Women's Views on News |
- Page 3 Idol: grooming by any other name?
- Safety of women travellers in spotlight
- FA Women’s Super League season preview
- National Stalking Awareness Day 2013
| Page 3 Idol: grooming by any other name? Posted: 18 Apr 2013 05:39 AM PDT Guest post from Lisa Clarke of the No More Page 3 campaign. One of the things which has been bothering us at No More Page 3 HQ is the nature of the way some of the Sun’s Page 3 girls emerge. As part of the theme Page 3 and parenting No More Page3 took a look at some of the biographies of the Page 3 girls which are accessible on their website. Here are a few extracts. "Many of our girls have had a long-standing ambition of appearing on Page 3, but 32D beauty Poppy first gave the news to her parents at the tender age of 13! "They were a bit shocked, but said they would support me whatever I decided to do," she insisted, and five years later, that support was rewarded when she made her debut on the nation's favourite page. "It was a long time to wait for a young girl, but the Somerset stunner certainly made herself busy in the meantime. “I first contacted the Sam Bond modelling agency at the age of 15, but lied about my age to get my foot in the door. "Despite her best efforts Poppy was told that she wouldn't be able to get any glamour work until she was 18, but she was back in the frame well before that and signed with Girl Management six months before her birthday. "As soon as that momentous day came our brunette beauty was off to visit Page 3 snapper Alison for a test shoot and about four weeks later she got the call she'd been waiting years for for years." And another where looking at Page 3 in childhood is mentioned: "Stunning Katie Leigh can remember looking at Page 3 when she was a kid and dreaming of appearing on the nation's favourite page, but insists that she didn't really believe it would happen until she started – how can we put it? – growing up! "Call it divine intervention, call it luck, or maybe she simply wished herself in to shape, but if ever there was a face and a body made for Page 3, Katie's is it. "We're hoping it's the first of many Page 3 shoots for the girl who harboured ambitions of becoming a barrister at school. "The stunning Essex lass burst on to Page 3 in February 2006 and with her raven hair, ivory skin and seductive eyes, she certainly brought something different to the Page 3 table. We don't doubt you will have your own reactions. To us it is difficult to understand how The Sun gets away with mentioning the Page 3 aspirations of 13 year-olds or the fact that Katie has been dreaming of it since being a kid, how it justifies mentioning her "growing up" – by which they presumably mean "going through puberty" – without being concerned about raising child protection concerns. But it seems this is all perfectly ok. I suppose it's just lucky for Katie that she "wished herself into shape". So there you go, little girl, that's all you need do and one day you too can feature in the National Family newspaper in just your pants. Scary stuff… At least that's what we felt. If girls are bought up with a father, older brothers or other significant male figures in their life reading the Sun and looking at Page 3 or commenting on the women, then The Sun then has ready-made Page 3 girls; it can recruit them from their very own homes with their yearly competition - Page 3 Idol. To become a Page 3 Idol young women are invited to send in topless photographs of themselves for the public to vote on and decide who will be the next "lucky girl". They are lined up in a row, in their pants and nothing else, and readers – of a newspaper – look at them, standing there, in their pants and nothing else, and vote for their favourite. They are filmed in their bras and pants, getting ready to pose, taking off their bras and just in their pants, and readers vote for their favourite. So… it seems the industry has it all nicely sewn up with a formula which grooms young women to fulfill a glamour model role from a very young age with promises of a career which may lead to stardom or at the very least the chance to be ambassadors for The Sun, visiting troops in Afghanistan and doing great charity work… But it still looks like grooming. But it seems no one has been raising child protection concerns.  |
| Safety of women travellers in spotlight Posted: 18 Apr 2013 03:38 AM PDT
A spate of high-profile attacks on female travellers have raised questions over whether women should travel alone. Again. According to media reports, a series of attacks on women – travelling in India in particular – have highlighted the dangers faced by female travellers; sexually aggressive advances and at worst rape or even murder. The appalling gang rape and murder of an Indian woman in Delhi raised awareness of the ongoing problems of sexual harassment and rape in that country, but when two western women became the victims of sex attacks, the country was officially branded risky for women. The latest advice from the UK’s Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) says: ‘Women should use caution when travelling in India. ‘Reported cases of sexual assault against women and young girls are increasing; recent sexual attacks against female visitors in tourist areas and cities show that foreign women are also at risk.’ Jessica Davies, a 31 year-old British women injured both legs when she jumped from a second floor hotel balcony in Agra to escape a potential sexual assault by two men. And according to the FCO, British women have been the victims of sexual assault in Goa, Delhi, Bangalore and Rajasthan. But it’s not just women travelling alone who are attacked, as the Delhi gang rape and last month’s gang-rape of a Swiss woman travelling with her husband in the Indian state of Madyha Pradesh show. Earlier this year Sarai Sierra, a 33-year old American woman, was murdered in Istanbul after she rejected the advances of a man in the Turkish capital. Public comments on the NBC website echo questions raised by many; why would a woman travel alone in such a big, bad world? “A single woman travelling alone is risky. In a foreign country, it is downright foolish"; "A woman has no business travelling alone"; "No way I would even let my beautiful wife out the door to travel to any country alone." Not only do these comments reek of xenophobia – one states that there is no place safe for a single American to be travelling east of Italy – but they also perpetuate the belief that women incapable of doing anything without a man. In reality, safety is an issue that faces women on a daily basis, whether they are at home or abroad. The most recent government figures show that approximately 85,000 women are raped in England and Wales every year, and over 400,000 women are sexually assaulted each year. It’s a sad reality that no matter how emancipated western women may seem, they are still not a free as men, either as citizens or as travellers. If we believed the hype however, we’d all be heading to Cornwall with Caroline Quentin. There is a big, not necessarily bad, world out there to explore, and women shouldn’t be put off because of their gender. Sex attacks are not a new phenomenon in India; according to a report in the Guardian a woman is raped every 20 minutes, and many crimes go unreported: India has some of the lowest rape conviction rates of anywhere in the world – although the UK can hardly claim to be a shining example. Despite this, tourism to India has flourished and until recently UK arrivals were growing at nine per cent a year. The UK is India’s second largest market with 800,000 Brits making the journey every year, and the majority of visits pass without incident. The recent high-profile media coverage however has taken its toll on arrivals; recent reports suggest that international visitor numbers are down 25 per cent, and that female arrivals are down by as much as 35 per cent. The majority of cancellations have been made by British, American, Canadian and Australian travellers. The media coverage of these despicable crimes against women has been a spur for change; last month Indian authorities passed new anti-rape laws, and the number of sexual offences being reported to police in India has rocketed. Since 1 January reports of molestation cases are up 590.4 per cent and of rape cases up 147.6 per cent. Travelling is a rewarding and enriching experience and India is a wonderful country which certainly captured my heart. Do your research, plan meticulously and always be aware of local sensitivities. Sure, I experienced some unwanted attention, but I did in Morocco, in Cyprus even, and I still do in London. As a woman you always have to have your wits about you when you go out, and this is no different when you travel abroad.  |
| FA Women’s Super League season preview Posted: 18 Apr 2013 02:00 AM PDT
The Women's Super League (WSL) is only three years old, but is growing in popularity with each passing season. The league hopes to capitalise on the massive awareness boost for women's sport provided by London 2012, where the GB women's football team progressed to the quarter finals, beating Brazil on the way. Defending WSL champions Arsenal have dominated domestic women's football for years, but they face stronger competition this year as many of their opponents shake up their squads, bringing in new international players to boost their profiles. In addition to this boost in interest from the public and the media, the women's game is benefitting from increased support from clubs and the FA. Things are by no means perfect – England women, for example, earn just £20,000 per year, a pittance compared to the many millions per week showered on the top men – but attitudes do seem to be changing. Game Changer, the FA's 2012 report on the women's game, promised a new level of commitment to training, development and commercial support. And from next year, the WSL will undergo a huge expansion, up to 20 teams from the current eight. All in all, there's never been a better time to get into women's football. Even for those who aren't drawn by the men's game (myself included, it has to be said), it's easy to get excited by the prospect of an active, dynamic top level women's league. Here's our rundown of the teams, the players, and what to watch out for. Arsenal Ladies: Arsenal Ladies are not only the defending WSL champions, they are far and away the most successful English women's team, with a trophy count of 38 in their 25 year history. Not only have they won the WSL both times since its introduction in 