not acceptable. Many of the women that face domestic violence do not have a platform to speak from and we believe that seeing Mr Mayweather speak and be celebrated will reconfirm the idea that actions such as his are acceptable. Those who face domestic violence often have a long and difficult recovery suffering from social stigma and lack of action by officials. Access to justice is not and should not be dependant on celebrity status.
Hosting this event on a day that celebrates the achievements of women is totally unacceptable. We urge the Marriott Hotel to take this matter seriously and cancel the event.