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Category: Misogyny

  • Labour’s plan to criminalise ‘extreme misogyny’ upsets ‘absolute misogynist’ Andrew Tate

    Labour has announced plans to treat “extreme misogyny” as a form of extremism. While it’s unclear what this will look like in practice, it is clear that the last few years have seen the rise of “mega misogynists” like Andrew Tate. Unsurprisingly, the news is going down poorly with Tate and his copycats:

    Mr Misogyny Andrew Tate

    “What is “extreme” misogyny?” Andrew Tate asks himself.

    “Being masculine,” he answers.

    It’s true that people criticise “toxic masculinity“, but the key word in that phrase is “toxic” – an adjective which is there to clarify that we’re not talking about masculinity in general. No one is criticising men for pursuing a career as a lumberjack or for helping an elderly neighbour with their gardening; they’re criticising men for:

    • Suppressing every emotion except anger.
    • Rejecting any feminine trait.
    • Believing that women should be subservient to men.
    • Asserting that men need money, power, and/or fame to have worth.

    The ideals of toxic masculinity are impossible for any man to live up to, as Tate himself should appreciate:

    The result of toxic masculinity as an ideology is you end up with a load of angry, self-loathing dickheads who channel their insecurities into an all-consuming and ever-growing rage.

    But is Andrew Tate actually as bad as people say he is?

    The man himself has said that he’s “absolutely a misogynist“, adding: “I’m a realist and when you’re a realist, you’re sexist. There’s no way you can be rooted in reality and not be sexist”. Tate has also admitted to and encouraged using a process identical to the ‘loverboy method’, which is used by pimps to ensnare women. Here’s what he said on that:

    My job was to meet a girl, go on a few dates, sleep with her, test if she’s quality, get her to fall in love with me to where she’d do anything I say, and then get her on webcam so we could become rich together

    The “become rich together” part is disputed, however, Tate faces charges of “rape, human trafficking and forming a criminal gang to sexually exploit women”.

    Clearly traits like ‘thinking ahead’ or ‘self-preservation’ aren’t part of toxic masculinity, as Tate has recorded himself multiple times “self snitching”:

    The Andrew Tate effect

    The problem with Andrew Tate isn’t Tate himself; it’s the men and young boys who agree with him. A YouGov poll from 2023 found:

    Overall, 54% of children aged 6-15 have heard of Tate, including 60% of boys that age. Among boys aged 13-15 that figure increases to 84%.

    One in six 6-15 year old boys (17%) have a positive opinion of Andrew Tate, including 23% of 13-15 year olds.

    If you’re a woman, it’s easy to understand why 17-23% of men believing you should occupy a lesser position than them is bad news. If you’re not a woman, just imagine that for whatever reason 17-23% of men believed that you personally deserved to hold a lesser position (and also that they could pimp you out and keep the money).

    While it’s a good thing that more children and young men disagree with Tate than agree, it’s a worrying trend – especially when you consider the real-life examples of this misogyny in practice. As Sally Weale reported for the Guardian in 2023:

    I listen in on one Men at Work training session, attended by 20-plus teachers from state and private schools. Many of those attending are also parents, worried about the impact of influencers such as Tate on their sons. “We see misogyny every day in my school, with everything from boys ignoring instructions in corridors from female staff to serious sexual assaults,” says one teacher. “We need to do something.” Another describes how boys entertain themselves by seeing how many times they can slip the phrase “Make me a sandwich” into her lesson.

    “They feel a shared confidence, as they are all accessing the same content online,” says one teacher. Another adds: “Our boys have an emotional connection to the influencers they are accessing. They will use any argument to defend both their views and their behaviour.”

    Labour steps in

    Of course, the fact that extreme misogyny like Andrew Tate’s is causing genuine problems doesn’t mean that Labour will provide genuine solutions. A BBC article on the announcement reports:

    Yvette Cooper, the home secretary, has ordered a review of the UK’s counter-extremism strategy to determine how best to tackle threats posed by harmful ideologies.

    The analysis will look at hatred of women as one of the ideological trends that the government says is gaining traction.

    Ms Cooper said there has been a rise in extremism “both online and on our streets” that “frays the very fabric of our communities and our democracy”.

    The review will look at the rise of Islamist and far-right extremism in the UK, as well as wider ideological trends, including extreme misogyny or beliefs which fit into broader categories, such as violence.

    It will also look at the causes and conduct of the radicalisation of young people.

    Ms Cooper said the strategy will “map and monitor extremist trends” to work out how to disrupt and divert people away from them.

    It will also “identify any gaps in existing policy which need to be addressed to crack down on those pushing harmful and hateful beliefs and violence”, she said.

    Interestingly, Cooper adds:

    Ms Cooper said that action against extremism has been “badly hollowed out” in recent years.

    The Canary has criticised successive Tory governments for their approach to extremism, but rarely did we argue that the problem was that the state’s ability to police its citizens had been “hollowed out”. If anything, too much money and effort was being directed towards policing minority groups (particularly Muslims) and activists. Cooper’s words suggest that Labour doesn’t want to improve on what the Tories were doing; they instead just want to throw more money at the issue.

    This shouldn’t surprise anyone who’s familiar with Labour post-Tony Blair:

    Unbiased

    At the Canary, we’ll be watching these developments with interest, and we’ll be reporting on them with the same level of scrutiny that we applied to the Tories. We’re in agreement that misogynists like Andrew Tate are having a clear and intolerable effect on society, but we’re mindful of Labour using the issue to build on the draconian surveillance state. You should be wary too.

    To end on a lighter note, though, here’s an example of the ridiculous lengths that toxic macho men will go to in order to defend their hero’s lack of any visible length:

    These men are both the inmates and the guards of a mental prison they’ve constructed for themselves.

    Featured image via Andrew Tate – (YouTube) – Keir Starmer (Flickr)

    By John Shafthauer

    This post was originally published on Canary.

  • Thousands protest for justice in India over doctor’s rape and murder

    Thousands took to the streets of Kolkata in India early Thursday to condemn the rape and murder of a local doctor. Protests have swelled as people demand justice for the victim, and an end to violence against women more broadly. The discovery of the 31-year-old woman’s brutalised body last week at a state-run hospital has sparked nationwide protests.

    She cannot be named in accordance with India’s laws that protect the identity of rape victims. Large crowds marched through the streets of Kolkata in West Bengal to condemn the killing, with a candlelight rally at midnight coinciding with the start of India’s independence day celebrations on Thursday.

    The protesters in Kolkata, who marched under the slogan “reclaim the night”, called for a wider tackling of violence against women and held up handwritten signs demanding action.

    “We want justice,” read one sign at the rally. Marcher Monalisa Guha told Kolkata’s the Telegraph:

    The atrocities against women do not stop.

    Another marcher, Sangeeta Halder, told the paper:

    We face harassment almost on a daily basis. But not stepping out because of fear is not the solution.

    ‘Anger in the nation’

    Doctors are also demanding swift justice and better workplace security in the wake of the killing. Many doctors in government hospitals across several states on have chosen to halt elective services “indefinitely” in protest.

    Protests have since occurred in several other hospitals across the country, including in the capital.

    Dhruv Chauhan, from the Indian Medical Association’s Junior Doctors’ Network, told the Press Trust of India news agency:

    Doctors nationwide are questioning what is so difficult about enacting a law for our security.

    The strike will continue until all demands are formally met.

    The Telegraph on Thursday praised the “spirited public protests” across India. In an editorial it said:

    Hearteningly, doctors and medical organisations are not the only ones involved. The ranks of the protesters have been swelled by people from all walks of life.

    Institutional mishandling suspected

    Indian media have reported the murdered doctor was found in the teaching hospital’s seminar hall, suggesting she had gone there for a brief rest during a long shift.

    An autopsy has confirmed sexual assault, and in a petition to the court, the victim’s parents have said that they suspected their daughter was gang-raped, according to Indian broadcaster NDTV.

    Shockingly, hospital administrators at R.G. Kar Medical College and Hospital, where the murder took place, initially claimed the woman’s death was a suicide. As the Conversation reported, this was in spite of the postmortem report which found that:

    the killed medical trainee had a broken collar and pelvic bones and severe genital injury.

    In the early hours of Thursday, a mob of some 40 people angry at authorities’ handling of the case stormed the grounds of the R.G. Kar Medical College and Hospital, the site of the murder. The men smashed property and hurled stones at police, who fired tear gas in response.

    Though police have detained a man who worked at the hospital helping people navigate busy queues, officers have been accused of mishandling the case.

    Kolkata’s High Court on Tuesday transferred the case to the elite Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to “inspire public confidence”.

    Reminiscent of Delhi bus rape

    Sexual violence against women is a widespread problem with an average of nearly 90 rapes a day were reported in 2022 in the country of 1.4 billion people.

    For many, the gruesome nature of the attack has invoked comparisons with the horrific 2012 gang rape and murder of a young woman on a Delhi bus.

    The woman became a symbol of the socially conservative country’s failure to tackle sexual violence against women.

    Her death sparked huge demonstrations in Delhi and elsewhere. Under pressure, the government introduced harsher penalties for rapists, and the death penalty for repeat offenders. Several new sexual offences were also introduced, including stalking and jail sentences for officials who failed to register rape complaints.

    Long fight

    Indian women have long campaigned – via work in human rights organisations, protests, and much more – to stamp out violence against women. But, the problems are embedded in institutional and social norms. For example, New Internationalist reported that:

    Marital rape is still not a crime in India, despite the fact that it is disturbingly common. Among married women aged 18-49 who have experienced sexual violence, 83 per cent reported their current husband – and 13 per cent their ex-husband – as the perpetrator.

    Violence against women is a global problem, and eradicating it requires widespread confrontation of sexist and patriarchal attitudes that uphold male violence as a fact of life.

    Additional reporting by Agence France-Presse

    Featured image via YouTube screenshot/Global News

    By The Canary

    This post was originally published on Canary.

  • The shocking fact about women’s pensions that’s been exposed today

    Wednesday 14 August is the Trades Union Congress (TUC) Gender Pensions Gap Day – when the average retired woman effectively stops receiving their pension because of the gender pensions gap. The pensions income gap between retired women and men is 37.9%, or £7,000 a year.

    Meanwhile, the gender pay and pensions gaps are closely linked, says the TUC. There are many common drivers of both – such as women having to work part-time, lack of access to flexible working, and low pay disproportionately impacting women.

    However, while tackling the gender pay gap would go some way to addressing the gender pensions gap, it would not close it completely.

    Closing the care gap is key to closing the pensions gap. Introducing day one rights to parental leave and flexible working will also ensure that employers are enabling families to share caring responsibilities.

    Caring: a major factor in the gender pensions gap

    The TUC says that the amount of time women spend out of paid work because of caring responsibilities is one of the most significant contributing factors to the gender pensions gap.

    New analysis published by the TUC shows that nearly 1.5 million women who are not in paid work are undertaking unpaid caring responsibilities:

    • Women are nearly five times more likely than men to be out of work because of caring responsibilities.
    • Black and brown women are 6.5 times more likely than men to be out of work for this reason.
    • Women in 20s and 30s most likely to be undertaking unpaid care.

    The research shows that women aged 25 to 34 are most likely to be undertaking unpaid care while not in paid work compared to men of the same age.

    Around one in 11 (8.7%) women aged 25 to 29 – more than 190,000 women – is undertaking caring responsibilities while not in paid work – compared to less than one in 100 men the same age. And around one in 13 (7.9%) women aged 30 to 34 are caring while out of work, compared to less than one in 100 men the same age.

