Women's Views on News |
- Training could prevent DV gun deaths
- Should domestic abuse ever be forgotten?
- Poor pay and no career prospects
- A woman is to read radio football results
- Mothers face discrimination at work
| Training could prevent DV gun deaths Posted: 14 Aug 2013 08:13 AM PDT
New guidelines that are part of the recently issued Firearm Guidance used by police forces are to help the police decide whether to award individuals with a firearm certificate. A three-page guidance replaces the one sentence on domestic violence in the previous guidelines, which said that “domestic disputes” should be a factor for consideration in deciding gun ownership. Under the new guidelines, “an incident of domestic violence taking place should trigger a need for police to review whether the certificate holder can be permitted to possess the firearm or shotgun without causing a danger to the public safety or to the peace. “In general, evidence (including a history) of domestic violence and abuse will indicate that an individual should not be permitted to possess a firearm or shotgun. “Each case must be assessed by the police on its merits, on the basis of the strength of the evidence available…” Police interviews with partners who may be victims of domestic violence “may be judged essential to making a complete assessment of an application”. Evidence from family members, “friends or associates” of domestic abuse victims and perpetrators can now also be taken into account. The UK’s minister for policing, Damian Green, said, “Domestic violence is unacceptable in any society and perpetrators should be in no doubt that their chances of ever holding a firearms certificate are greatly diminished … I am confident this guidance will continue to protect the public from people who are not suitable to hold firearms.” The Infer Trust, which raises awareness of the dangers of guns and offers support to those affected, estimates that in the last 10 years, almost three quarters of all female shooting fatalities in the UK occured as part of domestic abuse. And according to the Crime Statistics for England and Wales (2000), one in three women killed by their husbands is shot with a legally-owned – as in ‘licenced’ – weapon. This new guidance was prompted by calls for changes in the law following the shooting by Michael Atherton in 2012 of his partner Susan McGoldrick, her sister Alison Turnball and her daughter Tanya Turnball and then himself. At the inquest, the coroner described the shooting as “avoidable” and concluded that the “the four deceased would not have died when they did in the manner in which they did had there been robust, clear and accountable procedures in place.” Despite a history of domestic abuse and threats to harm himself, Atherton was awarded licences for three shotguns and three other firearms. The case mirrors the death of Caroline Parry in Gwent last week, who was found outside her home alongside her ex-partner, Christopher Parry. Both had suffered gunshot wounds, although Christopher Parry is still, at the time of writing, alive and described as in a ‘critical but stable’ condition. Police are not seeking anyone else in connection with the shooting. Christopher Parry legally held three shotguns, despite his ‘relationship problems’ being known to the police, who have confirmed several visits to the house previously. Bobby Turnball, the son of Alison and brother of Tanya Turnball, has actively campaigned for changes to the laws related to gun ownership. While welcoming this updated guidance, he warned that “a few tweaks in the guidelines is nowhere near good enough as legislation would be. “Police don’t have to use guidelines. In the case of what happened with my family, police didn’t abide by the guidelines and it’s going to be the same across the country.” The guidance underlines the importance of police knowledge of the reality of domestic abuse, stating that “Officers must have received adequate training so that they are aware of the indicators of domestic abuse and how to support victims and keep them safe.” Laura Richards, co-director of Paladin, a new national service for victims of stalking, and adviser to the Parliamentary Stalking Law Reform Inquiry, believes that police training will be central to successfully implementing the new guidance. Laura told WVoN, “This guidance will only be effective with knowledge and training in domestic abuse, stalking and risk assessment. “There needs to be a commitment for mandatory training in domestic abuse for all police staff so that they understand the serious and often dangerous nature of domestic abuse, which leads to so many women and children losing their lives. “Domestic abuse and stalking are high risk behaviours and too often are treated as low level with an attitude that it is ‘just a domestic’. “This is compounded by the fact perpetrators can appear very plausible and many are manipulative, using power and control dynamics on those they interact with and within their relationships. “Comprehensive checks by speaking covertly to partners, family members and ex partners need to be undertaken in every case and any intelligence received regarding domestic abuse, physical and/or psychological to include coercive control, harassment and stalking should mean automatic refusal.”  |
| Should domestic abuse ever be forgotten? Posted: 14 Aug 2013 06:24 AM PDT
