Women's Views on News |
- Women’s sportswear: pretty in pink?
- UN reports on sexual violence in Syria
- Support survivors of child sexual abuse
- Shame, honour and sexual abuse
- Women and Shakespeare
| Women’s sportswear: pretty in pink? Posted: 19 Sep 2013 10:39 AM PDT
Writing in the Guardian this week, Grace Wong raised one of the issues which is frequently overlooked: the way in which women’s sportswear is marketed. As a runner and a cyclist, this is something that has always annoyed me, and the examples in Wong's post really struck a chord. She cites adverts featuring topless female cyclists (while the men wear jerseys), or male cyclists being massaged and fawned over by women. Who could fail to be annoyed by that, particularly as marketing for men is designed to build confidence and ego? "All the men's photos are of them being awesome and cycling in bad weather", as one cycling instructor quoted by Wong puts it. The problem is also the gear itself. Ninety per cent of women’s technical running gear is pink or purple. Shorts and leggings often have entirely pointless skirts tacked on. When I recently bought some gloves in preparation for winter cycling, every single pair at Halfords was pink and/or flowery. While plenty of women look great in it, I simply don't want to wear this stuff. When I'm training, I don’t want to feel like I'm dressed as a Disney princess or a fairy. The fact that there is little else available is a reminder that looking feminine at all times is more important than feeling comfortable. Apparently wrapping myself in a cocoon of pink will reassure everyone that I haven't forgotten this fact. Another issue raised by the article is that of women-only races, and "women specific" gear. One of the women interviewed by Wong suggests that these only serve to sideline women from general cycling. This may seem like a bit of a minority issue, hardly one of the core issues facing feminism, but it is directly linked to the question of how to raise women’s participation in sport. Take the example of the running club Fit Mums. As a runner, a feminist, and someone who admittedly likes to have something to complain about, something about this bothers me. Why is being a fit mum considered a special state? Fitness and motherhood are not mutually exclusive, so why do we need exclusive running club for mums? However, the more rational part of me knows exactly why: because it’s more intimidating for women to join a club. Or to walk into a running shop alone and ask for advice on which of the bewildering array of shoes to buy. Or to withstand the pervy looks, off-colour comments and lorries honking their horns we will certainly have to deal with when running alone. Women only running clubs like Fit Mums are an excellent way for women to ease themselves into the sport without feeling put off by the competitiveness of many clubs. The same goes for women-only cycling clubs and races. From my own experience, individual cyclists (men and women) are extremely friendly. Long-distance cycling is very popular in my corner of Britain, and on a Sunday ride every cyclist I pass will give me a wave and a friendly hello. However, collectively, cycling is a much more intimidating sport than running, for several reasons. While running is comparatively easy to take up – buy some running shoes (and a copy of Runner’s World if you really mean business), and off you go. With cycling, there is lots to learn. What kind of bike do I need? What about maintenance? When I get a flat tyre, how do I avoid looking like someone who doesn’t know what she’s doing? Cycling shops are hugely helpful in answering these questions. But, as one of the women quoted in Wong’s article puts it, cycling shops can feel like “male-only places”, and walking into one is like entering a “sacred kingdom you shouldn’t be in.” And while races like the Great North Run show that people of all shapes, sizes, men and women, can, and are welcome to, take part in a race, there is no cycling equivalent (yet). For the beginner, races seem to be the preserve of lycra-clad, super-fit 30-something men, faceless and off-putting behind their sunglasses. It's true that pink jerseys, women-specific bike frames with flowers on, and advertisements in which women hold children while men cycle, do not contribute to making women feel equal to men when it comes to sport. They are belittling, and they perpetuate the situation in which sport is considered a male preserve into which women may sometimes encroach. But it's important to draw a distinction between this and the women-specific projects which break down barriers to women's participation.  |
| UN reports on sexual violence in Syria Posted: 19 Sep 2013 08:20 AM PDT
A new report from the United Nations Commission of Inquiry (COI) on Syria has illuminated the increasingly brutal tactics that the country’s government – and, to a lesser degree, rebels – are deploying against civilians. Even before you mention poison gas. These range from electrocution and rape to enlisting medical professionals to help torture hospitalised detainees. The updated report, released on 11 September, covers the period of 15 May to 15 July 2013. It says that government and pro-government forces have continued to conduct widespread attacks on the civilian population, committing crimes against humanity and war crimes, and anti-government armed groups have committed war crimes. Sexual violence has played a prominent role in the conflict, owing to the fear and threat of rape and by the violence committed. It occurs during raids, at checkpoints and in detention centres and prisons across the country. The threat of rape is used as a tool to terrorise and punish women, men and children perceived as being associated with the opposition. According