    But at every age – from the very start right through to the end of their careers – women are more likely than men to be out of work because of caring commitments.

    Other drivers of the gender pensions gap

    The TUC says that alongside caring commitments, the other main drivers of the gender pensions income gap are:

    • Gender pay gap: the impact, over time, of women earning less than men due to the gender pay gap.
    • Auto-enrolment: gaps in pensions auto-enrolment that mean employers do not have to enroll many low paid and part-time workers into a workplace pension – and these are more likely to be women.
    • State pension: historic differences in National Insurance have left women with lower state pensions on average.

    TUC general secretary Paul Nowak said:

    Far too many women are consigned to poverty in retirement. Everyone should have the chance to build up a pension, regardless of how much they earn.

    Ministers must set out a plan for closing the gender pensions gap – and fix our pensions system so that all women can benefit from a decent income in retirement. Women leaving paid work and taking on caring responsibilities is a key driver of the gender pensions gap – and the gender pay gap more generally.

    Women kept out of work for caring responsibilities should build up extra state pension to recognise the value of that work. Many women in work don’t get any sort of workplace pension at all because they don’t earn enough – often because of working part-time around caring commitments.

    We also need to tackle the care gap and give greater support to those with caring responsibilities…

    Women are often the ones expected to plug the gaps when our social care and childcare systems are not sufficient. Commitments to introducing a fair pay agreement in social care and reforming the childcare and early years sector will also help to tackle drivers of the pensions gap.

    Labour must act

    The TUC is calling on ministers to take urgent action to close the gender pensions gap.

    The union body also wants the new government to set out a plan for closing the gender pensions gap including:

    • Making auto-enrolment work better for people in low-paid or part-time jobs. This can be achieved by implementing measures in the 2023 Pensions (Extension of Auto-enrolment) to lower the age threshold at which employers must put workers into a pension scheme and remove the Lower Earnings Limit so that contributions are made from the first pound of earnings; and setting out a plan to remove the £10,000 earnings threshold that excludes low-paid workers from auto-enrolment.
    • Fixing the staffing crises in social care and childcare.
    • Ensuring universal, flexible, high-quality childcare is available to all.
    • Building a route to providing extra state pension contributions for those whose unpaid caring responsibilities mean they cannot build up workplace retirement savings.

    Featured image via Envato Elements 

    By The Canary

    This post was originally published on Canary.

  • Poll: J.D. Vance’s Unpopularity Is Only Growing as Voters Learn More About Him

    New polling data suggests that Republican vice presidential candidate J.D. Vance is growing in unpopularity among voters as time goes on, likely due to the electorate learning more about his far right views, which they may not have known about previously. Vance was selected by Donald Trump to be his running mate in mid-July. During the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee…

    Source

    This post was originally published on Latest – Truthout.

  • GMB just made Zarah Sultana’s DESPICABLE treatment by Ed Balls even WORSE

    In just one day, a group of racist, Islamophobic white supremacist bigots have made an about turn. Not the neo-Nazi lynch mobs rampaging the streets across the UK. Those vile fascists are still planning pogroms and violence against Black and brown communities all over the country. No, the right-wing race riot apologists at Good Morning Britain (GMB) have seen the error of their Islamophobic, chauvinistic ways… well, not really. Once again though, currently whipless Labour Party MP Zarah Sultana showed the panel – including home secretary Yvette Cooper’s husband Ed Balls – up for the rancid right-wing racists they are.

    Race riots UK: GMB’s panel of white right-wing racists

    On 5 August, Zarah Sultana took to GMB to tackle the corporate media’s white-washing of the current far right fascist pogroms rife across the UK.

    As the Canary previously reported, Sultana was:

    not only shut down by the four white people on the panel, but effectively infantilised and talked over.

    In what was at best deeply uncomfortable viewing, and at worst a politically-motivated assault, Sultana was first subject to several minutes of firstly lies. Kate Garraway and Ed Balls both claimed that the far-right attacks HAD been called “racist” – with Ball in particular hammering home this point.

    Repeatedly, the hosts gaslit Sultana and mocked her points. This was despite the fact that what she was driving home was of course, verifiably true. Largely, Sultana, when she could get a word in edge-ways, highlighted the role of the corporate media in setting the stage for these racist riots. Naturally, Sultana pointed to panellist ‘journalist’ Andrew Pierce’s paper, the Daily Mail as a classic case and point of this.

    Balls and Pierce asked for evidence of this from Sultana. It was as if they expected her to pluck the thousands of viciously racist headlines from thin air, live. Not that they would let her speak anyway.

    Fortunately, plenty on X were only too happy to oblige. Many curated and shared a damning rap-sheet of just some of the fetid shit-rag’s disgusting front pages.

    Sultana burns Balls and GMB – round two

    Fast forward to GMB 6 August, and it’s almost as if the nasty dickhead Ed Balls might have learnt some ethics. Almost.

    In particular, the GMB panel hosted Tory peer Sayeeda Warsi on its programme. During the segment, Balls and party didn’t sneer, speak over, or dismiss Warsi’s points.

    So, as Sultana herself pointed out, it’s as if Balls knew all along how to conduct an interview without being a misogynistic and racist wanker:

    What’s the difference? One interviewee is a socialist with a history of standing up for marginalised, racialised groups in the UK. The other is a right-wing Tory baroness who has backed successive Conservative governments hell-bent on scapegoating migrants, Muslim, Black, and brown communities:

    The pot, kettle moment from Warsi was also glaringly evident in more ways than one. Particularly so, in her failure to call out the GMB hosts for their shameful assault on Sultana the morning before:

    Ultimately, the GMB panel were lapping it up from the mouth of a Tory token brown peer. Although, lets not get too far ahead of ourselves. Pierce still couldn’t swallow the truth that his paper had incited these pogroms. Predictably, he threw in more disgraceful disrespect to Sultana while he was at it:

    Stay in line with the white supremacist status quo

    Ultimately, the Western media establishment only tolerates Black and brown voices if they get in line with white status quo. It’s why LBC hung Sangita Myska out to dry after challenging the Zionist propaganda machine. And why it then promptly platformed vehement architect of racist violence, former home secretary Suella Braverman.

    Now again, the mask is slipping. GMB’s Ed Balls and fellow hosts showed their rank double standards between Warsi and Sultana. It didn’t matter that they ultimately made many of the same points – Warsi is right-wing, and therefore respected.

    Left-wing Sultana pointed her finger at the right-wing political and media class. She spoke the deeply uncomfortable truths that made the panel of sneering white government stenographers squirm in their pathetic little GMB host seats:

    Balls’ and co’s two-faced hypocrisy only proves Sultana’s points all the more. That, after years of failing to call out anti-Black and brown racism and Islamophobia – while outright perpetuating it – politicians and the corporate media have fanned the flames of this abhorrent fascist violence.

    It’s high time pathetic little white men – and their racist patriarchy-enabling Karen’s – shut the fuck up and wither away in their own irrelevance. Because at the end of the day, they’ll never grow a pair and speak up for the communities their commitment to whiteness has long oppressed. Least of all home sec hubby Ed Balls.

    Feature image via the Canary

    By Hannah Sharland

    This post was originally published on Canary.

  • It’s not just racism and Islamophobia. Misogyny is running rife through the race riots.

    Amid the fascist race riots which have endangered lives across England, politicians and the media have been awful. There are indeed many reasons why people get sucked into the wormhole of far-right imaginationland, and the country needs to understand those reasons fully if it’s going to stop this from happening again in the future.

    But explanation is not justification. And what political and media elites seem to have been doing is justifying the unjustifiable. We don’t just have a racism problem in public discourse and on the streets. We have political mansplaining too. This is just as much a misogyny problem as anything else.

    Race riots: white male violence is the reality

    the Canary reached out to 2024 election candidate Maddison Wheeldon to talk about this issue, and she had some strong words about what’s been going on. She said:

    When it comes to white male violence against women and girls, the rhetoric is most often focused on what women and girls need to do to prevent harm befalling them, or needing to ‘know their worth’ to avoid being abused and manipulated.

    When it comes to a falsehood of violence against young girls being perpetrated by a Muslim and the peddling of misinformation to connect this very real threat to the politically convenient target of immigrants and our Muslim communities, there are riots on the streets.

    This violence has nothing to do with the very real threat to women and girls. It has everything to do with white supremacy, domination, misogyny and male violence. We have seen Muslim women have their heads kicked just walking down the street, have their hijabs snatched from their heads whilst carrying other women to safety, being shouted at to ‘get out of our country’, amongst many other terrifying, hostile incidents.

    This is their country, as much as ours. They are British, just as much as we are.

    We need to stop the mischaracterisation of this violence

    Wheeldon insisted that we mustn’t allow political and media elites, and the far right they’ve been helping to empower, to continue misdirecting us on this issue. She asserted:

    The longer we allow these bad actors to mischaracterise violence like this – whether it be as a ‘legitimate protest’ against uncontrolled immigration, or to protect the women and girls in our society – the worse this issue, and violence generally in our society, will become.

    As a woman, I wish there were a characteristic we could look to in order to identify threat or risk to our personal safety, but as every woman knows, this is not the case.

    Misogyny and the pathological urge to dominate exists in all societies, but it is running rife here on our streets and in our discourse, with our political and media elites parroting misogynistic, divisive and racist rhetoric.

    Whether on our streets, or in the violence we are seeing in Gaza and the West Bank, violence against women and girls is so often used in order to justify further male violence. We, men and women, need to come together and call out male violence, white supremacy and this underlying urge to dominate.

    We have to come together, work to build a more equal, fairer society, hold those in power accountable, and demand a redistribution of wealth, with a tax system that reflects fairer values, in order to realise the kind of society we can all thrive within.

    We’ve heard this before. We need to see through it, and fight back.

    The fascist race riots are a wake-up call for us all. It is wrong to assume that the fascist threat is a thing of the past. And we urgently need to unite as anti-fascists across the country to defeat it like we have in the past. As Wheeldon said:

    As a white woman who is very aware of the threat of male violence and abuse, my heart breaks for women and girls in the Muslim community, who will now be dealing with both that same fear as a female, coupled with the very real violence, aggression and threat to life that we are seeing aimed at our Muslim communities, and those who have come here simply seeking a chance at a survivable life.

    100 years ago, the rhetoric was ‘what to do about the Jewish problem’.

    We cannot allow this to become ‘what to do about the Muslim problem’.

    We must see through it. We have to be part of the solution. Men need to call out misogyny and racism amongst their friends, and women need to refuse our personal safety being used as a false flag to further the hate we now see on our streets, so we can have the conversations that could actually improve our societies, and protect us all.

    Featured image via EachOther

    By Ed Sykes

    This post was originally published on Canary.

  • The far-right do not care about protecting women and girls, as Southport showed

    As you will all too well know, horrific acts have occurred this week. On 29 July a 17-year-old male walked into a Southport community centre dance class and stabbed a group of girls and their adults. Two girls died at the scene and one later in hospital. Ten other people were injured, eight of which were children.

    Southport: a clear attack on women and girls?

    They were attending a Taylor Swift-themed yoga and dance class for kids aged 6-12. After the class, they were due to make friendship bracelets – a tradition amongst Swifties, as they trade them at events and shows.

    The attack hasn’t been labelled as terror-related yet, but it should be. Taylor Swift’s fan base is young women and girls and her music stands for celebrating who you are and feeling your emotions fully.

    This is a clear attack on women and girls, which is no doubt spurred on by the pervasive ideology of hatred against women that has been allowed to persist online.

