Women's Views on News |
| ChildLine and girls’ safety summit report Posted: 08 Apr 2015 09:15 AM PDT
By Seema Malhotra. The NSPCC's ChildLine report has shown a hard truth – about how children and young people today are exposed to shocking levels of pornography. They are under pressure like never before to engage in sexual activities at a young age, and face harassment and bullying through digital and social media the likes of which we could never have imagined growing up. We are failing to support them as they face these challenges. We are letting down a whole generation. Last [month] in Parliament the Labour Women's Safety Commission launched its latest report on the outcomes from the Girls' Safety Summits. The Girls' Safety Summits were a series of round-tables held across the country with schools, colleges and organisations working with women affected by domestic and sexual violence. We heard from young women and men about how the digital era is influencing the relationships young men and women have with each other, and the impact that cultural influences are having on young people's attitudes towards relationships, sex, and domestic and sexual abuse. Girls we spoke to told us: "Boys judge girls' appearances based on what they see in porn." "A girl had sent her picture to an ex-boyfriend who in revenge after they split had put it on a website. It then went round so many young people… via social media, and everyone knew who it was." "It seems that men in general can't take 'No' – boys need to be educated more." Young people today have a different world to navigate than previous generations. Our Report concluded that young women and girls are concerned about attitudes towards gender and how they are affecting both the empowerment of young women and the attitudes of boys towards girls at school; and that they don't always feel that schools or other authorities effectively support them to challenge those stereotypes, negotiate the complex modern world or address harassment when it occurs. The message from young people and conclusions we reached were unequivocal – that relationship and sex education is often too late and not of the quality needed to give young people the tools and resilience to be able to confidently navigate the challenges presented by the modern world, like the pressure to "sext", and how to know the difference between abusive and normal relationships. It is also vital to raise awareness amongst adults about the reality of young people's lives and send a strong message that there is no cultural excuse for violence against women and girls. We also need to re-focus both on how quickly we are able to respond when incidents happen but also to have a better strategy for prevention. With rising levels of reporting of domestic and sexual abuse as well as child sexual exploitation, we need to start to shift the culture that is normalising violence in relationships; to intervene early and ensure schools, local authorities and the police have the policies and training to be able to respond. That is why a Labour government will put prevention at the heart of our strategy to tackle violence against women and girls and include a Violence Against Women and Girls Bill in our first Queen's Speech. The findings of our Report were reinforced by the NSPCC ChildLine Survey which shockingly reveals that one in ten children in this country aged 12 or 13 has been involved in creating sexually explicit material; and a similar number fear they are addicted to pornography. Violent, abusive and sexual images are only ever a few clicks away. Many young people find the images upsetting and feel that exposure to such aggressive content is having an impact on their understanding of what is normal and acceptable in relationships. This has also affected the ability of young people to understand what is happening around them and to seek support in times of difficulty. That is why Labour is firmly committed to delivering age appropriate compulsory sex and relationships education in our schools, addressing what a healthy relationship looks like, the patterns of abusive behaviour and ways to keep safe online. It's what parents and young people have called for – and a measure that both the Conservatives and Lib Dems have repeatedly voted against. Seema Malhotra was appointed the Shadow Minister for Preventing Violence Against Women and Girls in August 2014. A version of this article appeared in LabourList on 31 March 2015.  |
| Roma: still facing discrimination Posted: 08 Apr 2015 09:13 AM PDT
While Roma identity is firmly rooted in tradition, the European Roma Information Office, (ERIO), said, we must not focus on the stereotypical image of the Roma. Instead, on International Roma Day, we should take an opportunity to realise how linked Roma culture and European cultures are. From the south of Spain to the east of Romania, the contribution of the Roma to European culture is undeniable. However, ERIO continue, we also need to confront reality: many Roma still live in extreme poverty, lack access to basic rights and face daily discrimination. The Romani people are one of the largest ethnic minorities in Europe; an estimated 10-12 million people. On 8 April 1971 the World Romani Congress in London was attended by 23 representatives from nine countries. It declared the Romani people a "single non-territorial nation" and adopted their flag and anthem. Since their arrival in Europe from India some 700 years ago, the Romani have been politically, socially, culturally and economically marginalised by the dominant population, who have consistently shown negative social attitudes towards them, but they maintained their distinct identity through culture, traditions and language, and have resisted assimilation into the dominant group. Europe’s Roma faced extermination under the Nazis, simply because they were considered to be racially inferior. And even after the Holocaust, Roma continued to be the most hated and discriminated minority in Europe. Living primarily on the margins of society, they have remained uniquely marginalised and discriminated across the continent and many stereotypes about them are still prevalent. British Gypsies of the Romanichal and Kale Romani groups have lived in the UK since the 15th century. The first Roma from the new EU countries, particularly from the Czech Republic, Poland, Romania and Slovakia, came to the UK in the 1990s seeking asylum to escape persecution. Many Roma in the UK work for low wages on temporary contracts organised by gangmasters and recruitment agencies. Their vulnerable position is often exploited. Many live in sub-standard accommodation, shared with other families. This often leads to poor health, and low school attendance and attainment by children. And ERIO is strongly concerned by the persistence of deep inequalities affecting Roma women; they are confronted with complex and multidimensional forms of discrimination and exclusion. And not just intersectional discrimination. Roma women are profoundly disadvantaged in comparison to both Roma men and non-Roma women in key areas of life such as education which in turn plays a significant role in determining future life opportunities and prospects. While wide disparities persist between Roma and non-Roma, studies also show the existence of important gender gaps within Roma communities. According to the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA), more Roma women than their male counterparts declare that they have never been to school (19 per cent against 14 per cent, respectively) but fewer Roma women than men say that they can read and write (77 per cent against 85 per cent) And more Roma men are reported as continuing their education after the age of 16: 85 per cent of men against 77 per cent of women. The use of the term 'Roma' in official European Union documents follows the approach of the Council of Europe, which uses the term to refer to "Roma, Sinti, Kale and related groups in Europe, including Travellers and the Eastern groups (Dom and Lom), and covers the wide diversity of the groups concerned, including persons who identify themselves as ‘Gypsies’ ". Even though the 2013 Council Recommendation on effective Roma integration measures in the member states stressed the necessity to fight any form of discrimination, including the multiple discrimination faced by Roma women, gender equality remains a real challenge when it comes to Roma inclusion. Which is why ERIO has been urging the EU and member states to improve the socio-economic status of Roma women by systematically including a gender dimension in policies and projects targeting Roma. Although of course actions aimed at promoting gender equality should take into account the specific situation of the most marginalised and vulnerable women. ERIO has also called on European institutions to make sure that member states design and enforce measures efficiently addressing the specific obstacles by which Roma women are confronted. As an important condition for Roma inclusion, Roma women's empowerment should be fostered through inclusive education systems and by their participation at all levels of decision-making and in the implementation and monitoring of the National Roma Integration Strategies. But as ERIO's director, Ivan Ivanov, said; "Strong and urgent actions are also needed to fight an increasing anti-Gypsyism fuelled by deep-seated stereotypes."  |
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