to the UN, Mother Jones reported recently, forces loyal to President Bashar al-Assad routinely rape or threaten to rape women, men, and children whom they suspect have ties to rebels – usually during raids, at checkpoints, and in detention centres. One female detainee interviewed by the UN commission was forced to perform oral sex during interrogations, while another was told her children would be killed if she didn’t have sex with her captors. The threat of rape is also used in intelligence gathering. According to the UN report, two women held in separate Damascus prisons "were told by their interrogators that their daughters would be raped if they did not confess". And "A nurse held at a police station in Damascus was threatened with gang rape if she failed to reveal whom she was treating." A university student was raped at a checkpoint in Dara'a in early 2013 because her brother was wanted by the government. Afterwards, the Free Syrian Army (FSA) arranged for her to marry someone in order to "protect her honour". Instances of enforced disappearance have risen exponentially since the conflict began. And with victims outside the protection of the law, government forces have sewn terror throughout the civilian population. Males over the age of 15 are most frequently targeted are. In some cases, however, elderly women and children have been "disappeared". One interviewee reported that, following the army's counter-offensive in Bab Amr in March, soldiers abducted his neighbours, including women and children. These families were not seen again. Medical personnel, internally displaced persons and individuals fleeing the violence have also vanished And contrary to claims from the Assad regime, which has blamed rebels for many of the atrocities, the UN commission found that pro-Assad forces were responsible for at least 8 massacres including the assault on the Damascus suburb of Jdeidat Al-Fadel and raid on the Sunni villages of al-Bayda and Baniyas. And so people flee. But in July Women in the World reported that Syrian women and girls who have escaped the war find themselves as casualties and combatants in another: sexual harassment and abuse, domestic violence, and exploitation by the unscrupulous of their economic distress, which forces some to agree to prostitution, others to sell off teenage daughters as child brides. Women in the World quoted a Syrian woman in Lebanon named Maryam, 31, as saying: "One of the men at an NGO told her that if you accept to sleep with me, if we can have sexual relations, every time I have any kind of access to assistance, it will be yours. It will have your name on it." In July over three quarters of the Syrian refugees in Lebanon were women and children, according to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), and they make up a population that is highly vulnerable to exploitation. The dangers faced by Syrian refugee women and children in Jordan, ranging from from rape, and kidnapping to forced prostitution to sham marriages of underage girls to wealthy Gulf Arabs, have been well documented by the international media. In Jordan most refugees are housed in large camps – 115,000 alone at the Zaatari camp, making it Jordan's fifth-largest city – and digging out the abuse that women and young girls are enduring is in some ways easier, since it is more visible. But in Lebanon the government has refused to allow the building of camps. Refugees are scattered throughout the country, living where they can: in shabby rental accommodation, makeshift shelters, abandoned and incomplete buildings often without doors or windows and with no privacy. And all the NGOs are reporting rising trends when it comes to the marrying-off of young girls, survival sex, rapes and sexual abuse and violence toward women within families by husbands or other male relatives. The UN report concludes that, “There is no military solution to this conflict. Those who supply arms create but an illusion of victory. A political solution founded upon tenets of the Geneva communiqué is the only path to peace.” And then, when there is peace, as Nour says in this short film showing the state of her home town, Aleppo, the people can start building their country up again.  |
| Support survivors of child sexual abuse Posted: 19 Sep 2013 07:19 AM PDT
Unity & Hope is running a petition is to call for action from everyone who cares about supporting adult survivors of child sexual abuse (CSA). Help us tell the government to take urgent action to provide funding and long-term specialist support services for adult survivors and in particular ethnic minority survivors of CSA. Here is an outline of the current situation. The lack of services for adult survivors and ethnic minority survivors of CSA: There is no clear line of responsibility or dedicated long-term, specialist support services for adult survivors and ethnic minority survivors of CSA within NHS and non-statutory services across UK. There is a gap between the availability and type of services from Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service and Adult Mental Health Services, leaving survivors stranded at a particularly vulnerable time, which is crucial for their long-term wellbeing. The lack of funding: Specialist voluntary sector organisations are underfunded and cannot provide the type of services they know are needed for CSA survivors. Currently survivors of CSA are assessed by a specific and narrow definition of what supposedly constitutes the symptoms of a 'real' survivor of CSA. The concentrated focus on medicalisation and labelling of survivors is dismissive of the diverse needs of survivors ( see Herman J (1997) Trauma and Recovery: The Aftermath of Violence – from Domestic Abuse to Political Terror). The lack of