    Later, while the community of Southport and the online community of Taylor Swift fans were grieving, misinformation was spreading rife about the nationality of the attacker.

    High-profile far-right Twitter accounts falsely claimed he was a Muslim immigrant and shared images of much older men with fake names to try and disprove he was only 17. Unfortunately many believed this and on 30 July a large group of far-right thugs tore Southport apart, burning police cars and throwing bricks at a mosque.

    Similar “protests” have happened and are planned to happen around the country, with a similar march on parliament already happening. These are being called protests to protect kids and “get our country back”.

    But let’s call them what they actually are: riots caused by violent thugs who only care about spreading hatred.

    Where were the riots when…

    Amidst this civil unrest, the real message is being lost. This wasn’t about “immigrants” or Britain being taken over.

    This was an attack on little girls who just wanted to fucking dance to Taylor Swift.

    Many will say I’m wrong and they’re “just protecting women and girls”, but if that’s the case they’re seriously lapsing on that front.

    Where were the riots when a white man tied up and shot three women with a crossbow?

    Where were they when police arrested and assaulted women attending a peaceful vigil for Sarah Everard who was raped and murdered by a white police officer?

    Where the fuck were they when a white man stabbed a teenage trans girl literally the same day in the same town of Southport?

    If the Southport riots were about VAWG, then…

    If it’s about protecting women and girls why did none of them stop the men calling a woman “stupid fucking cunt” and trying to assault her whilst she stood bravely and defiantly with a banner which read “One race – human. Hope not hate. Racism not welcome here”.

    If it’s about violence against women and girls how come none of them have denounced Brian Spencer (aka brick to the dick guy) who off his fucking tits on rage and god knows what else then went home and by the sounds of it, smacked up his missus?

    This guy isn’t the only one in their little hate mob. Thugs were heard chanting “Tommy Tommy Tommy” in support of the far right hate monger Tommy Robinson. Which is ironic considering Robinson himself has defended paedophiles and allowed them to stay in the EDL.

    If it’s about violence against women and girls why aren’t these men both online and taking to the streets highlighting just how endemic VAWG is?

    • That one woman a week is killed by a current or former partner.
    • That one in four women have been sexually assaulted.
    • That one in nine girls have experienced sexual assault or abuse.
    • That most women and girls who are abused have the horror inflicted on them by a partner or family member.

    Where are they when their friends make rape jokes or one of their pals talks about “jail bait” or how a 16-year-old girl is “legal enough”.

    Making rich, white men richer

    This was never about “protecting kids” it was about using people’s grief and anger to whip up hatred for anyone who is different. It was rich, privileged tossers exploiting the anger of working-class people.

    It was the likes of Farage, Robinson, Fox, Anderson, and their ilk seeing working-class people being left destitute by governments and corporations who care more about profit than human lives and knowing they can cash in.

    It was classic “nah don’t look at the billionaires who are sat on the biscuit tin while you’ve only got one biscuit. Watch out for that immigrant who’s gonna pinch your biscuit though”.

    Of course it wasn’t just men throwing bricks and hurling abuse in Southport. There was more than their fair share of Karen’s there too. But maybe these women need to ask themselves how many of these men they’d feel safe alone with.

    Meanwhile, many online are saying men are “justifiably angry” but women have been carrying this fear and anger for as long as we can remember.

    Ever since a grown man made a sexual joke at us while we were wearing our school uniform. Every time a man won’t leave us alone in public and we’re too scared that if we tell them to stop they’ll kill us. Every fucking time a woman or girl has been murdered and men say we should ban crossbows and knives, or that we shouldn’t be out late.

    Women didn’t respond to Southport by destroying the world

    We’ve as a gender experienced so much fucking trauma every single day of our lives since we were little girls.

    Yet you don’t see us setting fire to gyms, working men’s clubs, private men’s clubs, golf clubs or wherever the fuck men hang out – oh wait it happens everywhere.

    This was never about violence against women and girls because women didn’t respond by burning shit down.

    We responded with tears, holding our friends close – both virtually and physically – we raised over £300,000 pounds for the hospital treating the kids and the funerals of those lost. We made friendship bracelets for those poor girls still in hospital and donated to care packages.

    Women didn’t respond by destroying the world – because we know that when men control it all, that will never solve anything.

    But we’d be perfectly justified in doing so.

    Featured image via the Guardian – screengrab

    By Rachel Charlton-Dailey

    This post was originally published on Canary.

  • Vance Acknowledges Rough Start, Blames Media for Reporting on Past Statements

    Republican vice presidential candidate J.D. Vance has acknowledged that his first few weeks as running mate of Donald Trump have been rough, but placed the blame squarely on the media. Vance has had a remarkably poor reception as the GOP vice presidential nominee. Ordinarily, a major party’s vice presidential pick sees an uptick in their approval rating of about 19 points, on average…

    Source

    This post was originally published on Latest – Truthout.

  • Locked up against her will: meet Megan, forcibly detained in a learning disabled facility

    Content warning: this article continues descriptions of physical and emotional abuse that some readers may find upsetting.

    With the police’s announcement that there is a “national emergency” over a rise in violent crime against women and girls – with a record number of nearly 3,000 crimes reported daily – you would automatically assume that this crime is happening on the streets. Or maybe you would think that these crimes are happening in poorer areas of the country – you know, the really run down places that you wouldn’t want to be in on a cold, dark night.

    But what if I told you that this is happening to women and girls in loving, well-cared-for homes with the crimes being carried out by medical professionals and social services? Because it is.

    It is happening right now, as I type, to Megan McIntyre.

    On Tuesday 23 July a protest took place to raise awareness of an 18 year-old woman called Megan McIntyre who is allegedly being mistreated, physically and verbally abused, and held against her will in an NHS facility after being violently taken from her home:

    But this wasn’t by criminal thugs or gang members – well, not officially anyway.

    This was by the police, social services, and medical professionals.

    Megan McIntyre’s voice

    Megan is a Scottish and English national disabled gymnast and athlete:

    Megan

    She lives in Scotland with her mother Shona McIntyre who is also her legal guardian:

    Megan lives with autism, hypermobility, and is learning disabled. However, at the end of 2023 she developed avoidant restrictive food intake disorder (ARFID).

    Megan’s ARFID was triggered after an incident at her gym. For the last seven months she has begun losing weight – although she was eating three meals a day with snacks. As a concerned mother would, Shona took her daughter to see a dietitian who simply offered Megan “health shakes”.

    When the shakes arrived, Megan – noticing the difference in packaging and texture – refused to take them. Living with ARFID, she would only take her usual protein drinks. This was a clear sign of the illness that medical professionals completely disregarded.

    Megan continued to lose weight, with medical professionals and authorities accusing Shona of “not cooperating” and “not trying different things”.

    With Megan now losing 2kg every week and with no offer of a home IV drip, Shona asked her GP if Megan could be given nasogastric (NG) tube feeding at home. Shona believed this would be a solution to her daughter’s serious weight loss due to the ARFID.

    Sadly this was again refused. And the situation then got seriously worse.

    Ripped from her home

    On Monday 15 July whilst Megan and Shona were at home, three police vans, a doctor, a social worker, and nurses arrived at their property. As Shona wrote on a petition for Megan:

    They demanded to be let in or they would use force to break the door down.

    I let them in as they had a warrant. They found my daughter hiding under the bed.

    The fear in her eyes was awful, she ran and tried to get out the front door it was locked, down she ran into my bedroom in to the bathroom.

    By this point I couldn’t count how many people where swarming our home. I asked them to back off from the bathroom as she was getting so distressed, they refused, so I attempted to close the door a bit more for her privacy.

    The policeman was in the way, in my distress I hadn’t realised, he grabbed me and pinned me on the bed and put handcuffs on me, they held my ankles and pushed my face into the bed and told me I had assaulted an officer. My neighbour was here so witnessed it all and said I most definitely didn’t assault anyone.

    Then the screaming began. Screams that will haunt me for the rest of my life.

    Taken from her life

    As Shona was being handcuffed and held down by cops:

    Four police officers dragged [Megan] out of bathroom… she was trying to grab onto anything, I couldn’t see properly as they kept pressing my head into bed.

    When she saw me she yelled let go of her, Megan doesn’t speak much so this shows level of distress too. I didn’t see what happened after as they tore my vulnerable girl away from her safe space. My neighbour said she’s glad I didn’t see.

    They took her to an unknown place and for hours no one knew where she was. Eventually we were told. She had been taken to a locked adult Learning Disability Psych ward. I asked to see her they refused saying she was too distressed. I said I hope you haven’t pinned her and drugged her, they said they hadn’t.

    I called in the morning they said she had slept well….the reason for that was they had drugged her and pinned her without telling me so she was totally sedated so no wonder she slept!

    When Shona was finally told where her daughter was being held she was informed that she “will be safer at a hospital – not in the community”.

    The William Fraser Centre – accused of mistreatment

    Megan had been taken to the William Fraser Centre at the Royal Edinburgh Hospital, which is a unit for the provision of psychiatric care and treatment for learning disabled people. Clearly not a medical ward, Shona goes on to describe the horrors that she then found her daughter in:

    I visited the next morning at 10am, I was asked to leave at 11am after no explanation or answers to any of my questions were given! Megan clung to me and for the next two hours they tried to prise her arm and hands off me using force and restraint but she didn’t let go she held on through the pain.

    This went on for almost two and half hours.

    She had told me they lay on the back of her knees crushing them into the floor and she could hardly walk when she got up. She has hypermobility and is recovering from an knee injury.

    Shona has not been accused of neglect and is Megan’s legal guardian. Yet she has not received any paperwork, documents, or emails over the decision to remove Megan from her care.

    Whilst Megan has been under the care of the William Fraser Clinic she has continued to lose weight – 2kgs in just five days. Staff have allegedly forcibly manhandled and physically assaulted her, and even called her a “spoiled brat”.

    The hospital has also decided that Shona is not allowed on the premises to even see Megan. All of this has led Shona to having to set up a petition for legal support.

    Time to protest for Megan McIntyre

    Crucially, with a lack of ARFID specialists to help Shona managed to get in touch with an organisation called Autistic Inclusive Meets UK. Its CEO, activist and author Emma Dalmayne, told the Canary:

    When we heard about the unconscionable abuse Megan is suffering at the hands of mental health staff in The William Frasier Centre Centre, we knew we had to act; and act quickly. The staff responsible should be charged with assault.

    Megan should not be there, she is not mentally ill. Tragically, we have see many cases of autistic people being taken by force and placed into unsuitable settings, this won’t be the last person repeatedly assaulted and discriminated against. More education is desperately needed.

    So, along with Shona, friends, and allies they took direct action outside of the facility holding Megan. Using #MegansVoice and #FreeMegan they desperately tried to raise awareness of Megan’s situation:

    As Shona told the Canary:

    My beautiful and vulnerable daughter is dying

    As the protest from 11am-3pm continued outside of the William Fraser Centre the Canary was given footage showing Megan trying to hold Shona’s hand through the window of the facility and desperately seen trying to take “safe” food from her:

    The upsetting footage also shows Megan explaining that staff are hurting her, and that she just wants to go home with her mum:

    The Canary contacted NHS Lothian, which runs the William Fraser Centre, for comment but it had not responded at the time of publication.

    Violence against women and girls: a systemic emergency – in the system

    Shona will continue to protest in the hope of getting the right support for Megan – and to make sure that this doesn’t happen to anyone else. Yet we are as chronically ill and disabled people constantly left in this position.