In 2003 French musician Bertrand Cantat struck his girlfriend Marie Trintignant, a successful and revered actor, repeatedly about the face following an argument over a text message sent to her phone. It was seven hours before Trintignant’s' brother called the emergency services to the couple's Lithuanian hotel room, by which time Trintignant had slipped into a deep coma. She died five days later, suffering from multiple head and facial injuries. The post-mortem suggested Marie Trintignant had been hit in the face at least 19 times, although Cantat would only admit to 'slapping' her four times before putting her to bed. This was a shocking case of domestic violence in a country where one woman is murdered every four days by a partner or former partner. The murder of Marie Trintignant brought the issue of domestic abuse to the fore of France's political agenda and calls to domestic abuse helplines increased dramatically in the wake of her death. It also, with depressing inevitability, lead some to deem Cantat's actions a tragic accident; the natural denouement of too fiery and intense a passion. Fans and media publications alike traded, insultingly, on that fabled 'doomed romance' scenario, allowing facile and hollow comparisons with Romeo and Juliet or Sid Vicious and Nancy Spungen. In 2004 Cantat was convicted of murder with 'indirect intent' – meaning he had not intended to murder Trintignant but knew this to be a probable consequence of his actions. He was released in 2007 after serving just four years of an eight year prison sentence; the brevity of which is perhaps indicative of how, culturally and judicially, violence against women is often minimised. In a chilling coda to this tale of violence and murder, Cantat's former wife Kristina Rady, with whom he was reconciled after his release from prison, hanged herself in 2010 in the home they shared together. A book recently released in France alleges Rady left a phone message for her parents six months before she died saying that Cantat had broken her elbow. She is also alleged to have said that "Everyone thinks [Cantat] is an icon, a star, then he comes back home and does horrible things to me in front of the family. Patterns of repeated and systematic violence against many women are not unusual in cases of domestic abuse and Rady's suicide has leant further credence to the idea that Cantat was neither remorseful nor rehabilitated after his time in prison This question of rehabilitation looms large over Cantat's slow, incremental, attempts to rebuild his career. He played his first comeback gig in Bordeaux in 2010 and has since played a handful of venues, released a theatrical concept album and featured on the latest release from Malian duo Amadou and Mariam. Last month, the UK press reported that Cantat's solo album is 'tentatively' slated for release in November. But what, in cases such as this, does it mean to be rehabilitated? As Jessica Reed has argued on this subject in the Guardian, to be human is to believe in repentance and redemption and I'm not sure where we are as a society if we unequivocally deny people the chance for both. It is, of course, deeply illiberal to disallow a person the chance to rebuild their life after they have served their time However, in cases such as Cantat's, should not rehabilitation and atonement be done quietly, respectfully and out of sight, rather than by trading on an image that is at once tarnished but also burnished with the icky sheen of the brooding 'bad boy'? If Cantat had been jailed for tax evasion prior to announcing his imminent comeback the manner of his rehabilitation would matter little, if at all. And I say this because, although tax evasion is a crime, the damaging cultural messages implied by a return to the spotlight post-conviction are, in the artistic world at least, relatively benign. The cultural messages implied by allowing a man who beat a woman to death to return to the public eye, and receive a platform for adulation and influence, are deeply damaging, both aiding the ongoing oppression of women and compounding the trivialisation and glamourisation of violence against women. But then we seem to have a short memory and an easy willingness to forgive, or at least forget, the vile acts of our male heroes. And here I reference but a few: Roman Polanski, Sid Vicious, William Burroughs, John Lennon, Charlie Sheen, Sean Penn, Chris Brown, Mickey Rourke. All have committed terrible acts of violence against women, and all are still revered or venerated for their talents. It is almost as if violence against women doesn't count in the way other heinous crimes do, and a manufactured mythology has built itself up around famous male perpetrators which mitigates and excuses their acts. They are crimes of passion, an extension of eccentricity, the ultimate end to a life of nihilism, the expected behaviour of a bad boy, or superceded by towering talent. Personally, I would hope that Cantat's comeback album fails miserably; that domestic violence campaigners picket every one of his gigs and that men and women alike decide that there is a line beyond which you cannot come back – that some acts are so brutal, so horrific, and the culture and myth that we have allowed to grow up around such acts so nullifying that there has to be a way to send a message that it will no longer be tolerated. Some will, undoubtedly, argue that artistic merit should be divorced from the personal history of the artist. Some will, conversely, see Cantat's work as more fascinating and alluring because of the dark brutality of his past. For me it is rather more simple: if you beat another human being to death you forfeit your right to adulation; you forfeit your right to trade on an erroneous image of a complicated, passionate man and you certainly forfeit your right to benefit financially from any type of twisted notoriety you gain in the aftermath.  |
| Poor pay and no career prospects Posted: 14 Aug 2013 04:08 AM PDT
