Women's Views on News |
- The walk-the-talk walk
- Remembering victims of ‘honour killings’
- Job-sharing for equal representation in Parliament
| Posted: 15 Jul 2015 08:33 AM PDT
There is a momentum growing amongst psychologists who are pressing for social inequalities to be addressed. Here is a statement produced by clinical and health psychologists, calling on policy makers to address the impact social inequalities have on mental health. Position Statement on Social Inequality Who are we? As Clinical Psychologists and Clinical and Health Psychologists in training, our experiences and backgrounds are hugely varied. As a profession, our aim is to "reduce psychological distress and enhance and promote psychological well-being" (British Psychological Society, 2013). We work with people with a range of difficulties, across the lifespan, in inpatient, outpatient, physical health, secure and community settings, including voluntary and third sector organisations. Some of us also conduct research and work in academia. Many of us have held other careers prior to training as clinical psychologists. Through this broad range of personal and professional experiences, there are certain issues we are noticing which give us significant cause for concern. Collectively, we feel it necessary that we make these concerns known. The purpose of this statement is not to speak on behalf of our service users, but to raise our own concerns based on both the distress we see in our professional settings, and on the evidence base of research and theories, which predict poorer outcomes for all people living in an unequal society. What we are seeing: Much media attention has been given in recent times to issues of social inequality, with the United Kingdom now the most unequal country in the world (Inequality Briefing, 2014). Over a quarter of children, some 3.5 million, live in poverty and this figure is rising (Child Poverty Action Group, 2014). As a result, use of food banks in Britain has increased fivefold since 2010 (Oxfam Scotland, 2014). The "cost of living crisis" is real and many are living with its effects. We recognise that we, as a profession, are in a relatively privileged and powerful position, and that we may not experience first-hand some of the day-to-day experiences of rising social inequalities. Nevertheless, we do witness their impact on those affected by them in our working lives. Social inequalities have been shown to have a detrimental impact on mental health and well-being, as well as physical health and academic achievement, across the lifespan. A significant body of research suggests unequal societies are more likely to experience a range of detrimental consequences, across the socio-economic spectrum (Wilkinson & Pickett, 2009; World Health Organization (WHO), 2008). People in disadvantaged circumstances who are dealing with emotional distress may, in times of economic hardship, find themselves to be further disadvantaged (Evans-Lacko, Knapp, McCrone, Thornicroft, & Mojtabai, 2013; Shah, Mullainathan, & Shafir, 2012). In 2012, the Chief Medical Officer reported that children from socially disadvantaged families were more likely to experience emotional distress and mental health difficulties (Department of Health, 2012). Without addressing these social disadvantages, it could be argued that any interventions with these families will have limited effectiveness. Emotional well-being does not exist or develop in a bubble; it is affected by our social contexts. Some of these, such as ethnicity, gender, ability or socio-economic status, bring with them institutional marginalisation or discrimination, which increase experiences of inequality. Figures demonstrate individuals in more unequal societies have poorer overall mental health and emotional well-being (Wilkinson, 1996; World Health Organization, 1995). As clinicians, we are witnessing parents having to decline psychological therapy for the children because they were unable to afford to travel to the mental health facility. Increasingly, some are having to miss therapy appointments as they fear they would be subject to benefits sanctions were they to fail to attend compulsory meetings at JobCentres. For some, multiple health problems prevent them from engaging with mental health services, with the result that they are considered 'difficult to engage' and discharged. As a result, their mental health is likely to deteriorate, thus perpetuating the problem. We have also witnessed individuals with significant intellectual and physical disabilities being told they are 'fit for work' and that their benefits will be capped, despite their substantial care needs preventing them from engaging in employment. It has also been brought to our attention that some people living with HIV have been unable to fight off opportunistic infections, even with the aid of HIV-specific medication, due to the constant stress of being homeless. What this means for the people we work with and why this concerns us: The importance of social equality to people's wellbeing and ability to thrive is often viewed through Maslow's hierarchy of needs. While the more basic levels of this hierarchy are unfulfilled or under threat, children and adults are not able to "make use" of psychological therapy. We suggest that it is ethically dubious to insist that a person continues with psychological therapy when their more basic needs are unmet, particularly when their emotional distress is caused by such needs. In these circumstances, therapy is often unhelpful and ineffective until