Women's Views on News |
- New laws criminalise forced marriage
- Events 16 June – 22 June
- World Cup 2014 sees slew of sexist ads
| New laws criminalise forced marriage Posted: 16 Jun 2014 07:07 AM PDT
The Muslim Women’s Network UK (MWNUK) welcomes new laws criminalising forced marriage which will come into effect on 16 June 2014. MWNUK and its members have decades of experience of dealing with forced marriage cases, and found that while there has been a steady shift in accepting its practice as wrong, many victims often realise this too late. Through working in schools, MWNUK has found that many young people confuse the difference between an arranged marriage – where both bride and groom have the free will to say no to the suggested marriage - and a forced marriage – where there is no freedom of choice. The situation is conflated by pressure from family members which when taken in good faith are understood as 'my duty as a daughter/son', and not emotional blackmail. One victim said: “Being in a situation where you have those you trust manipulating you to do something against your wishes is awful. “You don't want to upset them, and they try lots of emotional ways to get you to agree. It's so hard to even see what's happening when you're in the middle of it. “Their decisions ruined my life for a long while.” Some victims are further threatened with 'saying no to the marriage is akin to disobeying religious teachings'. However, a forced marriage can never be justified on religious grounds. MWNUK has also seen cases where this lack of awareness has meant that some victims taken abroad under the guise of a 'holiday' find themselves back in Britain married to an individual they may have just met and are now responsible for bringing to the UK. Even at this stage, it is not too late and that support is available to them. In 2013 alone the Forced Marriage Unit (FMU) gave advice or support related to a possible forced marriage in 1302 cases. Faeeza Vaid, Executive Director of Muslim Women's Network UK said: “The impact of being forced into marriage can be devastating for its victims. “In agreement with Universal Human Rights, I believe that forced marriages are unacceptable and illegal in Islam. “And so the introduction of these criminal laws is not about scapegoating parents, individuals or communities, they are about standing firm for justice. “We need to continue raising awareness of this issue; to communities, to public service frontline workers, to policy influencers etc. “These laws will only be effective if we put resources behind facilitating raising awareness and working together in a culturally appropriate and common sense manner. And we need to encourage victims not to suffer in silence. “It is my personal hope that this law will act as a deterrent to those who think this abhorrent crime is acceptable.” MWNUK believes that the new laws provide another option of protection for victims who can already go through a civil remedy of obtaining a Forced Marriage Protection Order through the family courts. he criminal laws may be found in the 'Anti-social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Bill' which criminalises forcing someone to marry, and provides a maximum penalty of seven years for committing a forced marriage offence. The 'Breaching a Forced Marriage Protection Order' provides a maximum penalty of five years for breach of a forced marriage protection order. There are many organisations available to support those at risk of entering a forced marriage, or those already in a forced marriage. The Forced Marriage Unit (FMU) connected to the Home Office and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) provides advice and support on forced marriage cases. Their website has useful information and resources. They may be contacted on 0207 0080151. MWNUK can also be contacted on 0121 236 9000 or 07415 206936. In an emergency, dial 999.
The Muslim Women's Network UK (MWNUK) welcomes new laws criminalising Forced Marriage which will come into effect on 16 June 2014. MWNUK and its' members have decades of experience of dealing with forced marriage cases. While there has been a steady shift in accepting its practice as wrong, many victims often realise this too late. Through working in schools, MWNUK has found that many young people confuse the difference between an arranged marriage (where both bride and groom have the free will to say no to the suggested marriage) and a forced marriage (where there is no freedom of choice). The situation is conflated by pressure from family members which when taken in good faith are understood as 'my duty as a daughter/son', and not emotional blackmail. One victim said: "Being in a situation where you have those you trust manipulating you to do something against your wishes is awful. You don't want to upset them, and they try lots of emotional ways to get you to agree. It's so hard to even see what's happening when you're in the middle of it. Their decisions ruined my life for a long while." Some victims are further threatened with saying no to the marriage akin to disobeying religious teachings. However, a Forced marriage can never be justified on religious grounds. We have also seen cases where this lack of awareness has meant that some victims taken abroad under the guise of a 'holiday' find themselves back in Britain married to an individual they may have just met and are now responsible for bringing to the UK. Even at this stage, they do not realise it is not too late and that support is available to them. In 2013 alone the Forced Marriage Unit (FMU) gave advice or support related to a possible forced