    From people living with myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME/CFS) to people living with postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS), from #MaeveInquiry to #SaveCarlasLife and #BringMillieHome, there is a clear, systemic issue that needs to be addressed here.

    Why are so many of these women’s medical needs dismissed, leaving them at risk of violence against them?

    Just why are so many mothers disbelieved and not taken seriously when they know their child better than anyone else?

    And why are so many women’s serious conditions completely disregarded by our NHS – from ARFID to instabilities of the neck like craniocervical and atlantoaxial?

    And why does it seem that this mentality is spreading within our society and also within practiced medicine?

    What more can chronically ill and disabled people do? What more can Shona do?

    We have protested, we have blocked roads, we have made documentaries, and we have gone to parliament. Shona and so many of us are shouting as loud as we can. Yet still, no one seems to hear us.

    You can sign the petition in support of Megan here. 

    Featured image and additional images and videos supplied

    By Nicola Jeffery

    This post was originally published on Canary.

  • For South Asian women, it’s not just medical gaslighting that pervades their ME/CFS diagnoses

    Shehla Ali from About M.E. looks at the racism and discrimination that pervades healthcare for South Asian women living with myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME/CFS).

    “Is everything ok at home?”

    “You’re too young to have these symptoms”.

    “Are you making it up?”

    Based on true events, these are some of the conversations I had with medical specialists. Before I was diagnosed with ME/CFS, FND (functional neurological disorder) and fibromyalgia, I was experiencing unexplained symptoms and began to experience drop attacks, migraines, chronic fatigue, and pain all around my body.

    What happened?

    A year prior to that I was hiking mountains. I reached my seventh continent, Antarctica, and worked around the globe during that year. I travelled solo, I was an avid gym-goer, and counted my calories. I thought the lifestyle I was living was ‘healthy’. So what exactly happened? Honestly, I’d love to share the root cause. I definitely have my theories of multiple factors, but I am not a medic.

    My body began to feel like it was giving up. After a few blood tests, the nurse told me it was a lack of vitamin D and low iron:

    It’s quite common for a person of your ethnicity to have this.

    I would not be able to move for hours, which progressed to days and eventually months. I battled with GP receptionists, but eventually an appointment with a GP meant I could get some answers.

    I was advised to exercise, to remain positive, and make myself better.

    Baseless advice for ME/CFS

    But according to the National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE) guidelines on ME/CFS, exercise is no longer a suggested treatment:

    After an extensive review of the literature, that graded exercise therapy (GET) is harmful and should not be used, and that cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) is only an adjunctive and not a curative treatment.

    The review also found that people who were part of the research for graded exercise therapy did not all have ME. The condition is often associated with ‘just being tired’. There are also different levels of ME:

    • Mild.
    • Moderate.
    • Severe.
    • Very Severe.

    So having one route of treatment would certainly not work. However, if you are a person of colour, prepare for an extra barrier. Yes – discrimination and racism.

    One of the medical staff asked if I was married as that may have something to do with me “having panic attacks”. I was panicking because I was dropping on the floor, experiencing involuntary movements, and became bedridden. It wasn’t because of my relationship status.

    It is worth noting that chronic illnesses tend to be underfunded and ME is no exception.

    But does this bias and racism have a name?

    What is Bibi/Begum syndrome?

    Bibi/Begum Syndrome is medical terminology used to gaslight South Asian women, predominantly those who are elderly and may have a language barrier.

    The term comes from a UK doctor who struggled with understanding an elderly Pakistani woman’s symptoms. He referred to her as a ‘Bibi/Begum’. The term has been used in a derogatory manner to suggest that South Asian women exaggerate their symptoms which often leads to poorer health outcomes.

    Neurologist Fizzah Ali explains:

    In my foundation years. It was here that I first came across the term “Bibi-itis.” A decade later I found it was still being used. It happened in the doctor’s office. I was scrolling through a list of patient referrals on my computer wondering out loud what undiagnosed entity awaited me in the emergency department.

    So it’s no surprise many South Asian women may feel uncomfortable or unwelcome when seeking care. And they may be less likely to speak up about their health concerns or ask questions due to a lack of trust or understanding.

    This can lead to delays in seeking care and poorer health outcomes overall. To be judged by medical staff led me to believe I wouldn’t even be able to get treatment for ME/CFS. I lost trust, hope, and felt isolated.

    Racism and discrimination are everywhere

    When I began to accept where I was, although still bedridden with ME/CFS I began podcasting. I spoke with a guest about racism; he is Black and I am South Asian (Pakistani).

    We spoke about how we were spoken to by medical teams and also within our own communities.

    A comment is then posted by a user:

    I don’t get what you mean by neither of you are white, I have been treated poorly too.

    No one said anything about you not being treated poorly. But our experiences of inequality are valid.

    There are people I have spoken to, even if there are only a few, who have had a diagnosis within two weeks. That is their experience. To play the oppression Olympics of who had it worse often means Black and Asian people have their experiences diluted – having to go through stereotypes before symptoms is not ok.

    So we can look to different communities, as our own tribes may leave us feeling invisible:

    • “But no one will want you”.
    • “We don’t speak about these things”.
    • “You’re just not being grateful enough”.

    But a community can look like people who have not had their voices heard get together.

    Even using your own voice can amplify others, but those comments, those biases, are still there. I still have to battle during appointments, with society and people who chose ignorance. I know some days will be tougher than others. I know I am not alone, I just have to continue taking it one-step-at a time.

    Featured image via Envato Elements

    By Shehla Ali

    This post was originally published on Canary.

  • Assange: a huge win for journalistic freedom – but a huge loss for survivors

    Content warning: this article discusses rape and sexual assault in detail. Reader discretion is advised. 

    On Tuesday 25 June, we learned UK authorities had released Julian Assange from Belmarsh Prison on the condition that he pleads guilty to US espionage charges. This is great news for journalistic freedom. However, many people seem to have forgotten that two women accused Assange of rape, sexual assault, and other offences.  

    It seems in the reporting of Assange’s release, the majority of the mainstream media have conveniently forgotten about the allegations against him:

    One woman accused Assange of rape, and another of sexual assault. He also faced investigations for unlawful coercion and molestation. Obviously, Assange protested his innocence. After losing a high court appeal against his extradition in from the UK to Sweden in 2012, he requested political asylum in the Ecuadorian embassy.

    As always with X, people were quick to point out that eventually, the Swedish prosecution dropped the allegations – so he must be innocent.

    However, it is worth noting that at least in the UK, a mere 1.3% of rape cases recorded by the police actually result in them charging a suspect. When you include the number of rapes that go unreported, which is thought to be around 63%, this figure drops substantially more.

    In 2015, some of the allegations against Assange were dropped due to the statute of limitations. However, the rape allegation still stood.

    According to Amnesty International, in Sweden:

    The statute of limitations is 15 years for gross (aggravated) rape and 10 years for rape and “less serious” rape, calculated from the date the crime was committed.

    In 2017, Swedish prosecutors dropped the rape case. They claimed it was impossible to proceed while Assange was hiding in the Ecuadorean embassy. They reopened the case in 2019 and shortly after, dropped it again:

    At the time, the Swedish Prosecution Authority said:

    The reason for this decision is that the evidence has weakened considerably due to the long period of time that has elapsed since the events in question.

    I would like to emphasise that the injured party has submitted a credible and reliable version of events.

    Believe women

    Something that much of social media fails to grasp is that two things can be true at the same time.

    Assange exposed brutal war crimes and corruption. His release is a huge win for journalistic freedom. However, when did we stop believing women? All the progress we have made as a society since the #MeToo movement seems to be forgotten as soon as a man who did something good gets accused.

    The allegations do not change the win for journalistic freedom. Similarly, his achievements don’t negate the accusations against him.

    Stereotypes keep us stuck

    This stereotype that abusers are 24/7 ‘bad people’ can prevent people from recognising real life abusive situations. It makes people believe that men who do good things cannot possibly be abusive. 

    People tend to have a very specific image in mind when they think of abusive men. They’re often angry, old, and slightly overweight. This image leads people to believe that abusers are easily visible – you can spot them a mile off. It creates a false sense of safety.

    In reality, abusive men inhabit all walks of life, often have money, and are highly successful. Usually, they are also kind and thoughtful. It is these traits that allow them to get away with their behaviour – because no one questions the nice guy.

    Abusive men know how to manipulate power, and as Jessica Valenti wrote in 2018:

    Knee-jerk sympathy for men accused of wrongdoing isn’t new
    People find it hard to believe when their favourite TV star or celebrity is accused of sexual violence. The version of them that we see in the media is portrayed purposefully – powerful people want to feel familiar to us, so that we put our trust in them. That is how they get away with being abusive – because the image they have painted of themselves would never do the things they are being accused of.
    In reality, that is not them at all.

    The prevailing argument for Assange

    Writer Caitlyn Johnstone has argued that the allegations were politically motivated – and it is of course important to understand the power dynamics at work. In particular, she has set out how the US used these allegations to try extradite Assange. She argues:

    This was never resolved because this was never about rape or justice. It was about extraditing Assange to the United States for his publications.

    She continues:

    Don’t try to justify what Assange is accused of having done, just point out that there’s no actual evidence that he is guilty and that very powerful people have clearly been pulling some strings behind the scenes of this narrative.

    However, these facts aren’t mutually exclusive. The US could have weaponised the allegations to get hold of Assange. At the same time, it doesn’t mean they’re not true.

    This whole ‘he says, she says’ argument is where we have been getting stuck for decades.

    While Johnstone points out that there is no actual evidence that he is guilty, it is worth pointing out that there is also no actual evidence that he is a) innocent and b) was set up by the US government, as she claims in her article.

    Yes, I think it is correct to question why there was such a huge response from Interpol and the UK authorities compared to every other sexual violence accusation, as Naomi Wolf points out. However, that isn’t evidence of a set up as people are claiming.

    A 2016 article by Celia Farber argues that:

    Was it rape? Was it somewhere in the “grey zone”?

    Now, lets get one thing clear. There is no ‘grey zone’ when it comes to rape, sex, and consent. There is consensual sex, and there is rape. I do not go and hit someone over the head with a surfboard and call it surfing. Consent has to be clear, ongoing, and can be withdrawn at any time.

    Consent is not complicated

    One of the accusations against Assange was that he initiated ‘sex’ whilst the victim was half asleep, and without a condom. Previously, the woman had consented to sex with Assange on the condition a condom was used. Let’s make another thing clear – someone cannot consent to sex if they are unconscious, asleep, or in any way do not have the capacity to make informed decisions. The Guardian reported in 2010 that:

    She had awoken to find him having sex with her, she said, but when she asked whether he was wearing a condom he said no. “According to her statement, she said: ‘You better not have HIV’ and he answered: ‘Of course not,’ ” but “she couldn’t be bothered to tell him one more time because she had been going on about the condom all night. She had never had unprotected sex before.”

    I will say it again. A woman who is asleep cannot consent to sex. Not that hard to get your head around, is it? As if that wasn’t bad enough, she had also made it very clear she didn’t consent to sex without a condom. That alone, is also rape. Clearly, some people do not understand the definitions of rape and consent.

    Another allegation also specified that Assange tampered with a condom after making it clear he didn’t want to use one. Again, the victim consented to sex on the condition a condom was used. She did not consent to unprotected sex. Therefore, the act of tampering with the condom so it becomes ineffective, changes it from sex, to rape. In the UK at least, this specific crime is called ‘stealthing‘ and someone who carries it out can be prosecuted for rape.

    There is no ‘normal’

    Johnstone’s article also states:

    SW freaked out when she learned the police wanted to charge Assange with rape for the half-asleep incident, and refused to sign any legal documents saying that he had raped her.