According to a TUC analysis of official figures published on 12 August ahead of the latest unemployment figures, due out on 14 August, almost half of the rise in employment since 2010 has been in temporary work. The TUC’s analysis of the labour force survey shows that between December 2010 and December 2012 the number of temporary workers increased by 89,000 to reach 1,650,000 – nearly half (46 per cent) of the total rise in employment. The analysis shows that involuntary temporary work – people doing temp jobs because they couldn’t find permanent work – has been growing sharply for a number of years. In 2005, the number of involuntary temporary workers (263,298) was broadly similar to the number of ‘voluntary’ temp workers who didn’t want a permanent job (243,703). However, by the end of 2012 the number of involuntary temporary workers had more than doubled to 655,000, while the number of voluntary temporary workers increased by 42 per cent to 345,000. Some employers organisations say that staff are happy with temporary or fixed-term work because it offers them greater flexibility. However, official statistics do not back up this claim, with involuntary temporary workers now outnumbering voluntary temporary workers by almost two to one. The most common form of temporary work is contract or fixed period work, although the number of people doing these jobs has fallen by 19,000 over the last two years. In contrast, casual work – for example, someone who is not part of the permanent workforce but supplies work on an irregular basis – has been the fastest growing form of temporary work, soaring by 62,000 in the last two years alone. The TUC believes that the rise of involuntary and casual temporary work, along with increases in involuntary part-time work and zero-hours contracts, show that beneath the headline employment figures lies an increasingly insecure, vulnerable workforce. Too many workers are not working enough hours to get by, or have no guarantee of paid work from one week to the next, says the TUC. A recent report from the TUC also found that four in five new jobs created since 2010 have been in industries where the average wage was less than £8 an hour. This shows that many new jobs are not only insecure and short-term, but are likely to be low paid too, says the TUC. The increased casualisation of the workforce is bad for workers, who are likely to earn less, and are unable to progress their careers or plan ahead. It is also bad for the economy as low-paid, insecure work is less productive and holds back consumer spending power. But rather than helping people who are stuck in short-term, insecure jobs, the government is making their working lives even tougher, says the TUC. Ministers have cut basic rights at work, made it easier for bad bosses to mistreat staff without fear of legal redress, and are now considering making it even easier to sack people. The TUC warns that unless the government takes steps to encourage better working practices and the creation of good quality, permanent jobs, workers across the UK will get trapped in low-paid work with poor career prospects, and their living standards will continue to fall as a result. The TUC’s General Secretary, Frances O’Grady, said: “Unemployment has been lower than originally feared when the recession hit. “But beneath the surface lies an increasingly insecure and vulnerable workforce. “Millions of people have taken shorter hours, temp jobs and zero hours contracts in order to stay afloat during the recession and stagnation. “But while poor pay and no career prospects may be better than the dole, these kind of jobs will not raise living standards or create a meaningful recovery for most people. “The fact that casualised labour continues to grow even during this ‘so-called’ recovery suggests that the labour market is far more fragile than headline figures suggest. “Ministers need to acknowledge the problems of under-employment and insecure work, as it is eroding people’s living standards. “Cutting basic rights at work and making it easier for bad bosses to mistreat staff will only make things worse.”  |
| A woman is to read radio football results Posted: 14 Aug 2013 03:30 AM PDT
I fear I hear a chorus of "So what?" from those who have no interest in football. But actually it's quite a significant moment for women in sport. Slowly but surely, women are starting to break down the traditionally male bastions, especially in broadcasting, and are making their mark. Obviously, we would like to get the point where this isn’t news, but while it is, let's celebrate it. Charlotte Green, 57, had had a distinguished 34-year career with the BBC when it was announced that she and fellow broadcaster, Harriet Cass, were to take voluntary redundancy in 2012. The news brought country-wide consternation from listeners and colleagues alike. But more importantly, it called into question the BBC's policy with regard to featuring older women both on the radio and television. It also sparked a wider debate over the role of older women in society as a whole. Green, whose voice has often been described as the vocal equivalent of honey, is clearly excited about her new role. Needless to say some sceptics, who I suspect are not Radio 4 listeners, and therefore have not heard Green's soothing tones, have already voiced their disquiet. What could a woman possibly know about football results? Will she grasp the importance of the role? Can she lend sufficient gravitas? The answer to the last of these questions is beyond obvious. Charlotte Green would lend gravitas to reading out a shopping list. However, what is less well known is that Green knows her football. She is a life-long Tottenham fan, and in a recent interview with the BBC she said, “As a six-year-old I used to sit reading the football scores out loud so this is a dream come true.” She has big shoes to