Misogyny could start being considered a hate crime, as authorities have announced a wide-raging review of the current legislation on this topic. If you did not already know, hate crimes are acts of violence or hostility directed at people because of who they are, and they are penalised under British law. In 2017-2018, there were 94,098 hate crimes recorded by the …
Why is feminism essential?
Although there is still much progress to be made in British society concerning women’s rights, it’s easy to be blinkered to the fact that around the globe, Feminism is manifested differently in different cultures. In Argentina, it’s reproductive rights, with 500,000 illegal abortions carried out every year and women pushing for a bill to be pushed …
FGM – vital steps forward are being taken, but attitudes need to change
FGM, or Female Genital Mutilation is a huge international problem that affects millions of girls and women yearly. However, did you know that 137,000 women and girls are affected by FGM in England and Wales? This statistic is shocking and unacceptable. There were 4,495 newly recorded cases of women and girls who had undergone FGM in the period April …
A call to break away from forced marriage
“I will not be a victim for my parents’ honour and reputation. I will not live in shame. I am now free.” The right to choose who you marry, when you marry and if you marry is a fundamental human right which needs to be safeguarded under all circumstances. Forcing someone to marry is illegal in …
BAME women face up-hill battle reporting intra-familial sexual abuse – We must speak out!
Recently, we read the sickening story of Ashraf Khan, who has been jailed for four-and-a-half years for three counts of incest after admitting to fathering his daughter’s three children. The children suffered in various physical ways as a result of the incestual sexual abuse, such as the inability to feel certain kinds of pain, as …
Shroud Of Dishonour – What really happens behind the curtains?
Two prominent social and cultural patriarchal constructs play a role in all aspects of a woman’s life in the South Asian (SA) community; they are izzat (honour) and sharam (shame). Izzat and sharam are both factors that impede the assessment of child sex abuse, domestic violence and honour killings. These were and still are widespread issues swarming the community. Embed …
JAN Trust’s view on the Domestic Violence Bill
Domestic violence can affect any one of us, regardless of background. Crime Survey of England and Wales (CSEW) states 1.2 million women aged 15-59 have experienced domestic violence in the year March 2016/17. Embed from Getty Images Theresa May recently made an announcement that we at JAN Trust believe is much needed. A reform to …
Domestic Violence: “Why does she not just leave him?”
Have you ever wondered “why doesn’t she leave him?” Domestic violence is indiscriminate and can affect anyone of any race and class. The Crime Survey of England and Wales (CSEW) states 1.2 million women aged 15-59 have experienced domestic violence in the year ending of March 2017, as well as 713,000 men in that same …
An Inhuman Attack: The Crisis of Rohingya Women
The Rohingya Muslims are a minority community within Myanmar who have long been persecuted through the denial of citizenship and basic human rights. In recent months, Myanmar’s military have increased the intensity of their ‘clearance operations’, resulting in hundreds of thousands of Rohingya fleeing their homes. Although all those who have fled are seriously affected, this …
Why is there a culture of shame when it comes to speaking out about harassment?
Countless women have come forward in the last few weeks accusing the Hollywood producer star, Harvey Weinstein, of sexual assault and rape; Angelina Jolie and Gwyneth Paltrow being amongst them. The Oscar-winning actress Emma Thompson has claimed that these kinds of sexual harassment stories in the Hollywood industry are in fact “endemic” and that Weinstein is simply “the top …