inclusiveness: CSA affects survivors differently, but their needs are being defined to a ‘one size fits all approach’ which does not take into account the differing needs of survivors e.g. cultural taboos, impact on family life, relationships, work or life experiences. In England there is no dedicated service for ethnic minority adult survivors of CSA. What do we want? We are calling on the government to take action to fill these gaps. The gaps should be a priority at both national and local levels and services must be integrated into existing policies and services across the UK. The recovery and healing process, including disclosing CSA, making sense of the trauma is critical and cannot be done in isolation. Specifically, we request: Financial support for development of services and existing services to implement training strategies on understanding the long-term effects of CSA. Specialist long-term services and access to holistic support services, in every city and county. A dedicated 24-hour 7 days-a-week helpline that is inclusive of ethnic minority survivors of CSA. Financial support for development of training programmes which help existing services that come into contact with survivors (e.g. A & E departments, Mental Health Services and Social Services, Education). A mentoring and befriending scheme that provides transitional support during service change from Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service to Adult Mental Health Service or voluntary services. All of the above five points are essential. We must ensure as a society no survivor is discriminated against by services, left unsupported or deprived of their basic human right to receive specialist, holistic support for healing, to be accorded confidentiality and protection. To have the opportunity for a healthy enjoyable life and to be protected. Please sign the petition. For more information about Unity & Hope click here.  |
| Shame, honour and sexual abuse Posted: 19 Sep 2013 04:07 AM PDT
By Huma Munshi In the film 'Monsoon Wedding' an adult survivor of sexual abuse comes face-to-face with the perpetrator at the wedding of her best friend. As a result of the close familial ties and the need to uphold community "honour", she is forced to take part in cultural ceremonies despite disclosing the abuse. At one stage, she kneels in front of him as pictures are taken. This modern day injustice is not fiction but a reality for many. At a time when political reporting of sexual abuse has focused on Asian men targeting vulnerable white young girls, such as in the cases of Oxford or Rochdale, it is entirely timely and pertinent that the Muslim Women's Network UK (MWN) have published a report, entitled, Unheard Voices. Written by the feminist and activist, Shaista Gohir, this report documents the sexual abuse of Asian young girls. This is courageous work given that far right groups are quick to pounce on any hint of a story of Asian men grooming young girls. But to remain silent is to let vulnerable young people down. It is vital to understand the prevalence of sexual abuse within Asian communities, what factors are making young Asian people vulnerable to paedophiles and the specific barriers they face in accessing support and speaking out. It is particularly important that voices from Asian and Muslim communities are part of this narrative. What this report makes clear is that the notion that Asian men are more likely to target vulnerable young white girls is unfounded. A perpetrator will target any young person that is vulnerable and they can groom, because ultimately abuse is always about power and domination. Indeed, the report highlights that these perpetrators may be more likely to target young girls from the same ethnic background because of their shared heritage, culture, faith and norms. These adults are seen as trusted individuals by the family as opposed to an older man outside the community. Racialising sexual abuse is hugely damaging because it could potentially mean that young Asian and Muslim girls may not get the help from service providers they need. For all those frontline services such as the police, hospital staff and schools who think that Asian and Muslim young girls are "safer" because of their strict familial ties and codes of practice, take note: you are sorely mistaken. These young people are being let down because of your ignorance and blinkered view. It is worth noting that the report highlights some of the unique barriers for Asian and Muslim young girls in accessing support. To understand this properly may ensure services meet their specific needs. To an outsider the idea that the "honour" of the family i.e. the standing in the family within the community and how much izzat (respect) they have from others would be more important than the health, dignity and wellbeing of a child or a women seems shocking. But the report highlights that, occasionally, this is the case. As a Muslim woman my experience has been that the system of patriarchy is compounded by the values of very conservative Asian/Muslim households. As part of this culture, women are required to be chaste and virginal whilst men enjoy relatively more freedoms and fewer constraints. When you implicitly or explicitly teach young boys that they are more deserving than their sisters, when they are allowed more freedom or a woman is held up to the most exacting of moral standards which do not apply to men, you are creating a hegemony and culture where the needs of women and girls become subservient to the notion of family "honour". One of the case studies documents a young girl that was sexually abused. Her family later compelled her to have hymen repair surgery to force her into a marriage to conceal her abuse from the community and keep up a