Mother of woman shot dead in Liverpool warns girls about gang relationships
Ashley Dale was shot dead by a man intending to kill her drug dealer boyfriend in a row between rival gangs
The mother of a woman who was shot dead on Merseyside is now going into schools, warning girls against relationships with gang members.
Ashley Dale, 28, was shot dead in her home in Liverpool in 2022 when a gunman opened fire with a sub-machine gun, intending to target her drug dealer boyfriend.
He was involved in a row over stolen drugs with a rival gang.
Julie Dale is now working with Merseyside Police as part of efforts to prevent violence against women and girls.
She was among speakers who addressed more than 80 schoolgirls at the Anfield Sports and Community Centre on Tuesday (18 March).
Talking to Hits Radio at an event in December, Julie urged girls to speak out if they are worred about releationships.
She said: "Ashley felt like she could talk to her friends, so she knew something was wrong.
"But she didn't feel like she could talk to me.
"If I could wind back the clock two plus years, I just wish she'd have come to me."
Faye Smith, Safer Schools Co-ordinator, Merseyside Police said: “The event is part of a month long focus in schools across Merseyside, where we engage with young people, to discuss Violence Against Women and Girls.
“The work we do with young people is vital in order to engage and educate them on what is and isn’t acceptable when it comes to abuse and misogynistic behaviours.
“We have a real opportunity to make a difference with the young people we engage with, as we continue to spread the message.”
Francis Hargreaves, Youth Intervention Department Manager said: “The Onside+ programme has collaborated with Project Medusa and Merseyside Police for more than three years, supporting secondary schools throughout the Liverpool City Region.
“We are proud to support today aiming to create conversation and highlight Violence Against Women and Girls.
“We have invited some of our Onside+ secondary schools to attend, it is great to see them involved in these types of sessions providing them the opportunity to hear from women from a wide range of backgrounds and careers.
“We want these students to go back to school, to highlight the message but also be role models to peers throughout their school.
"Hopefully, in a few years we can invite some of students back and they will be standing at the front sharing their stories and journeys to others.”
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