    No one has even stopped to consider that maybe, the police naming the incident as rape was the first time the woman had considered the severity of what had happened to her. Often, victims are so immersed in denial that they are not able to process what has happened to them, or acknowledge that the experience was in fact rape. Trauma impacts everyone differently and there is no ‘right’ way to respond when something like that happens to you.

    Johnstone also commented on the timing of the allegations:

    This all occurred just months after Assange enraged the US war machine with the release of the Collateral Murder video, and he was already known to have had US feds hunting for him.

    While there are valid questions around this, she fails to recognise one key thing about sexual assault allegations. There was a reason why so many women came forward during the #MeToo movement.

    Partly, this was because when the media threw these powerful men into the spotlight, they too were empowered to come forwards. In Assange’s case – the media attention meant that these women might have felt the world would finally listen to them.

    Glorification of Assange

    The mainstream media ignoring allegations against Assange is one thing – but putting him on a pedestal is a whole other matter. Unintentionally, its true that Assange has become somewhat of a symbol of press freedom. However, the media need to be able to separate the man from the cause. Glorifying Assange as the embodiment of press freedom is unnecessary and actually, in this case it is highly inappropriate.

    The message this sends is that as a saviour of journalistic freedom Assange is above the law when it comes to violence against women.

    Our freedom of press feels a little bit safer. But lets not forget about the women who have made allegations against him. When other powerful men are accused of similar crimes we don’t sit here and gush over them. The default should not be questioning women’s accusations. That is how powerful men get away with being abusive for far too long. 

    Feature image via WWLTV – YouTube

    By HG

    This post was originally published on Canary.

  • Gender equality: The ‘drastically missing piece’

    Women’s rising educational achievements, greater workforce participation, stronger economic independence, and growing voices in leadership are all positive steps forward for society. Right?

    Well, maybe not in everyone’s view.

    Optimists among us have reason to believe that steps forward in women’s economic empowerment go hand in hand with greater support for gender equality and more egalitarian attitudes.

    But the reality is starkly growing that encouraging women to be “fearless”, and step into roles that are traditionally the domain of men, is not just a challenging path for many women – it could be a dangerous one.

    There are signs emerging that efforts to support women’s empowerment, and narrow gender gaps in economic outcomes, could be triggering resistance, retaliation and harm.

    According to the Gender Compass Survey conducted in 2023, one in four Australians believe that “when it comes to making things fairer for women, things have gone too far”.

     And one in six Australians believe that women outearning men is a problem for relationships. In other words, gender equality is far from an aspiration. Instead, it has become a threat.

    These impacts of these attitudes are borne out in women’s experiences.

    A recent economic study of Australian couples discovered when a woman begins to earn more than her male partner, her risk of partner violence and emotional abuse increases.

    The rate at which men are killing women, despite a declining long-term trend, accelerated in the past year. In 2021-22, we learnt of the chilling statistic that one woman in Australia had been killed by her current or former male partner every 14 days. In 2022-23, this statistic tragically worsened to one woman every 11 days. This year’s numbers are on a trajectory to worsen further.

    Having a voice in a public space – such as in the media, politics, and online forums – is igniting greater hostility, harassment and bullying against women. Research by the Australian e-Safety Commissioner affirmed “many women face online abuse simply because they have an active online presence as part of their working life”. The result is a silencing of women’s voices and a reversal of empowerment:

    “Many of these women took a backward step professionally, avoided leadership positions, … retreated from online spaces and lowered their public profiles because of online abuse.”

    Australian schoolgirls are sitting in classrooms now knowing their male peers are rating them in a sexually objectifying and violating way, and circulating this sickening information for all to see on social media. Instances recently surfaced at Yarra Valley Private School in Victoria and Foxwell State Secondary School in Queensland. These boys’ behaviours are in the same vein as the aggressively intimidating “chant” about the treatment of women that schoolboys from St Kevins College proudly belted out onboard a public tram in Melbourne.

    These are dynamics experienced by women and girls globally.

    In countries where the links between women’s empowerment and violence have been closely researched (including India, Pacific Island nations, Rwanda and Cameroon) efforts to boost women’s financial independence – such as microfinancing for women to start their own businesses and initiatives to encourage more women into education and paid work – have been found to trigger a higher rates of intimate partner violence and assault against women in the wider community.

    It’s even happening countries considered to be global front-runners in gender equality.

    Coined the “Nordic Paradox”, Norway’s world-leading outcomes on women’s economic advancement are at odds with its high rates of intimate partner violence relative to other European nations. In Sweden, improvements in women’s workforce participation and earnings have been linked to higher rates of assaults against women and destructive behaviour by men.

    These retaliatory backlash effects are pushing us in the opposite direction to the liberating outcomes that women’s economic progress is meant to bring.

    Businessman walking on arrow walking in the opposite direction to group businessmen.

    Picture: Adobe Stock 

    What explains these attitudes?

    Research suggests that a big part of it is men feeling left out while women’s opportunities expand. According to the Gender Compass survey, over one in three Australians believe that “men have been forgotten in the struggle for gender equality”.

    Men’s responses to gender equality initiatives reveals the sense of injustice and unfairness that some men report experiencing. For example, when asked about equality, this male participant in this US survey expressed: “I am worried that diversity efforts going too far become discrimination by another name.”

    We need to treat these feelings and responses from men seriously if we are to make any progress on gender equality.

    Psychological research suggests that men’s resistance to equality initiatives can stem from feeling that their own opportunities to achieve their pursuits and fulfil their purpose, are being stripped away.

    These responses can help us to understand how gender equality initiatives – by breaking down the gender norms that prescribe distinct roles and traits for men and women – can leave some men unsure of their role and identity, or searching for other ways to assert it.

    The traditional “male-breadwinner/female-caregiver” norm of society has long prescribed a role for men in leadership, decision-making, control and authority. And an expectation to hold back their emotions and fears.

    These cultural norms still strongly shape people’s ideas about the behaviours and roles men are expected to take in their relationships, household, workplace and community. Popular culture, sports and entertainment media all still convey a clear image of what it is “to be a man”.

    Gender equality initiatives can, for some men, destabilise their opportunity to fulfil this role and demonstrate their sense of masculinity. Their acts of violence, intimidation and dominance over women can be interpreted as their attempt to reclaim a sense of masculine identity and assert control.

    Gender equality means fearlessness among all

    This all points to a drastically missing piece in our approach to gender equality: If we are going to economically empower women, we need to nurture a society that is not afraid of women being empowered.

    If we’re going to tell women to be “fearless”, we need for men to not fear women being their equal.

    We need for men to admit to their fears. And learn not to fear the changes that would make our world a more gender equitable place.

    Gender equality policy, understandably, has focused intensively on women, especially to support women in crisis circumstances. This year’s Budget brought together an extensive set of measures to address women’s safety, the centrepiece of which was $925.2 million for the Leaving Violence Program.

    These are vitally important initiatives that form part of the Australian Government’s National Plan to End Violence against Women and Children. This sits alongside the government’s new national strategy for gender equality, titled Working for Women.

    But the next chapters of gender equality will need policy, and our mindset, to do more.

    Firstly, policy has not focused enough on how men fit into the gender equality picture.

    This is where we need to expand opportunities for men and boys to step into non-traditional roles. To be more involved in caregiving. To find fulfilment and purpose beyond the narrow script of authority and power.

    This is why the expansion of paid parental leave policy to fathers – as a lever to dismantle traditional norms and legitimises caregiving among men – is crucial.

    There is a vital need to invest more in initiatives to support men and boys to develop healthy, holistic ideals of masculinity and support men in care.  Excellent programs exist, such as The Man Box, The Fathering Project and Equimundo, and Australia has expert researchers informing these issues such as the work of Professor Michael Flood. But these healthy masculinities initiatives are mostly small-scale in Australia and reliant on philanthropic or community funding. The opportunity, and desperate need, is there for governments to uplift and upscale.

    By awakening men and boys to many other wider ways to achieve purpose and fulfilment, beyond the narrow traditional template of masculinity, women’s economic empowerment becomes less of competitive threat.

    These initiatives are also vital investment in men’s health and wellbeing. Research published by Our Watch has found that men who ascribe to traditional ideals of masculinity have worse rates of depression, suicide, risk-taking behaviours and poor mental health.

    The announcement by the Victorian Government to create a Parliamentary position dedicated to supporting men’s and boys’ behavioural change exemplifies a government that is brave enough to embrace this approach.

    The other big limitation on progress is the funding amount. Many people in the women’s safety sector attest that the dollars – a total spend of $3.4 billion on women’s safety since the Albanese Government came into office – fall short of the magnitude of the crisis.

    Contrast this, for instance, to the additional $50.3 billion allocated to defence over the next decade. This will see defence spending reach an annual $100 billion by 2033-34.

    This is where a gender lens matters

    Conventional policy thinking considers “defence” a matter of safeguarding our national borders against foreign threats.

    Statistically for a woman in Australia, it is not an enemy on the national border who poses the greatest threat to her wellbeing, freedom and life. It’s more likely to be the stalkers, trolls, abusers, former or current partners, the men looking to intimidate and claim control, who have intruded into her neighbourhood, her streets, her phone, her bedroom, her own home, her own private space.

    Defence does not come in the form of long-range missiles. It comes from extinguishing the threats that loom on home ground.

    Like the Defence Budget, eliminating men’s violence against women needs be elevated to non-negotiable priority. Metrics on women’s safety – and, for that matter, men’s suicide rates – need to sit firmly alongside other benchmark measures of national prosperity such as economic growth.

    Australians are now counting on our governments, community leaders, and men themelves, to be fearless in this next step.

    • This is an extended version of the article that was first published by Financy in its Finance Women’s Index March 2024 Edition “Fearless For All”. Read the original here.

    Please note: picture at top is a stock image

    The post Gender equality: The ‘drastically missing piece’ appeared first on BroadAgenda.

    This post was originally published on BroadAgenda.

  • Sunak and Starmer use ITV debate to show us how they treat women. Spoiler alert: it’s awfully.

    Last night, ITV hosted the first of the live general election debates. Some might have expected an intelligent debate between two polite men who’d earned their places as leaders of their respective parties. Instead, what we to see was a wanky little ego battle between two rich boys.

    The ITV general election debate

    The most striking issue though, was both leaders blatant disrespect for the host, Julie Etchingham – which was clear for everyone to see. It doesn’t take much digging to see both of their records on how they treat women, but last night’s debate really outed them for the misogynistic wankers they are.

    Between the two of them, they talked over her, raised their voices, and were quite frankly rude –  ignoring her when she asked them both to stop:

    Their records on protecting women

    Only yesterday, the Canary reported that on the Tories treatment of women over the last 14 years:

    Anyone with even a fraction of a brain cell knows this is absolute bollocks.

    Since 2018 we have seen a catastrophic decline in rape convictions – by 80%. Whilst not seeing a decline in actual offences. Rape survivors can wait 4-6 years to have their case heard in court. That is of course if miraculously, they even get that far. There is no surprising that the Independent Complaints and Grievance Scheme (ICGS) named 56 MP’s in a report on sexual misconduct. God knows how many weren’t named:

    Screwing women over

    For 14 years, the Tories have continuously shafted women left, right, and centre. Or maybe just right. From cuts to domestic abuse services, disabled women being trapped in abusive situations, the two-child benefit cap to health inequalities. Women are screwed over at every possible point so it’s patronising for lil Rishi to now pretend he gives a shit:

    Sunak has a history of talking over, and belittling women. Back in 2022 during the conservative party’s leadership debate, Sunak did exactly the same. He consistently talked over wet lettuce, Liz Truss. If he can’t even treat his own party members with respect. What hope is there for the rest of us?