charade of so-called "honour". It is this system that I abhor and it is why I say fuck "honour" whenever it is used to silence and oppress vulnerable people. There are a number of factors which make a young child particularly vulnerable to abuse. This includes a dysfunctional violent upbringing, emotional neglect or particularly strict parents; mental health problems including incidences of self-harm; disability amongst others. One of the children had learning difficulties and felt that she was in a loving relationship with her abuser. Reading the case studies at the end of this report is extremely difficult, but it should also be used as a call to arms. Indeed, it drove me start the #fuckhonour hashtag on Twitter on the day the report was launched and was the reason why I began the article with an expletive-ridden headline. Many will object to this; they would prefer polite discussion and no profanities but I disagree. Some truths drive you to roar like a lion. As an Asian Muslim woman who has experienced first-hand the impact of so-called "honour", I will use the strongest possible terms to condemn these acts of abuse and violence. The stories are horrific: vulnerable young people being let down by every area of society. Families and schools not willing to discuss sex and healthy relationships; the police who overlook Asian girls because they do not see them as "victims"; a culture of deafening silence in communities; a patriarchal system compounded by notions of "honour" and shame; and services that do not appreciate the specific barriers Asian young girls face when accessing support. So change must come in every area if it is to meet the needs of young Asian girls. MWN makes some very useful recommendations including: raising awareness and increasing culturally sensitive training; understanding the sexual exploitation of Black and Asian Minority Ethnic Groups (BAME) victims and the different types of offender-victim models; support for third sector BAME organisations to set up specialist sexual violence projects and helplines; and more research and data to inform service delivery. Most importantly if this report teaches us anything it suggests how important it is that voices within the community must not remain silent. If the price of silence is one child being abused, then that price is too high. It is for this reason as a Muslim woman, I will shout as loud as I can: "fuck your honour and fuck your shame if it is put above a single life". Huma Munshi is a writer and poet. She is passionate about addressing inequality through her writing at HumaMunshi on feminism, forced marriage, mental illness, films and her trade union activism. This article appeared recently in Media Diversity UK, a site set up to tackle the lack of diversity in UK media and the ubiquity of whiteness.  |
| Posted: 19 Sep 2013 01:09 AM PDT The Othello Syndrome, for example, said director Hannah Kaye, focusses on the gender politics of Shakespeare’s original. “Essentially the production provides a contemporary feminist lens with which to look at a frequently performed play. “It highlights contemporary issues of gender-violence, so-called 'honour' killings, and female genital mutilation to shine new light on a classic play.” Running at the Drayton Theatre, London, until September 28, money from ticket sales is being donated to Eaves, the charity that works with women who have experienced violence. Later this year, in a radical reworking of the classic at Manchester’s Royal Exchange Theatre, Hamlet is to be played by Maxine Peake. Peake will join the likes of silent movie star Sarah Bernhardt, and Frances de la Tour, who have played the Prince before her. The Telegraph reported Peake as saying that she was excited by the project and how it will throw up "new ways of looking at this theatrical masterpiece". Hamlet has also been chosen to close an era for the Los Angeles Women’s Shakespeare Company (LAWSC), which is folding after 20 years. Co-founder Lisa Wolpe said having women playing men’s roles has always been more than just a gimmick, with actors being actors first and women second. She told LA Stage Times: ”If you want to play great language … It's natural for the women to want to play the male roles.” But she now feels that their company has largely served its purpose, as more women being offered a variety of Shakespearian roles of either gender. Meanwhile, the Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC) in Stratford announced last week that their 2014 programme includes The Roaring Girls season, chosen to showcase "great parts written for and about women". These are listed by the RSC as: The Roaring Girl, a subversive comedy featuring a feisty Moll Cutpurse, who unmans all who cross her path; The Arden of Faversham, a dark, domestic portrayal about a wife and her lover who murders her husband; and John Webster’s The White Devil, another tale of murder and revenge. In addition, an RSC staging of "The Taming Of The Shrew" for a young audience, will also see the gender roles reversed, with a man being tamed by a woman. Deputy artistic director Erica Whyman told The Telegraph that The Roaring Girls season is in response to the dearth of leading female roles in modern theatre. "There are real issues that rise out of these plays which [make] you think ‘good heavens, they're 400 years old and we're still asking these questions now’. “There are still arenas in which things happen according to gender rules and when women change that, either by what she wears or what does, we are shocked and surprised and it makes us laugh.” And she admitted that the RSC would be asking questions of their own programmes and the inclusion of women as it draws up future programmes.  |
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