2011, they won its predecessor, the Women's Premier League National Division, every year since 2000. Quite the winning streak. In total, they have a record 14 top tier domestic league titles. They have also won the FA Women's Cup a record 11 times, and they are the only English women's team to win the Champions League, in 2007. Their success transcends gender: in 2007, they won a historic "quadruple", the only English team, male or female, ever to do so. They are also the only English team, male or female, still competing in the Champions League this year. Birmingham City Ladies: Formed in 1968, Birmingham City Ladies are the oldest team in the league. In recent years, they have been Arsenal's strongest opponents, finishing runners up in the WSL last year. They won the FA Women's Cup last year, although their defence of that title came to an end on April 9. They lost 6-0 to Arsenal, naturally. It will be interesting to see how they can recover from this drubbing throughout the WSL season to challenge Arsenal for the title. Doncaster Rovers Belles: Another of the older WSL teams, Doncaster Rovers Belles were formed in 1969. They have a long-standing rivalry with Arsenal, but their glory days seem to be in the past. They won the FA Women's Cup six times in the eighties and early nineties, and were runners up for another five. And although they won the Women's Premier League National Division in 1992 and 1994, they have not come close to repeating this since 2003, when they were runners up. Doncaster Rovers Belles are the only Yorkshire club currently playing in the WSL, although this will surely change following the league's expansion next year. Liverpool Ladies: Liverpool are the underdog coming into the season, having finished bottom of the table for the last two years. However, new manager Matt Beard, in charge since August 2012, has drastically reshaped the squad, releasing ten players after last season. To replace them, he has brought in several top players, including United States national team defender Whitney Engen, and midfielder Fara Williams, who they nabbed from rivals Everton. The new look squad have one extra trick up their sleeves: they are the only players in the league to train full time. Even Arsenal train only twice a week. According to Beard, Liverpool have their sights set high. "The ambition of the club is to be playing in the Champions League and, next year, competing for the title," he said. Chelsea Ladies: Chelsea have also brought in new players since last season. Manager Emma Hayes has signed four international players, including Swedish striker Sofia Jakobsson, and Brazilian midfielder Ester. Chelsea reached the final of the FA Women's Cup last year, drawing 2-2 with Birmingham before losing the match in a penalty shoot-out. They were unable to extend their success this year, falling to Lincoln in the fifth round. But the team will hope that their new blood will help bring them success in the WSL. Everton Ladies: Although they have not quite been able to break through to the level of Arsenal and Birmingham, Everton have had some big successes in recent years, winning the FA Women's Cup in 2010, and reaching the quarter finals of Champions League in 2011. They were also five times runners up to Arsenal in the Premier League National Division between 2005 and 2010. For the last two years, they have finished third in the WSL table. Time will tell if they can take it a step further this year. Bristol Academy: Formed in 1998, Bristol Academy are the youngest team in the league. They have had a fair amount of success for such a young team, reaching the semi-finals of the FA Women's Cup five times, and advancing as far as the final in 2011. Their league history is less auspicious. Although they were promoted to the Premier League National Division in 2003, just five years after their formation, they have never reached the final. Bristol have the distinction of playing at the Stoke Gifford Stadium, the only stadium in the country specifically developed for a women's team. Lincoln Ladies: Lincoln Ladies have yet to make much of an impact at the highest level. They reached the semi-finals of the FA Women's Cup in 2008, and finished fourth in the inaugural WSL in 2011. They did not get off to a great start in the new WSL season, losing 1-0 to Liverpool in their opening match on April 14. However, this may just be the year they make their breakthrough. They have made a star new signing in England goalkeeper Karen Bardsley, and have posted impressive victories over Chelsea and Leeds United to reach the semi-finals of this year's FA Women's Cup. Expectations are running high. Defender Casey Stoney said, "With hard work on the pitch and off the pitch, the results will come. The manager has got us organised and disciplined. One thing we will be this year is hard to beat. "We're not saying we're going to finish in the top two or top three, we're just going to fight for every single point." ESPN will broadcast frequent WSL review shows. Check the schedule here. The BBC will provide TV coverage from next season.  |
| National Stalking Awareness Day 2013 Posted: 18 Apr 2013 01:09 AM PDT
