Women's Views on News |
| Calling for myth busting at rape trials Posted: 02 Dec 2014 04:50 AM PST
Campaign group JURIES (Jurors Understanding Rape Is Essential Standard) is petitioning the Justice Secretary to introduce mandatory briefings of juries on myths about rape and sexual violence at the beginning of trials for sexual offences. For, as one woman explained: “When my ex was found not guilty of raping me, I was told it was because I was up against the myth that rape does not happen in relationships. "This is why JURIES is so vital. "A better informed and educated jury may have meant that I got justice, instead my abuser walked free.” JURIES wants to see greater justice for survivors of sexual violence who choose to access the criminal justice system. The problem is, as several recent high profile cases have shown, that the general public has fixed preconceived ideas of what constitutes rape, a victim and a perpetrator of sexual violence. Given that juries are constituted of members of the public, this means that these views are highly prejudicial. It is therefore crucial that juries are informed – better informed – about the myths, stereotypes and realities of sexual violence, in the form of a generic briefing before a trial commences. There are numerous myths about rape and sexual violence – such as victims are able to recall every aspect of their assault in a linear fashion; that rape is predominantly stranger perpetuated; is a ‘crime of passion; that if a victim is rendered incapable of giving consent then it is not rape; that if there was no physical force then it is not rape/assault/abuse. These are myths which are deeply entrenched and need to be robustly challenged both in and out of the courtroom; a barrier to survivors of sexual violence not only reporting but also to accessing support services; and an obstacle to those going through the court process seeing justice. Research with mock juries has demonstrated the influence of such firmly held beliefs when a case does not fit with the stereotypical 'knife wielding stranger leaping out of alleyway. The briefing needs to include an overview of barriers to victims reporting rape; talking about sexualised trauma and responses and about freeze/flop/flight and fight responses; the belief that 'no' means 'yes'; stats about false allegations; stats about stranger rape vs 'acquaintance' rape. And where the rape/sexual assault has occurred in intimate relationship, myths such as 'why didn't she leave?' need to be addressed and stats about reports made to the police. There have been various reforms in the judicial process for the prosecution of sexual offences, but there is still a long way to go. The conviction rate in England and Wales for rape, child sexual abuse, sexual assault and other types of sexual offending fell from 61 per cent to 55 per cent in 2013. This needs to change. To sign the petition, click here. Thanks.  |
| We need to talk about domestic violence Posted: 02 Dec 2014 01:09 AM PST
By Ellie Mae O'Hagan. There was a sharp leap in domestic violence in the last quarter of 2013 – with a rise of 15.5 per cent of victims suffering abuse at home. We don't know whether that's because of increased reporting or increased offending, because domestic violence is shrouded in secrecy. What we do know is that – because of cuts to funding – 103 children and 155 women are turned away from shelters in one typical day this year. It takes a woman an average of seven times to leave an abusive partner. What happens to that woman if, once she has left, she is turned away from the places that are supposed to keep her safe? Actually I know the answer to that: when I was a community organiser I met a lot of domestic violence charities that saw women sleeping rough or returning to abusive partners. What happens if a woman manages to get shelter and is then charged the bedroom tax, like one of the nearly 300 households in the UK that have just experienced exactly that? It was commendable of Ed Miliband to raise the effect of the bedroom tax upon victims of the bedroom tax at Prime Minister's Questions, but it's just the tip of the iceberg. Domestic violence survivors are also being placed on social housing waiting lists with tens of thousands of other people, or – as with some of the Focus E15 mums – being relocated hundreds of miles away from their communities. In October 2014, Marjorie Mayo and Ines Newman wrote a paper for Class examining the housing crisis and proposing solutions. It is evident from their research that the housing crisis cannot be separated from every other element of social policy: it is linked to welfare, health, education, and family. A secure, comfortable home is a necessary basis from which to educate, motivate and care for people. It is therefore impossible to talk about the epidemic of domestic violence without talking about the housing crisis, and how this crisis is fundamentally gendered – affecting vulnerable women and their children first. The odds against women leaving violent partners are too low, and this is because housing policy – amongst others – is stacked against them, often meaning women must choose between homelessness and poverty or a life of fear. It is partly this awful choice that has put Britain in the ignoble position of being the country where two women a week die at the hands of their partners. This is a disgrace, and it can and must be changed. It is the responsibility of all parties to address this issue, and so far all parties have fallen shamefully short. We can start with the housing crisis. In my opinion, we must build more social (not affordable) housing and prioritise women who have left violent relationships. Mayo and Newman's paper offers multiple solutions for a housing crisis which is claiming lives. The housing crisis is a women's crisis – and it's exacerbated even further for women living in poverty, women with a disability, or BME women. It's time for women's lives to stop being treated as a side issue. We need to talk about this now. Ellie Mae O'Hagan is the Media and Communications Officer at Class. A version of this article first appeared in LabourList on 20 November 2014.  |
| You are subscribed to email updates from Women's Views on News To stop receiving these emails, you may unsubscribe now. | Email delivery powered by Google |
| Google Inc., 1600 Amphitheatre Parkway, Mountain View, CA 94043, United States | |