Women's Views on News |
- Sexism in UK golf ongoing
- Rape and child abuse units to merge
- Labour market will be “female unfriendly”
- New roles for women in Catholic reform?
| Posted: 01 May 2013 07:17 AM PDT
My family frequently try to get me to "calm down", which usually has the opposite effect to the one intended. But I recognise that my life would probably be easier if I could let more (any?) of the little things slide, so I do sometimes make an effort. But there are some things about which it is important to get angry. Things we should yell about every time we see them, so that they stop happening. Racism, for example. Assault. Rape. And sexism. Although I thought we had got rid of that now. I thought we made a decision about ending sexism years ago. Apparently that news hasn't reached some people. Last month's top eye-roll moment came courtesy of the "great" Sir Stirling Moss, who came out with these gems: "I think [women] have the strength, but I don't know if they've got the mental aptitude to race hard, wheel-to-wheel." "We've got some very strong and robust ladies, but, when your life is at risk, I think the strain of that in a competitive situation will tell when you're trying to win." And this week, my eyes have been rolling right out of my head at the rubbish coming from golf’s governing body, the Royal and Ancient (RA). Earlier this month, the Augusta National Golf Club in Georgia in the USA allowed two women to join, ending 80 years of men-only golfing action. About time, too, you might think. The UK-based Women’s Sport and Fitness Foundation (WSFF) has called for men-only clubs to follow Augusta's lead and update their policies, which are "damaging the reputation of sport". Again, fair enough. Nothing too radical here. That's not how RA chief executive Peter Dawson saw it. Under increasing pressure to accept that women have the right to do things and go to places just like men do, Dawson responded by saying that clubs should not be "bullied" into letting women join. “To think that the RA might say to a club like Muirfield, ‘You are not going to have the Open any more unless you change your policy’ is frankly a bullying position that we would never take,” he said. "Personally, I think this idea that it sends out a dreadful message to the world is considerably overblown but that is my own opinion. “We don’t see it as our role to attack golf clubs which are behaving perfectly legally.” This is obviously nothing more than drivel. Following the advice of a charity press statement does not amount to bullying. Neither is suggesting to respected golf clubs like Muirfield or St Andrews that they maybe, possibly, start thinking about existing in the 21st century. So Stirling Moss turns out to be another misogynist "product of his time", and institutional inertia allows Muirfield and St Andrews to keep outlawing women for the foreseeable future. This sexism is aggravating enough, but what really enrages me is that it won't have any repercussions for them. They will continue to be venerated, and while they are in a position of influence, nothing will change. So, sports-loving ladies, grumble on. Grumble louder. Scoff at the TV whenever Stirling Moss is allowed on. Make a big deal out of every little thing, no matter how much it annoys everyone around you. One day they will come around. One day, it will be normal for women to play golf alongside men. As it should be.  |
| Rape and child abuse units to merge Posted: 01 May 2013 06:24 AM PDT
London’s Metropolitan Police – the Met – have seen fit to undergo a major reorganisation of its Scotland Yard department, Sapphire, which deals exclusively with rape cases. Sapphire will now merge with the child abuse and sexual assault departments and become one entity. One hundred new officers are also to be recruited, and the new and bigger department will bring in investigators and officers across each unit to make up 1,400 staff. The decision to merger came after a series of failed cases and investigations into rape and assaults across the UK over the last few years. A startling discovery was also made in a recent report by the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC). The IPCC carried out up to 9 inquiries into the Met's handling of sexual assault and rape cases, and it emerged that a Sapphire unit located in Southwark, London, had actively 'encouraged' rape victims to withdraw their charges in an attempt to heighten Sapphire’s own performance rates in 2008-09. Following this report, 19 London officers have undergone disciplinary hearings with 3 being removed from their posts. Another officer was also jailed for falsifying reports. The finding has damaged the credibility and reputation of Scotland Yard and raised questions about its ability to handle rape and sexual assault cases. Detective Chief Superintendent Mick Duthie, who is the current head of the Sapphire unit, said: "We've certainly had our ups and downs and unfortunately it seems that the downs get reported." "We've spoken to our partners about whether we will change the Sapphire name and some are saying get rid of it, some are saying a lot of people know what Sapphire does and if you lose that you will lose some victim's ability to contact the police. "I want to reassure the public we will maintain specialist investigators to deal with rape, highly trained dedicated staff and part of the restructuring is to enhance the service we give to victims. “There is an absolute steadfast determination that this command will work," Duthie added. Duthie is also adamant that failings in his department are no longer an issue now that the merger has been finalised. However, many critics have remained unconvinced about the real intentions of the department merger. Labour MP Harriet Harman insisted that any trust in the department had been completely lost. "I do not have confidence in whatever they call it. “I can’t say to women in my constituency, ‘have confidence, report your cases’, unless I know there’s going to be a proper check-up because we’ve heard it all before," she said. There has been much agreement with Harman, with many viewing the merger as simply a ' re-branding' exercise that will also help cut costs. Jenny Jones, a member of the Green party on the London Assembly, said: "I am concerned that the decision to shake up the focus of Sapphire to include child abuse could result in the unit mixing too many crimes and losing focus on each one." The new department will see officers work together to tackle growing cases of rape and sexual assault throughout the UK. It is also aiming to crackdown on grooming gangs which target children. We shall see.  |
| Labour market will be “female unfriendly” Posted: 01 May 2013 04:10 AM PDT