marriage in 1302 cases. Faeeza Vaid, Executive Director of Muslim Women's Network UK comments: "The impact of being forced into marriage can be devastating for its victims. In agreement with Universal Human Rights, I believe that Forced marriages are unacceptable and illegal in Islam. And so the introduction of these criminal laws is not about scapegoating parents, individuals or communities, they are about standing firm for justice. We need to continue raising awareness of this issue; to communities, to public service frontline workers, to policy influencers etc. These laws will only be effective if we put resources behind facilitating raising awareness and working together in a culturally appropriate and common sense manner. And we need to encourage victims not to suffer in silence. It is my personal hope that this law will act as a deterrent to those who think this abhorrent crime is acceptable." In response to the enquires MWNUK has received, MWNUK have previously raised concerns about this abuse and provided recommendations to Government consultations, we have run training workshops and events, and produced information factsheets [1] to raise awareness of this issue. Thereby we believe that the new laws provide another option of protection for victims who can already go through a civil remedy of obtaining a Forced Marriage Protection Order through the family courts. The criminal laws may be found in the 'Anti-social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Bill' which criminalises forcing someone to marry, and provides a maximum penalty of seven years for committing a forced marriage offence. The 'Breaching a Forced Marriage Protection Order' provides a maximum penalty of five years for breach of a forced marriage protection order. There are many organisations available to support those at risk of entering a forced marriage, or those already in a forced marriage. [2] The Forced Marriage Unit (FMU) is the main body between the Home Office and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) who provide advice and support on forced marriage cases. Their website (www.fco.gov.uk/forced-marriage )has useful information and resources. They may be contacted on 0207 0080151. MWNUK can also be contacted on 0121 236 9000 / 07415 206936. In an emergency dial 999.  |
| Posted: 16 Jun 2014 03:37 AM PDT
Belfast: 19 June: Circle of Hope: Domestic violence awareness event at the Leap of Faith Sculpture, Stewartstown Road, Belfast at 11am. Organised by the Colin Domestic Violence Forum, this event will see representatives from voluntary, community and statutory agencies gather together with local residents to form a 'Circle of Hope' to raise awareness of domestic abuse. There will be a number of speakers including Councillor Stephen Maginness and Paula Irvine from Footprints Women's Centre, followed by a period of silence to acknowledge victims and survivors of domestic abuse. Light refreshments will be served at noon. More information from Sinead at Footprints Women’s Centre on 028 9092 3444. Everyone welcome. Bristol: 17 June: Woman's Outlook: A Surprisingly Modern Magazine? at Café Kino, 108 Stokes Croft, Bristol, from 7pm. For nearly five decades, Woman's Outlook was the voice of the Co-operative Women's Guild, the campaigning organisation which worked to raise the status of women both in the co-operative movement and in society, and its onetime editor Mary Stott later became a longstanding editor of the Guardian women's pages. From its origins in Manchester in 1919, Outlook provided an enticing mixture of articles addressing both the personal and the political, combining fashion, fiction, features and recipes with advice for working women – in many ways, not dissimilar to the content of women's magazines today! 'Woman's Outlook: a surprisingly modern magazine?' will explore some of the key issues addressed in Outlook, and look at how the magazine encouraged women to get involved in campaigning for a better world. Topics covered by Outlook such as female representation in parliament, equal pay and healthy eating remain highly relevant today, and the talk will end by considering whether the type of content provided by 21st century women's lifestyle magazines has really changed much since the days of Outlook. Research for the talk was undertaken in the National Co-operative Archive in Manchester, and interviews were conducted with some inspiring women who were members of the co-operative women’s movement at the time. London: 16 June: She Grrrowls: City Stories at The Gallery Café, 21 Old Ford Road, London E2, from 7.30pm. She Grrrowls showcases a range of talented women and includes poetry, comedy and a musical finale. Come along and take part in the all-inclusive OPEN MIC section, with this month’s theme: City Stories. Guest hosted by Catherine Woodward, Poetry by Jess Green, Comedy by Elizabeth Carola, Music by Oh Boy. 17 June: Hibo Wardere: "My mother, my daughters" at Waltham Forest Town Hall, Forest Road, London E17, from 8pm. Hibo was born in Mogadishu in the 1960s and fled to Kenya with her mother and sisters following the outbreak of widespread civil conflict. Her father remained behind to protect the family's home but subsequently died. Before he lost contact with his family, he gave his daughters the opportunity to go 'anywhere you want in the world'. Hibo chose Britain. Arriving in London as an 18 year-old speaking no English was tough. But Hibo seized the opportunity to build a life for herself and to begin a journey that would start with a doctor liberating her from some of the physical trauma she suffered as a result of female genital mutilation (FGM) to becoming a mother, beginning a career and dedicating herself to educating people – men and women of all backgrounds – about the impact of FGM and what we can all do to protect girls today and in the future. An extraordinary public speaker, Hibo now lives in Walthamstow. Waltham Forest Rising is proud to host an evening with Hibo to raise the profile of this issue and for people – men and women – to hear her story. Two leading UK campaigners against FGM will also be attending the event: Leyla Hussein - award-winning psychotherapist who made the acclaimed Channel 4 documentary series on FGM, ‘The Cruel Cut' and Alimatu Dimonekene - FGM Prevention Caseworker and Trainer for Newham One Stop Shop at Manor Gardens Welfare Trust. Tickets free. 21 June: FGM/C in London: Allies in Facilitating Change at Space Station Sixty Five, Building One, 373 Kennington Road, London SE11, from 2pm. 28 Too Many researcher Lilli Loveday will be joining a panel at a round table discussion on FGM/C in London, held alongside an exciting feminist art exhibition at Space Station Sixty Five. 21 June: A Night for Hysteria at Bitters and Rye Cocktail Club, 2 Exmouth Market, London EC1R, from 7pm. Fundraising to celebrate feminist performance and participate in an ever-broadening discussion about the scope of feminism, all while securing the survival of HYSTERIA. Tickets £5. Until 28 June: Orange Tree Theatre Festival at Orange Tree Theatre, 1 Clarence Street, London TW9. The final production of the season will be a festival of new work from new directors and feature: I Dream Before I Take The Stand by Arlene Hutton, directed by Katie Henry. From the writer of Last Train to Nibroc , a defense lawyer cross-examines a woman during her testimony in a sexual assault case – and in doing so, horribly distorts her perfectly innocent walk in the park. The play was called “a new feminist classic” when it premiered in Edinburgh in 1995. 7 to 75 created by Amy Hodge and the company of five: an exploration through text and movement of the journey through a woman’s life… from 7 to 75. Until 5 July: The F Word Project: Five Feminist Fables for the Twenty-First Century at Space Station Sixty Five, Building One, 373 Kennington Road, London SE11. A body of art, collected in a series of feminist graphic novellas by Maureen Burdock. Each novella features a common heroine originating from a culture whose current traditions cause women hardship, despite which they emerge strong and triumphant. The F Word Project increases awareness of women's struggles worldwide and the need for elimination of the injustices they experience. It provides inspirational role models for women by creating brave protagonists from various walks of life. In addition to the depiction of problems, the intelligence and goodness of human nature that make change possible are emphasised through the use of humour and engaging art and narratives. Edinburgh: 17 June: Talk on Scottish Women Poets of the 17th and 18th Centuries at Edinburgh Central Library, Conference Room, George IV Bridge, Edinburgh EH1 1EG, from 18:00 – 19:30. Dr Sarah Dunnigan will give a talk on Scottish women poets of the 17th and 18th centuries. 18 June: Talk on 120 Years of Scottish Women Artists with Dr Deborah Jackson at Edinburgh Central Library, Conference Room, George IV Bridge, Edinburgh EH1 1 EG, from 18:00 – 19:30. This talk will offer a history of the production and display of art by Scottish women artists. From the Glasgow Girls to contemporary… Worcester: 18 June: Feminist Café at Asha Women's Centre, 1 Bath Road, Worcester, from 7.30pm. Join Feminist Times for an open discussion on feminism and what it’s like being a woman. They hope to use this session as a way of finding out what women in the West Midlands are interested in and to help decide on what events they might hold in the future. Suggested donation of £2.50 on the door.  |
| World Cup 2014 sees slew of sexist ads Posted: 16 Jun 2014 01:09 AM PDT
Not learning from the mistakes of Heineken Brazil, who were last month forced to pull an advert encouraging women to’ shop for shoes while their male partners watched football’, several British companies are now causing offence with their sexist campaigns. One example is Pringles (‘Pringoooal’ …*cringe*), who have wheeled out the exhausted nagging girlfriend/wife trope by showing one LAD escaping the demands of his silly ladyfriend by shoving his phone in a tube of the – admittedly delicious – crisps. 'I'm going through a tunnel!', he exclaims. Comedy gold. Pringles are not alone. Curry's PC World muscled in on the sexist advertising action with their 'Football? What Football' campaign. In these clips a series of middle-aged LADS attempt to cajole their fun-crushing, period drama loving female partners into buying a new television – not to watch the football on (duh), but because 'Pride and Sensibility' is showing next week. Grosser still was Pot Noodle's World Cup offering – now withdrawn – which centered around a pervy talking beach towel who leered at women in bikinis as the camera zooms in on them. World Cup media sexism doesn't stop with video advertising: one spa is offering a package for 'World Cup Widow Wags', and reams of articles offering survival guidance to women during the tournament have been published. And The Sun has been unable to resist including this image alongside their football coverage. To complain, click here. Strikingly, Women in Journalism note that out of the UK's 20 national newspapers, only one – The Guardian – has sent a female reporter to cover the tournament.  |
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