This year, 18 April is National Stalking Awareness Day. The focus for 2013 is 'know the law, use the law'. Stalking has only been a specific criminal offence in the UK since November 2012, when the government introduced two offences, stalking and stalking involving a fear of violence. Prior to this all behaviour had to fall under the Protection from Harassment Act 1997. Stalking is now very definitely illegal – and it's on the rise. It's recorded as Britain's fastest-growing crime, with over 4000 prosecuted cases each year. Incredibly, 90 per cent of women who are murdered were stalked by their ex-partner – and violence has very often been a factor in that relationship. Stalking starts as something very small, but can quickly escalate to dangerous levels of risk. According to national and international statistics, in the UK, women aged 16-19 are at the highest risk of sexual assault (7.9 per cent), stalking (8.5 per cent) and domestic abuse (12.7 per cent). Women aged 20-24 are only slightly less at risk of stalking (7.5 per cent). But do women recognise the behaviour that constitutes stalking? Do we know what kind of behaviour would fall under the legislation? And, importantly, do we know when we are most at risk? Despite the fact the Protection of Freedoms Act 2012 is new, there is no strict statutory definition of stalking included, but according to the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) examples include: physical following, contacting, or attempting to contact a person by any means (friends, colleagues, family, technology for example) or other intrusions into the victim's privacy such as loitering in a particular place or watching or spying on a person. Network for Surviving Stalking (NSS) is internationally recognised as the leading registered charity in the UK dedicated to supporting victims of stalking. They have developed a separate website for the Trust Your Instinct Campaign. They describe harassment as distressing behaviour but stalking as an 'obsessive fixated pursuit'. Visit their website and you can find a quiz to help you determine if someone’s behaviour should be giving you cause for concern. People often think that the behaviour needs to be threatening violence for it to be a criminal offence, but this is not the case. The requirement is that it incorporates behaviour which causes serious distress to the victim. Like most behaviour, stalking cannot be classified under one heading. Leading researchers in this field, Mullen et al. (1999) provide the following typology: The rejected stalker is the stalker arising following the breakdown of a relationship. Victims are usually previous ‘intimate partners’. The resentful stalker arises when the perpetrator feels they have received some form of mistreatment or been the victim of some form of injustice. The intimacy seeker is the stalker who arises out of loneliness and a lack of a close confidante. Mullen et al. say that this type of stalker can often be suffering with mental illness involving delusional beliefs about their victims. The incompetent suitor stalks in the context of loneliness or lust. This type of stalker will target strangers or acquaintances and will often have poor social skills along the lines of to autism spectrum disorders or intellectual disability. The predatory stalker is usually male and the victim is usually a female stranger in whom the perpetrator develops a sexual interest. The predatory stalker often possesses deviant sexual interests and practices. One in six women in England and Wales has been the victim of stalking. And of course, cyber stalking, involving the use of email, social media, and other on-line forums makes targeting victims easier than ever before. And on average, a stalker will contact 21 people connected to the victim. The NSS states stalking ruins lives and can lead to murder and therefore does need to talked about and to be taken seriously. There are several warning signs that something isn’t right. Someone who refuses to accept ‘no’ for an answer, or who isolates you from your family and your friends, someone who wants you to spend all of your time in their company and is excessively nice in the early stages of your relationship, for example. Extreme jealousy, turning up whereever you happen to be, offers of unsolicited help and frequent unwelcome gifts should have you asking serious questions. Frequent loss of temper, threats and substance abuse are also signs you could be at risk. If someone is making you feel uncomfortable, if someone's behaviour is making alarm bells ring – if you feel frightened or threatened – trust your instincts and seek support. Don’t be afraid to say ‘no’. Tell the person you do not want any further contact with them and then do not respond any further. And once a problem starts, make sure you keep a diary of what happened and when and where, and who witnessed it, and save evidence of any text messages or emails. If you are – or fear you might be – the victim of stalking, contact the police on 999. You can get additional support from the National Stalking Helpline on 0808 802 0300 where you can discuss your options. Stalking is illegal and the police can take action. Don't worry about manners, or being rude. By trusting your instincts you could save a life. That's the very important message of National Stalking Awareness Day in 2013.  |
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