According to data from the Office of National Statistics (ONS) released in April, women's unemployment currently stands at 1.12 million – the highest for a generation. But this figure could rise to 1.48 million by 2018 if the current trend continues a report from the Fawcett Society cautions. With government strategies for growth seemingly targeted at spending in the private sector and saving in the public sector, the report reveals the disastrous impact that this is having on the UK's female workforce. A high concentration of women work in the public sector, in part because it offers flexible working schemes and, for those in full-time work, the gender pay gap is halved when compared to the private sector. So as the government continues to make strides towards further privatisation of the public sector, projections from the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) suggest that the worst is yet to come, with 75 per cent of public sector workers yet to lose their jobs. In contrast, a range of government initiatives have been implemented to boost private sector growth. This includes subsidies and tax relief for small to medium size businesses, as well as capital investment in construction and science, engineering, and technology (SET) industries. However, only 14 per cent of small to medium size businesses are ‘majority-led’ by women – either run by a woman or have a management teach that is over 50 per cent women – and women are similarly under-represented in the construction (13.5 per cent) and SET (12.3 per cent) sectors. Unsurprisingly, then, 60 per cent of those 'new' private sector jobs have gone to men. Ceri Goddard, chief executive of the Fawcett Society, said: "Women could and should be a key part of the driving engine getting the UK's economy back on its feet, but with investment restricted to sectors where few women work, and funding for programmes tackling gender segregation slashed, there's little hope." In addition to revealing the particular barriers faced by women striving to participate in the labour market, the report also stresses the continued inequalities faced by women in the workplace. The Women in Work Index recently downgraded the UK to 18th position out of 27 countries in the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) based on five indicators of female economic empowerment, including the gender pay gap and the female unemployment rate. Women in full-time work earn on average 15 per cent less per hour that men and, consequentially, find that their pensions are only 62 per cent of those for the average man. Two-thirds of those paid at or below the minimum wage are women, and such is the problem that The Work Foundation claims that 'the UK's low pay problem is essentially a gender pay problem.' Low pay is endemic in part-time work, although part-time work is often the only option for single mothers and those with caring responsibilities – which is why almost three-quarters of the part-time workforce are women. The report also highlights other challenges faced by single parents seeking work. It is not just finding affordable childcare and flexible work which are compatible with one another, but also the lack of support and misinformation emanating from the very agencies that should be there to help. Citing research from Single Parent Action Network (SPAN), which investigated the experiences of single parents in receipt of Jobseekers Allowance, the report reveals that information being dispensed by Jobcentre Plus staff is often 'confusing and contradictory'. Single parents report being turned away from Jobcentre Plus appointments for taking their young children with them, as well as finding staff inflexible when appointments clash with childcare commitments like school drop offs. As one mother explained, "I had thought that, you know, I would be encouraged … given the opportunity to kind of put myself back together [but] it was a very lax kind of, nobody gave a damn attitude, you know you were treated without any respect, without any dignity." As Brendan Barber, TUC General Secretary, warned in 2011 when depth of the proposed public spending cuts were announced: 'When politicians talk about the need for deep spending cuts they rarely say how this would affect ordinary working people… women would have to pay for these cuts with their jobs and pensions.' And so, the Fawcett report makes clear, they have.  |
| New roles for women in Catholic reform? Posted: 01 May 2013 02:00 AM PDT
Newly-appointed Pope Francis recently announced the formation of an advisory committee that will focus on reforming the Catholic Church. The leader of the committee, Cardinal Oscar Andres Rodriguez Maradiaga, from Honduras, told the Sunday Times that he was 'backing more posts for women.' As encouraging as that statement may be, optimism was tempered following Vatican spokesman Father Federico Lombardi's qualification of the Cardinal's statement. "It is a natural step," said Father Lombardi. "There is a move towards putting more women in key roles where they are qualified." Who will determine 'where they are qualified' is likely to be a point of contention, particularly regarding the ongoing battle over ordination for women. The advisory committee announcement came just weeks after the Pope's surprise inclusion of women in his Easter celebrations, from washing the feet of two female prisoners to praising 'female witnesses for believing in the resurrection.' Led by Cardinal Oscar Andres Rodriguez Maradiaga of Honduras, the origins of the eight cardinals on the committee seem to hint at the potential for change. Only one of the eight is already a part of the Church's governing hierarchy, the Roman Curia, and each continent is represented. The cardinals on the committee are: Giuseppe Bertello, president of the Vatican City State governorate; Francisco Javier Errazuriz Ossa from Chile; Oswald Gracias from India; Reinhard Marx from Germany; Laurent Monsengwo Pasinya from the Democratic Republic of the Congo; George Pell from Australia; and Cardinal Sean O'Malley from Boston, USA. The Vatican's announcement also mades it clear that while the group will advise Pope Francis on Church governance, the committee will have no legislative power. Two of the group's priorities will be the Roman Curia and the Vatican's constitution, which may help address some of the calls for reform following widespread allegations of sex abuse by priests and cover-ups by the Church. The Church's central form of administration, the Curia, has gained a reputation for infighting and corruption, with a number of recent scandals and controversies during Pope Benedict's reign. In Father Lombardi's press briefing, he pointed out that the announcement of the formation of the committee came exactly one month after Pope Francis' election 'and showed that the Holy Father "listens attentively" to the suggestions of the College of Cardinals – his closest collaborators.' The committee's first meeting will be held on 1 October 2013. Women around the world will be watching closely to see how well Pope Francis listens to their concerns.  |
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