basic needs are met (Smail, 2005). This is particularly pertinent given that government plans drawn up in 2014 suggested that people with depression would be required to engage in psychological treatment in order to continue receiving Employment and Support Allowance (Ross, 2014) – in short, they would be coerced into engaging with mental health services in order to be able to survive. We are seeing clear examples of people experiencing emotional distress, primarily as a consequence of poverty and material deprivation. It is known, for example, that food insecurity impacts on a child's whole life and experience. Children who experience food insecurities have poorer outcomes with emotional and physical health, socially, and academically (Harvey, 2014). Additionally, many families and children are currently living in temporary accommodation or have been relocated due to changes in, and scarcity of, affordable social housing (Chartered Institute of Housing, 2013). As a consequence, some have been required to move significant distances or are living in accommodation which is unsuitable for their needs. Not having a fixed place to live or being isolated from family and friends impacts on people's overall sense of safety and belonging, which in turn impacts negatively on their emotional wellbeing (Credland & Lewis, 2014). Our hope in writing this statement is to add to existing conversations, and to generate new ones amongst all citizens, be they service users, professionals, or policy makers. As mental health professionals, we are committed to playing our part in moving towards a more equal society and to addressing inequalities both locally and nationally: We are held a conference, open to all, in London in June 2015. Entitled 'Clinical psychology: Beyond the therapy room, this event aimed to discuss ways in which clinical psychology can make an impact beyond 1:1 therapy, in order to build a better society and a more psychologically-caring community; And we are working towards building increased presence within existing power structures, such as the British Psychological Society and the Division of Clinical Psychology, allowing us to provide a psychological perspective on current and proposed government policy. As a profession, we encourage people with lived experience of social inequality, including multiple inequalities, to speak about their experiences and to increase awareness of the impact of inequality on their wellbeing We urge policy-makers to consider the wider systemic implications of proposed changes to health and economic policy We also call for the media stigmatisation of those in conditions of deprivation and poverty to end; and for welfare to be considered a safety net for the most vulnerable in society rather than a weapon with which they can be coerced. Join us on our walk from the offices of the British Psychological Society in Leicester to offices in London to raise awareness of social policies that are leading to psychological distress. 100 miles – BPS Leicester to BPS London; 5 days – 17 to 21 August 2015; 3 causes – The benefits system Homelessness Food poverty A version of this article appeared on the walkthetalk website.  |
| Remembering victims of ‘honour killings’ Posted: 15 Jul 2015 04:32 AM PDT
The date was chosen to mark the birthday of Shafilea Ahmed who lost her life in 2003 aged 17. After suffering years of honour-based violence, including an attempted forced marriage, Shafilea's parents suffocated her to death in front of her siblings. An estimated 5,000 women throughout the world are killed each year for ‘bringing'shame' upon their families. At least 12 of these victims are British, but the true number is thought to be far higher, as many simply 'disappear'. Endeavouring to answer the question of how fathers can kill their daughters, brothers their siblings, Dr Joanne Payton said; 'Aref Abu-Rabia says that the perpetration of an 'honour' killing should be considered 'an organised social act by the family, not a matter of personal preference.' 'Collectivist, tight-knit societies place much heavier burdens upon their members and have harsher responses to deviance.' ‘A loose-knit society might find a little deviance acceptable, even adding a pleasing touch of eccentricity and character, and there is more tolerance for a diversity of opinions. 'However, tight societies will tend to punish comparatively minor transgressions,' she explained. 'The 'tightest' societies are often the most homogenous, those which have recent histories of agrarian production, and those which have experienced societal trauma like war and occupation.' The act of an 'honour' crime, then, may be far less optional than we might think, Payton continues, with the surrounding community putting pressure on family members if their daughter is seen to step out of line. Payton points out how before she was killed, Banaz Mahmod herself referred to a campaign of harassment against her family; Abdallah Yones, murderer of his daughter Heshu, had received letters urging him to act, placing pressure upon him to do so – and once he had killed her, this pressure reconfigured into support during his trial; Ilyas, who killed his sister, did so after a life 'rendered intolerable' through months and months of broken windows, violence and public humiliation from his community. There is a need, Payton concluded, to attack honour-base violence through enabling change at a community level. Jasvinder Sanghera, CEO of Karma Nirvana, said the memorial day was to honour the memories of human beings where the