    And Labour are no better.

    In March 2023, Keir Starmer promised to halve violence against women and girls if Labour wins at the next general election. However, only last month he welcomed Natalie Elphicke into the party – who defected from the conservatives. Well, it came to light last month that Elphicke went after the women who were raped by her ex-husband. Labour knew that, and still make the fucked-up decision to admit her to the party:

    Additionally, Starmer’s deselection of Faiza Shaheen and the misery he inflicted on both Diane Abbott and Apsana Begum, shows his complete disregard for women in his own party. You don’t have to look far to see that Starmer will happily throw women under his shiny new battle bus.

    Missing the point?

    Starmer’s inability to answer simple questions, mixed with Sunak’s outright lies that went unchallenged meant that really, it was a pretty pointless debate:

    Etchingham told both Starmer and Sunak their time was up multiple times. They both repeatedly ignored that warning, continuing to talk over Etchingham and raising their voices. When debates are such a pivotal part of any democracy, what does it say about the future of the country when whoever wins cannot follow simple instructions?

     

    Fragile male egos on display during ITV general election debate

    In the absence of good arguments, both ‘leaders’ resorted to raised voices and talking over Etchingham. People unfairly ridiculed her on social media during the debate for how she handled the situation. Realistically, how can anyone expect women to do their jobs – let alone well, when they are battling fragile male egos? What does it tell you about the calibre of the two candidates when they have to resort to raised voices and pathetic tittle-tattle?

    You’d have thought Rishi, who went to £50k/year private school would know etiquette basics. Like not talking over someone. It’s a shame his parents seemingly wasted so much money on his school fees. Most ten year olds know better. At least Starmer’s parents didn’t waste their money:

    Both of their closing statements were more like an ad for mis-sold PPI than anything from a political debate. Although, we’re not sure we’d even trust them enough to get that back.

    Ultimately, we have two under qualified men with big mouths and big ego’s battling it out to run the country.

    Are these two really the very best we can do as a country?

    Feature image via ITV News/YouTube

    By HG

    This post was originally published on Canary.

  • Sport and violence against women: being quiet isn’t enough

    Sport has a role to play in creating a culture of respect, yet women in sport are often seen as “less than” on almost every measure: salaries, sponsorship, broadcasting, leadership, access, media, coaching, officiating, uniforms and support.

    Research shows three out of four Australian men are gender equality supporters, but very few (17%) prioritise taking any action.

    As Australia grapples with a “national crisis” of violence against women, what can men in sport do to help?

    What does the research tell us?

    Rigid gender norms can play a part in fuelling male violence against women and children. And sport is an arena, excuse the pun, where rigid gender norms flourish.

    When it comes to sport and gendered violence, a special level of toxic attack and misogyny is reserved for women who “dare” to play, watch and work in sport, and this is particularly heightened for women of colour and/or presumed to be from the LGBTQI+ community, whether identifying or not.

    Sport also regularly promotes alcohol and gambling, with evident impacts on women and children – whenever there are big sporting events, violence against women by spectators increases.

    Players, coaches, commentators and officials repeatedly avoid sanctions, or get a slap on the wrist, and go on to secure leadership roles in sport, sometimes despite allegations of serious gender-based offences.

    The message this sends to younger players and fans is that misogyny is acceptable and that “heroes” are beyond reproach. This green-lights sexism, and completely undermines any messages around equality.

    Tracey Gaudry has held a trifecta of roles relevant to this discussion. Not only was she previously a former champion cyclist, and former CEO of Hawthorn Football Club, she has also been Respect Victoria’s CEO.

    Back in 2020 she nailed the confluence of issues:

    “Gender inequality is a driver of violence against women and it can start out small. Because sport comes from a male-dominant origin, those things build up over time and become a natural part of the sporting system and an assumed part.”

    What are sports codes and teams doing?

    Professional sport organisations and clubs have been trying to address abusive behaviour towards women for decades. Both the AFL and NRL began developing respect and responsibility programs and policies 20 years ago, yet the abuse, and the headlines, continue – against both women in the game, and at home.

    The NRL partnered with Our Watch to try to reduce violence against women and children in Australia.

    There are also opportunities for clubs to take action even if their governing bodies don’t. Semi-professional rugby league club the Redfern All Blacks, for example, are showing leadership: players who are alleged to be perpetrators are banned from playing until they’re prepared to talk about it openly, and prove they are committed to changing their behaviour.

    Education is also vital.

    At the elite level, most codes are trying to educate those within their sports – the NRL’s Voice Against Violence program, led by Our Watch, is the same organisation the AFL has recently partnered with.

    The NRL also implements the “Change the Story” framework in partnership with ANROWS and VicHealth, which includes a zero tolerance education program for juniors transitioning into seniors.

    What more should be done?

    The AFL’s recent minute silence gesture to support women affected by violence does not go far enough.

    Men, especially those in leadership positions, can take action by actively dishonouring the men who have abused women.

    Some of the men we celebrate around the country for their service as players, presidents, life members and coaches have been abusive towards women and children.

    Recently, the AFL demanded Wayne Carey – who has a long history of domestic violence allegations and assault convictions – be denied his NSW Hall of Fame Legend status. The next step is to see Carey struck off his club and AFL honour rolls.

    The same treatment should apply to other convicted abusers such as Jarrod Hayne and Ben Cousins – the list goes on.

    To take a stand on violence against women, award winners who have been convicted for, or admitted to, abuse against women should be explicitly called out with an asterisk next to their names – “dishonoured for abuse against women”.

    And current and future awards must be ineligible to abusers. Serious crimes should mean a life ban for all roles in sport.

    If there is a criminal conviction, or an admission of disrespectful behaviour (abuse, sexism, racism, ableism or homophobia), then action must immediately be taken to strip them of their privileges.

    What about the grey area of allegations?

    One tricky challenge for sport organisations is how to deal with allegations that don’t result in criminal convictions.

    The legal system has systematically failed to protect women from sexual predators, so we can’t rely solely on a conviction to act.

    In 2019, the NRL introduced a discretionary “no fault, stand down” rule for players charged with serious criminal offences, and/or offences involving women and children. Under this rule, players must stand down from matches until the matter is resolved.

    All sports should, as a baseline starting point, be following suit.

    Where to from here?

    It’s time sport organisations and fans acknowledged two things can be true: good, even great, athletes, coaches or administrators can be bad humans.

    Sporting codes need a zero-tolerance approach for abuse of women which should apply to fans, players, coaches, umpires, referees and administrators.

    All codes should strongly consider implementing the “no fault, stand down” rule similar to the NRL. Perpetrators should not be allowed back into high-profile roles. Supporters must also be held to account – if fans can be banned for racism, they can be banned for sexism.

    At all levels and across all sports, we must send the message from the ground up: misogyny is unacceptable and the consequence for your bad behaviour is that you are no longer welcome.The Conversation

     

    Please note: picture at top is a stock image. Panoramic view of Melbourne Cricket Ground on ANZAC Day 2015 By OliverFoerstner/Adobe Stock 

    The post Sport and violence against women: being quiet isn’t enough appeared first on BroadAgenda.

    This post was originally published on BroadAgenda.

  • Women tried to deliver an open letter to the Garrick Club. True to form – it LOCKED THE DOORS on them

    The controversial men-only Garrick Club in the heart of London did itself no favours on Thursday 28 March – after it locked the doors on women, including Labour MP Apsana Begum, attempting to deliver an open letter asking it to change policy and allow them to become members.

    Garrick Club: ‘knock, knock’… ‘who’s there?’… ‘women’… ‘SLAM’

    On 28 March, Dr Charlotte Proudman, Julia Needham, and Dr Shola Mos-Shogbamimu organised a peaceful but evocative protest outside the Garrick Club. It was over its men-only policy which has been in place for nearly 200 years.

    Many of the women were high-ranking barristers and legal professionals. Yet despite the Garrick Club allowing 14 judges to be members, these women can’t because, well – they’re women. So, they took their concerns to the Garrick Club’s front door:

    Garrick Club protest

    The women wanted to deliver an open letter. Part of it read:

    Criminal, family, civil and immigration courts often deal with extremely serious allegations of domestic abuse and violence against women, including rape, sexual assault, coercive and controlling behaviour, stalking and financial abuse.

    Many cases reflect the diversity of the society in which we live; we are proud to call clients women from all walks of life, many of whom are impecunious or in low-paid work. We represent women from all over the country, including the most deprived areas. Many do not have English as their first language or secure immigration status.

    The Garrick Club, along with its associated ethos, embodies a social and gendered ideology that starkly contrasts with the reality of the modern courtroom. It stands as a symbol of an entrenched anti-woman tradition comprising predominantly white male membership. We are concerned that membership perpetuates systemic discrimination against women within the highest echelons of societal influence.

    In our collective assessment, maintaining membership at the Garrick Club is fundamentally incompatible with the core principles of justice, equality, and fairness, particularly for senior members of the judiciary who significantly shape jurisprudence on gender-based discrimination and inequality and gendered crimes of violence and abuse.

    Like the Garrick Club, the highest levels of the judiciary do not reflect our society. Female judges remain a minority, particularly women of colour, despite efforts to increase greater diversity and inclusivity.

    Irony not taught at Eton

    However, seemingly oblivious to just how its actions would come across, the Garrick Club locked the doors on the women and refused to let them deliver the letter:

    Clearly, these well-connected and high-ranking men fail to grasp the concept or irony. So, Labour MP Apsana Begum who was at the protest gave them a helping hand. She said:

    I think it’s a no-brainer that it’s unjust and prejudicial that men can be afforded the opportunities expressly denied [to] women in terms of membership of this club…

    The club, whose members include King Charles III, former prime minister Boris Johnson, actors Brian Cox, Matthew Macfadyen Benedict Cumberbatch, and Hugh Laurie, has around 1,500 mostly old members. A large number of its members occupy influential roles – from government leaders to partners at top law firms and heads of consultancies.

    We’re sure that the women protesting weren’t implying they wish to hob-nob with Boris Johnson – unless we’re sorely mistaken.

    Smash the patriarchy – starting with the Garrick Club

    However, the principle of the situation – and what it represents in broader society – is what is at stake.

    The Garrick Club had at least 14 senior male judges as members (before four resigned). This underscores the institutionalised misogyny that exists within the justice system – and may well help foment it. But this male-only environment is also a microcosm of the larger toxic patriarchy that society, both in the UK and globally, still operates under.

    So, all power to the women who braved Storm Nelson on 28 March. Until the patriarchy is smashed, then doors like the Garrick Club’s will continue to be physically and metaphorically shut in women’s faces.

    Featured image and additional images via Garrick Club Judges

    By Steve Topple

    This post was originally published on Canary.

  • The controversial Garrick Club will see a woman-led peaceful protest – but just OUTSIDE, obviously

    The controversial Garrick Club has hit the headlines recently – because the fact that it’s a men-only space has once again been thrust into the spotlight. So now, women are set to hold a peaceful protest outside the club on Thursday 28 March – although there’s a deeper issue at play, here.

    The Garrick Club: you’d probably never heard of it until last week

    The men-only Garrick Club was thrust into the media after the head of Britain’s spy service resigned his membership on Wednesday 20 March after discussions with his female colleagues.

    Richard Moore’s decision comes after a list containing the Garrick club’s all male and largely white membership was made public for the first time in a report by the Guardian.

