A church group is raising awareness of gender-based violence.

Withycombe Raleigh Parish Mothers' Union is marking the United Nations' 16 Days of Activism on the issue by displaying a poignant exhibit across three churches.

Visitors to All Saints Church in Exeter Road, St John the Evangelist Church in Withycombe Village Road, and St John in the Wilderness, St John's Road, will find a collection of shoes accompanied by harrowing quotes from victims and survivors of gender-based violence.

The Mothers' Union hopes the display will encourage passers-by to reflect on their attitudes and behaviour towards the issue.

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Withycombe Raleigh Parish Mothers' Union is marking the United Nations' 16 Days of Activism with the display (Image: Lynne Foster) The initiative highlights the grim reality that one in three women globally are affected by gender-based violence, and in the UK, five people die each week due to domestic violence.

The Mothers' Union supports all kinds of families through prayer and action.

The Souls of our Shoes campaign is one example of action and the hope is that these displays will prompt each passer-by to respond to these issues by considering their own attitudes, language, behaviour and the values these demonstrate to others, including children.