perpetrators tried to erase them completely. It was also, she said, an opportunity to raise awareness about the issue of honour based abuse and the scale of the problem in Britain. The establishment of a day of memory was part of Cosmopolitan magazine and the cahrity Karma Nirvana's Britain's Lost Women campaign, and follows a Change.org petition launched in May 2014 urging everyone to support an annual memorial day. Over 115,000 signatures were secured, as was the support of the three main political parties. To mark this day a survivors conference is being held that brings together women who have experienced honour based abuse and forced marriages. They will – many for the first time – share their personal experiences through conversations with each other in the presence of an audience. The title of this conference, as agreed by members of Karma Nirvana's Survivor Ambassador Panel, is "Can you hear me" – in recognition of their personal experiences of how they have often not been heard within their families, communities and by professionals. This conference aims to explore various themes identified by survivors including: What happens behind closed doors; What made you leave; Who do you believe; What does freedom mean to me; and Don't feel sorry for me – Learn from me. At the conference, The Henry Jackson Society research fellow Emily Dyer launched a report on survivors of 'honour abuse'. Her report, Britain’s Forgotten Women, concludes that while there has been significant progress in raising awareness of forced marriage and “honour-based” abuse in the UK, there are gaps in support for survivors. Figures published recently showed that police handled 11,000 cases of honour-based violence (HBV) between 2010 and 2014. The National Police Chief's Council's Lead on Honour-Based Abuse (HBA), Commander Mak Chishty, remarking on this news, said: “The police service is alert to the issue of Honour Based Abuse in all its forms and is looking carefully at ways of tackling the problem, both in terms of direct policing and through working in partnership with communities and other agencies to build on successes and take on board lessons to be learned. “The College of Policing has developed modules on HBA which now form part of police training and we are in constant contact with experts and partner groups to ensure that we are responding as effectively as possible. “HBA is a distressing crime which blights, and in some cases takes, lives. We are committed to playing our part in eradicating it. "We are encouraged by increased levels of reporting but concerned that this remains an under-reported crime," he continued. "I want to send a message to victims and survivors: You do not need to suffer in silence. We are skilled and ready to help you and will always put the victim at the centre of our work. "Please, come forward and talk to us. Anyone with concerns should contact the police on 101 or 999 in an emergency, or speak confidentially to Crimestoppers on 0800 555111. You can also call the Foreign Office-backed Forced Marriage Unit line on 020 7008 0151 and the NSPCC’s FGM helpline on 0800 028 3550.  |
| Job-sharing for equal representation in Parliament Posted: 15 Jul 2015 03:03 AM PDT
The Green Party has launched a campaign to allow MPs to job-share, which would open the door for many women and disabled people who would otherwise find working as an MP difficult, if not impossible. "Many women can and do successfully work full time – but we know that women are still doing the majority of childcare, and are most likely to be the ones caring for ill or disabled relatives," the campaign’s Crowdfunder page says. Care commitments rule out a large number of potential MPs, so we are stuck with the status quo of mostly male MPs running the country. The campaign is focusing on raising money for a legal challenge against the decision made during the 2015 General Election to reject Green Party members Sarah Cope and Clare Phipps' request for joint candidacy. The decision was based on the current ban on job-sharing for MPs. Both Cope and Phipps would face difficulties working full time because of their family commitments and issues with disability, respectively, but sharing the position would have enabled these women to function in parliament and represent their constituency while coping with their responsibilities. Job-sharing has the potential to increase diversity in Parliament. Although there are currently record numbers of women in Parliament – one in three MPs are women – the number of MPs with a disability has plummeted since the last election. This is not the first time the Green Party has pushed for job-sharing as a way to make parliament more open and accessible. It has been an official party policy since 2012, but it has come up against some opposition. Previous attempts to introduce job-sharing for MPs, such as that by Labour backbencher John McDonnell in 2012, have been described by those against the proposal as “bonkers”, “outrageous”, a “dangerous attempt at constitutional meddling” and a “crackpot idea” that would make Parliament “like a reality TV show”. But this is an issue that we must not let go away. "One of the ways other professions have sought to achieve greater equality is through job shares – something that is widespread in the majority of professions, including for high court judges. "We believe it is time Parliament caught up," says the Green Party. And we agree. Visit the Green Party Crowdfunder website for more information.  |
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