    The club was founded in 1831 as a meeting place for gentlemen and named in honour of the 18th-century actor David Garrick. It includes as members King Charles III, former prime minister Boris Johnson, various judges, parliamentarians, actors, and rock stars.

    Moore sent a message to MI6 employees on Tuesday 19 March, acknowledging the reputational hit that news of his membership posed to the service. In particular, he noted the risk of it undermining its work to attract more women to join MI6. He sent a second note to staff on 20 March, saying that he had decided to quit the club. This came following conversations with senior female colleagues.

    The club, whose members include actors Brian Cox and Matthew Macfadyen who starred in the award winning television show Succession, Benedict Cumberbatch and Hugh Laurie, has around 1,500 mostly old members. A large number of its members occupy influential roles – from government leaders to partners at top law firms and heads of consultancies.

    Moore’s resignation was followed by that of the prime minister’s most senior policy adviser, the civil service leader Simon Case, who also quit the club on 20 March.

    Right to Equality set to protest

    So now, campaign group Right to Equality are organising a peaceful gathering outside the Garrick Club which will be attended by a number of signatories and legal professionals. Shola Mos-Shogbamimu, solicitor, and Apsana Begum MP shall be attending and will say a few words.

    The purpose of the event is to put pressure on the Garrick to allow women to join as members in their own right and/or encourage all male judges to resign their membership from a club that discriminates against women.

    People will be meeting at 12.30pm on Thursday 28 March, outside of Caffe Concerto 143 Long Acre, London WC2E 9AD. They will then walk over to the Garrick Club ready for their lunchtime members.

    The group said in a statement:

    Right to Equality asks that you bring a placard if you can with something scribed along the lines of ‘Seats for Women’ or ‘judges of quality support equality’.

    Right to Equality highlighted on X that the issue is deeper than just women’s equality. It shared professor Jo Delahunty’s post:

    That is, the Garrick Club had at least 14 senior male judges as members (before four resigned). This underscores the institutionalised misogyny that exists within the justice system – and may well help foment it.

    Smashing the patriarchy at the Garrick Club – then hopefully the socioeconomic hierarchy in society, too

    As a group of female judges and legal professionals wrote in an open letter:

    Criminal, family, civil and immigration courts often deal with extremely serious allegations of domestic abuse and violence against women, including rape, sexual assault, coercive and controlling behaviour, stalking and financial abuse.

    Many cases reflect the diversity of the society in which we live; we are proud to call clients women from all walks of life, many of whom are impecunious or in low-paid work. We represent women from all over the country, including the most deprived areas. Many do not have English as their first language or secure immigration status.

    The Garrick Club, along with its associated ethos, embodies a social and gendered ideology that starkly contrasts with the reality of the modern courtroom. It stands as a symbol of an entrenched anti-woman tradition comprising predominantly white male membership. We are concerned that membership perpetuates systemic discrimination against women within the highest echelons of societal influence.

    In our collective assessment, maintaining membership at the Garrick Club is fundamentally incompatible with the core principles of justice, equality, and fairness, particularly for senior members of the judiciary who significantly shape jurisprudence on gender-based discrimination and inequality and gendered crimes of violence and abuse.

    Like the Garrick Club, the highest levels of the judiciary do not reflect our society. Female judges remain a minority, particularly women of colour, despite efforts to increase greater diversity and inclusivity.

    Of course, the larger issue here is that England still has ‘clubs’ that are exclusively for those in the highest socioeconomic statuses in the first place:

    This underscores the bedrock of British society: classism – which keeps many of us subjugated in one way, shape, or form.

    So, until that particularly hierarchy is smashed, then true equality will not happen for anyone. However, for now it’s the patriarchy that needs dealing with – and Right to Equality are determined to do that.

    Additional reporting via Agence France-Presse

    Feature image via Dulwich Picture Gallery

    By The Canary

    This post was originally published on Canary.

  • Tied to a bed. Told to ‘stop being hysterical’. The horror of childbirth in Serbia.

    This article contains content some readers may find distressing.

    Biljana Cicic-Stanic still bristles when she remembers the misogyny, pain, violence, and humiliation she endured during childbirth in Serbia. It’s an experience many women say is normal in the Balkan country’s hospitals – with medics tying women to beds, telling them they’re hysterical, and the end result sometimes being in children’s deaths.

    Serbia childbirth: tied to the bed violently

    Cicic-Stanic said medical staff tied her to the bed with restraints and nurses used their elbows to press against her stomach.

    “Everything was so violent,” Cicic-Stanic told Agence France-Presse (AFP), saying doctors and nurses screamed insults at her:

    They put you in a bed and require you to lie motionless, while someone violently opens your cervix, pierces your membrane and tells you to be quiet.

    The story is a familiar one for many in Serbia, where violence against women in labour and those getting gynaecological treatment remains common, according to experts.

    As elsewhere in the Balkans, a combination of patriarchal values and a weak legal system has allowed for medical violence against women to often go unchecked. Jelena Riznic, an activist with the Serbia-based Female Solidarity collective, said:

    Here the idea persists that if you complain about any aspect of motherhood, you are not a good enough mother nor are you a good enough woman.

    Violence and racism

    The issue again hit the headlines after Marica Mihajlovic – an ethnic Roma woman – accused her gynaecologist of “jumping on her stomach”, breaking a rib, and racially abusing her while she was in labour earlier this year. As the European Roma Rights Centre reported, she said:

    He put his hand over my mouth, twisted my hands, threatened to knock out my teeth. He also insulted me based on my nationality, and he also told me that he would hit me and that I would have two skulls.

    Her newborn later died, with Mihajlovic telling local media that an autopsy report said the death was caused by “violent childbirth”.

    The story sparked a torrent of outrage online and protests on the streets, as women shared similar stories of their treatment.

    Serbia’s Minister of Health Danica Grujicic largely dismissed the accounts, saying of Serbia childbirth “everyone has different tolerance for pain”.

    Stitching without anaesthetic

    Women in Serbia are regularly subjected to various forms of violence at maternity clinics and hospitals, a 2022 report by leading lawyers found, including having their stomach pushed during labour and being given invasive procedures without consent.

    Women testified that they were subjected to insults, shouting, and shaming from the medical staff, including at the capital’s main Gynaecology and Obstetrics Clinic in downtown Belgrade. The report said:

    In many cases health workers conduct procedures against patients’ will… Patients are restrained with belts in case they complain about pain, and after the labour they are exposed to stitching without anaesthesia.

    The investigation also highlighted the treatment of patients with miscarriages, saying they were “left alone, without medical supervision, and forced to undergo the procedure” in front of women in labour or those who had just given birth.

    ‘Stop being hysterical’

    For Biljana Brankovic, the testimonies ring especially true.

    In 2021, Brankovic went to a Belgrade clinic to terminate a pregnancy after a test result confirmed the foetus had serious birth defects.

    Brankovic said medical staff largely ignored her ahead of the procedure, as they watched a popular reality TV show, and told her to “stop being hysterical” when she called for help as the foetus emerged. She said:

    After ten minutes I recognised the feeling and I gave birth. Alone, with nobody around, no nurse, no doctor. I screamed for 10 minutes that it’s over. It was irrelevant because my baby was dead.

    Medical staff later removed her placenta and performed a post-abortion scraping procedure without anaesthesia, which Brankovic said left her infertile, according to three separate doctors.

    ‘Afraid to go to hospital’

    A gynaecologist who spoke to AFP on the condition of anonymity acknowledged the issues outlined in the report, but argued that most doctors in Serbia “do their job properly”:

    Hospitals need to document those cases [of abuse]. The responsibility for that kind of work lies with those who run those institutions and don’t sanction errors made during childbirth.

    But with no reforms in the works and denial by some in the government, women in Serbia are left to face the already stressful prospect of delivering a child with another layer of added fear.

    Having been abused during an earlier birth, Sladjana Spasojevic is now only weeks from her due date:

    I’m afraid of going to the hospital and ending up with the same [doctor] again.

    Additional reporting via Miodrag Sovilj for Agence France-Presse

    Featured image via TRT World – YouTube

    By The Canary

    This post was originally published on Canary.

  • As IWD 2024 arrives, mothers are uniting against the cruel family courts and toxic social services

    Mothers seeking asylum, who were forced to leave their children behind when they fled from their home countries, are joining forces with mothers fighting to stop their children being taken by the family courts or to get them back. They are coming together after International Women’s Day (IWD) to share their experiences of the state taking their children – in the hope of ultimately affecting change.

    IWD: mothers fighting back

    A public meeting on Tuesday 12 March, 12pm at the Crossroads Women’s Centre, London NW5 2DX, has been organised by the All African Women’s Group (as part of the coalition Global Women Against Deportations), Support Not Separation (SNS), and Disabled Mothers’ Rights Campaign.

    It will hear from mothers about how they succeeded in reuniting their family, often against horrendous obstacles.

    Faith, who escaped life-threatening violence in Nigeria and fought for 18 years to be reunited with her children, said:

    I thought of my children every day that we were separated. It was not my choice to leave them. Women are fleeing because of war, rape and other violence. We run so that we can stay alive and then fight to bring our children to us.

    Mothers fear that without their protection, their children are vulnerable to every abuse of power by state institutions and violent predators.

    Immigration officials, social services, the Home Office, and the family courts routinely disregard the precious bond between mother and child and the harm caused to children by separating them from their mother.

    Forced adoption: not a thing of the past

    For example, the Canary has documented how fostering and ultimately adoption has become an industry in recent years.

    However, not all mothers and caregivers are subject to social services taking their children from them. This is because the state is disproportionately targeting women the system marginalises – be it due to ethnicity, class, disability, or chronic illness.

    It shows that systemic racism, ableism and classism pervades a service that is supposed to support children, not snatch them from their mothers. And the driver for all this is private profit.

    In the articles, we looked at how:

    IWD: still more work to be done

    So, at the meeting mothers will speak of how they are disparaged and the discrimination they face especially if they are poor, single, of colour, disabled, and/or report domestic/sexual violence from the father.

    Hawa overturned an extremely restrictive contact order after losing her children to an abusive father. She said:

    Women facing domestic violence, including physical, psychological emotional, sexual and financial abuse, are very often victim blamed, and even punished by the family courts. With the help of SNS I got more time and overnight staying contact with my children.

    The event is online and in person. For more information, email aawg02[at]gmail.com or sns[at]legalactionforwomen.net You can also find out more here and here.

    Featured image via Disabled Mothers’ Rights Campaign

    By The Canary

    This post was originally published on Canary.

  • Red Bull revs up its institutionalised misogyny – not spotting the hypocrisy on the eve of IWD 2024

    It’s International Women’s Day (IWD) tomorrow (Friday 8 March), so in the true spirit of championing women’s equality, Formula 1 racing team Red Bull has suspended a women for being – wait for it – “dishonest” (yes, really) because she made allegations against its big boss.

    Why let some allegations of inappropriate and controlling behaviour (that have not been tested in a court of law yet) get in the way of having a good, patriarchal time on IWD? At least not when you’re the cis, white, male (and allegedly sex-pest) executive of a major motorsports team.

    Red Bull suspends woman over being “dishonest”. Yes, that old chestnut.

    In February, a woman working for Red Bull Racing lodged a complaint of “inappropriate and controlling behaviour” against boss Christian Horner. Following an internal investigation, the company cleared Horner of the allegations.

    The motorsports business hasn’t made information about the allegations or its internal investigation public. On Thursday 7 March, the mainstream media have now broken the news that Red Bull are suspending the woman who made these allegations.