fill. James Alexander Gordon was the voice of the football results for over 40 years. He retired in July after being diagnosed with cancer. There is no doubt he will be greatly missed. He had a way of conveying the weekly triumph and tragedy equally without mocking the 9-0s or being bored by the no-score draws. “We are delighted to welcome Charlotte to 5 live and we are really looking forward to hearing her distinctive voice reading the classifieds, made so famous by James Alexander Gordon,” said Richard Burgess, head of BBC Radio Sport. “She is a broadcaster of true calibre and I know she will bring clarity and warmth to the role.” And so say all of us. Listening to the Sports Report football results on a Saturday is a tradition the length and breadth of the country. Charlotte Green will become a very different, but valuable part of that tradition. Tune in to 5 Live or the World Service at 5pm on Saturday 28 September, to hear her first broadcast.  |
| Mothers face discrimination at work Posted: 14 Aug 2013 01:09 AM PDT
In 2010, pregnancy and maternity became a protected characteristic covered by the Equality Act, which prohibited discrimination on the grounds of pregnancy and maternity for 26 weeks after giving birth, or any statutory maternity leave to which a woman is entitled. But a new report on maternity issues in the workplace suggests that employers still do not appear to understand their legal responsibilities regarding women in the workplace. The report, published by employment law specialists Slater and Gordon, revealed that one in four mothers who have returned to work believe they have been subjected to discrimination, either before or after the birth of their child. Researchers also found that 51 per cent of the nearly 2000 women polled felt that there was a shift in attitude towards them when they fell pregnant, and two thirds said that working conditions were more 'difficult' after returning from maternity leave. There was also a sense among many of the women that their views were not considered as important as those of staff without children. And, more worryingly, nearly half felt that having a family damaged or halted their career progression, with a third described rising up the career ladder as a mother 'impossible'. One in twenty actually accepted a completely different job within a company when they went back to work. So even in 2013, we are still in a situation where working women are being penalised for having families. For most of them, it seems they are being told very firmly and very demonstrably that no, they can't have it all. They can't even have very much. The reality of what the women questioned for the research – and millions like them – are facing is a working atmosphere akin to that of a pressure cooker. They feel they have to work harder and longer to prove themselves, to perform better and better and yet, it seems, to no avail. Not to worry, though, the government are all over this one. Employment Minister Jo Swinson said the government was committed to ‘the best use of women's talents’ (just not in the Cabinet, Jo?) But you can't help but wonder just how in touch with the lived experience of ordinary people she – and her party – is when she goes on to remind us all that pregnancy discrimination could result in an employer facing an employment tribunal – helpfully forgetting to add that fees are now fees charged for taking a case to a tribunal, fees which will undoubtedly prove prohibitive for many working mums. So, picture the scene. You are facing discrimination at work, you are being passed over for promotion, you are ostracised and all but ignored. You look to legal recourse, but hey, it's now going to cost you. I think that's called a lose-lose situation. TUC general secretary Frances O’Grady agreed that the costs of employment tribunals – of ‘up to £1,200‘ – would ensure that 'many of these women will have to suffer in silence.' She also said, 'Every year thousands of women are passed over for promotion, sidelined and even lose their jobs, simply for having children. 'Pregnancy discrimination causes terrible suffering for women and their families. No modern business should prevent staff pursuing their career just because they’ve become parents, but sadly some employers are still living in the dark ages when it comes to women in the workplace.' Despite the evidence, however, it seems there are those who still want to stick their heads in the sand. Neil Carberry, director of employment and skills at the Confederation of British Industry (CBI), told the BBC, 'We don’t recognise the picture painted here. 'Our experience is that the workplace has changed fundamentally over the past 30 years. Businesses are better than ever at managing maternity leave and reintegrating mothers on their return.' The CBI describes itself as one of the UK's top business lobbying organisations, 'providing a voice for employers at a national and international level' Yet they don't believe what thousands of women are saying is true? There is plenty of (other) evidence out there too, should the CBI care to look. The Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service (ACAS), for example, which specialises in employment issues, received 46,000 calls to their helpline in 2012. One of the most common causes for complaint was that jobs were being taken away from women who were pregnant or on maternity leave. I could go on. The bottom line? It looks like nothing is changing and women are still facing workplace discrimination for having families. Maybe if women simply stopped having families, there would be a shift in the recognition of just how valuable mothers can be – working or otherwise.  |
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