    As BBC Sports reported:

    The woman who accused team principal Christian Horner of inappropriate and controlling behaviour has been suspended by Red Bull.

    Horner denies the allegations, and Red Bull’s board dismissed the complaint after an internal investigation.

    “The company cannot comment on this internal matter,” a Red Bull spokesperson said on Thursday.

    BBC Sport has learned the reason given by Red Bull to the employee was that she had been dishonest.

    The allegations first came into the public domain early last month.

    Red Bull’s board made its decision to dismiss the matter last week after reading a report compiled by what the company have called an independent KC over several weeks.

    The company have given no explanation for the decision nor have they revealed what the report contained or the lawyer’s name.

    Institutionalised misogyny – just in time for International Women’s Day

    Given that Red Bull failed to elaborate its reasons for the suspension, people took to X to call out what looks a lot like institutionalised misogyny. One poster called out other Formula 1 drivers for not speaking up:

     

    Naturally, calling a woman a liar over allegations against a powerful man rightly went down like a lead balloon on the eve of International Women’s Day (IWD):

     

    But don’t worry, as journalist Edward Hardy pointed out, Red Bull is a beacon of women’s equality. Just look – it named some cars after a few of its female employees:

    “You make a difference” but don’t speak up about sexism

    Red Bull even went so far as to inscribe an empowering pep-talk – in small-print – to all its cherished female staff. It reads: “The incredible women on our team: you make a difference”. We’re sure that’s of great comfort to all women working for Red Bull right now.

    Ladies, this company has your back. That is, until you leak messages revealing inappropriate sexual and coercive harassment.

    Others highlighted that the suspension is exactly the kind of gaslighting and victim-blaming response from powerful organisations that stop women from being able to speak up against sexism in the workplace:

    So happy International Women’s Day 2024. It’s another year that a heavily male-dominated sport has failed at the first lap of its #MeToo moment. If it texts like a misogynist, races like a misogynist, it’s probably a misogynist – or Christian Horner and his sexist motorsports team.

    Feature image via Rokt/Youtube screengrab

    By Hannah Sharland

    This post was originally published on Canary.

  • Sticky floors: only 26% of working-class female professionals have been offered a promotion

    New research has shown that just 26% of professional women from working class backgrounds have received a promotion at their current company – less than half the number of women from upper-middle class backgrounds (59%). Moreover, around 50% of working-class women’s pay is not equal to their peers.

    International Women’s Day?

    In light of International Women’s Day this Friday 8 March, specialist recruitment company Robert Walters releases new figures on the pay and progression of women from working class backgrounds in the UK & Ireland.

    Social Mobility’s 2023 report found that on average, professionals from working class backgrounds are paid 12% less a year – which means they are working one out of every eight days for free.

    However, new research from Robert Walters’ annual Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion report highlights how inequalities are disproportionately impacting working class women’s rates of progression and pay – as they are forced to carry the double burden of both class and gender pay gaps.

    Coral Bamgboye, head of Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion at Robert Walters UK said:

    We are conscious of the glass ceiling stalling the progression of female professionals however, our research attests to ‘sticky floors’ placing further constraints on female professionals from working class backgrounds.

    Progression obstructed

    Just a quarter (26%) of women from working class backgrounds have received a promotion at their current company – 20% less than their male counterparts and 34% less than women from upper-middle class backgrounds.

    Not only that, but 32% of them report not being at all aware of what they need to do to get a promotion – the highest across gender & socio-economic class.

    Bamgboye commented that:

    The poor promotion rate of working-class women is closely tied in with their limited awareness of the steps necessary to secure one.

    Disparities start to form right from higher education when it comes to career advancement – with working class women struggling to easily access or afford career advice, work experience or unpaid internships at school, right through to mentorship opportunities goal-setting resources and clear pathways upwards at work.

    This has a knock-on impact on progression – leading them to become stuck in junior positions on significantly lower rates of pay.

    Working-class women’s rates of pay lag

    Women from working class backgrounds bear a double burden when it comes to pay – grappling with both the class pay gap of 12% and the gender pay gap which sits at 7.7% for full-time employees in the UK.

    The Robert Walters report found that 52% felt underpaid at work – 17% more than women from upper-middle class backgrounds.

    Whilst 50% of women from working class backgrounds experience a salary ceiling of £21k – twice the rate of men from similar backgrounds (25%) and 32% more than female professionals from upper-middle class backgrounds (18%).

    The gaps are even more pronounced further up pay brackets – just 1% of working-class women are earning between £55-100k (group least likely to be earning in this bracket) – compared to 19% of women and 29% of men from upper-middle class backgrounds.

    The cost of living bites and pay negotiations fall flat

    A recent study by money.co.uk found that on average, women save 35% less than men – so, they have less of a safety net from cost-of-living hikes.

    Robert Walters’ report found that women from working class backgrounds are most likely to either be living paycheque-to-paycheque (31%) or relying on additional streams of income (20%) – 14% more than men from similar backgrounds and over double the number of men from upper-middle class backgrounds.

    Despite being on the lowest rates of pay, over two-thirds (64%) of women from working class backgrounds haven’t negotiated for a raise in their entire career (the highest across all genders and socio-economic groups).

    Factors preventing them from negotiating:

    • 26% did not think their employer would offer them a pay-rise – 10% more than upper-middle class women
    • 22% lacked the confidence to negotiate – 10% more than men from similar backgrounds
    • 12% did not negotiate due to their company’s low profit / cost cuts – twice the amount of men from similar backgrounds

    Of those who did negotiate, 26% received less than half of their desired raise and nearly a third (32%) did not receive any of raise at all. Meanwhile, 64% of men from upper-middle class backgrounds received between 50-100% of what they negotiated for.

    Working-class women still discriminated against

    Bamgboye summed up:

    It’s clear to see why rates of pay for women from working class backgrounds are lagging and the ‘sticky floor’ problem persists – with employees suffering increasing pay instability as the cost of living continues to rise.

    What is more, when this group feel empowered to negotiate for more, they are then faced with diminished chances of success. Therefore, as businesses we have a role to do more than simply advertise that ‘these advancement opportunities exist.

    Featured image via oneinchpunchphotos – Envato Elements

    By The Canary

    This post was originally published on Canary.

  • Vince McMahon history of misogyny examined | Edge of Sports


    This content originally appeared on The Real News Network and was authored by The Real News Network.

    This post was originally published on Radio Free.

  • Gender pay gap means women work first two months of the year unpaid – so today is Women’s Pay Day

    New Trades Union Congress (TUC) analysis reveals Women’s Pay Day – the day when the average woman stops working for free compared to the average man – is today, Wednesday 21 February. In some industries and in some parts of the country where the gender pay gap is wider, women effectively work for free for even longer

    Women’s Pay Day: 52 days of working for free

    New TUC analysis published on 21 February reveals that the average woman effectively works for free for nearly two months of the year compared to the average man. This is because the gender pay gap for all employees currently stands at 14.3%.

    This pay gap means that working women must wait 52 days – nearly two months – before they stop working for free on Women’s Pay Day today.

    And the analysis also shows that at current rates of progress, it will take 20 years – until 2044 – to close the gender pay gap.

    Industrial gender pay gaps

    Gender pay gap reporting was introduced back in 2017. However, the TUC analysis shows that – some seven years later – there are still big gender pay gaps in many industries. And this gap persists even in jobs dominated by female workers like in education and care.

    The union body says this is partly because women are more likely to work part-time, where working fewer hours means they earn less overall. And also, because women tend to be employed in lower-paid roles than men:

    • In education the gender pay gap is 21.3%, so the average woman effectively works for free for nearly a fifth of the year (78 days) until St Patrick’s Day, 17 March 2024.
    • In health care and social work, where the gender pay gap is 12.6%, the average woman works for free for 46 days until Valentine’s Day, 14 February 2024.
    • The longest wait comes in finance and insurance. The gender pay gap (27.9%) is the equivalent of a whopping 102 days, meaning women work for free until Wednesday 10 April 2024.

    Gender pay gap by age

    The TUC analysis shows that the gender pay gap affects women throughout their careers, from their first step on the ladder until they take retirement.

    The gender pay gap is widest for middle aged and older women:

    • Those aged 40 to 49 have a gender pay gap of 17%, so work 62 days for free until Tuesday 2 March 2024.
    • Women aged between 50 and 59 have the highest pay gap (19.7%) and work the equivalent of 72 days for free, until Monday 11 March 2024.
    • Those aged 60 and over have a gender pay gap of 18.1%. They work 66 days of the year for free before they stop working for free on Wednesday 6 March 2024.

    The TUC says the gender pay gap widens as women get older, due to women being more likely to take on caring responsibilities. And that older women take a bigger financial hit for balancing work alongside caring for children, older relatives and/or grandchildren.

    Regional gender pay gaps

    The analysis shows that in some parts of the country gender pay gaps are even bigger, so their Women’s Pay Day is later in the year:

    • The gender pay gap is largest in the South East of England (18.9%). Women in this region work 69 days for free and they work for free until Friday 8 March 2024.
    • Women in the East of England (17.7% pay gap) and the East Midlands (17.4%) also work for free until next month (Monday 4 March and Sunday 3 March 2024).

    The TUC explains that regional variations in the pay gap are likely to be caused by differences in the types of jobs and industries that are most common in that part of the country, and gender differences in who does these jobs.

    Women’s Pay Day: consigning another generation to inequality

    TUC general secretary Paul Nowak said:

    Everyone should be paid fairly for the job that they do.

    It’s shameful that working women don’t have pay parity in 2024. And at current rates of progress, it will take another two decades to close the gender pay gap.

    That’s not right. We can’t consign yet another generation of women to pay inequality.

    It’s clear that just publishing gender pay gaps isn’t working. Companies must be required to publish and implement action plans to close their pay gaps. And bosses who don’t comply with the law should be fined.

    Featured image via YuriArcursPeopleimages – Envato Elements

    By The Canary

    This post was originally published on Canary.

  • Golriz Ghahraman’s exit from politics shows the toll of online bullying on female MPs

    ANALYSIS: By Cassandra Mudgway, University of Canterbury

    The high-stress nature of working in politics is increasingly taking a toll on staff and politicians. But an additional threat to the personal wellbeing and safety of politicians resides outside Parliament, and the threat is ubiquitous: online violence against women MPs.

    Since her election in 2017, Green Party MP Golriz Ghahraman has been subject to persistent online violence.

    Ghahraman’s resignation following allegations of shoplifting exposes the toll sustained online violence can have on a person’s mental health.

    In an interview with Vice in 2018, Ghahraman expressed how the online abuse was overwhelming and questioned how long she would continue in Parliament.

    Resigning in 2024, Ghahraman said in a statement:

    it is clear to me that my mental health is being badly affected by the stresses relating to my work

    and

    the best thing for my mental health is to resign as a Member of Parliament.

    Ghahraman is not alone in receiving torrents of online abuse. Many other New Zealand women MPs have also been targeted, including former Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, Green Party co-leader Marama Davidson, National MP Nicola Willis and Te Pāti Māori co-leader Debbie Ngarewa-Packer.

    Words can not only hurt, but they can seriously endanger a person’s wellbeing.

    Online violence against women MPs, particularly against women of colour, is a concerning global trend. In an Australian study, women MPs were found to be disproportionately targeted by public threats, particularly facing higher rates of online threats involving sexual violence and racist remarks.

    Similar online threats face women MPs in the United Kingdom. Studies show that women of colour receive more intense abuse.

    Male politicians are also subject to online violence. But when directed at women the violence frequently exhibits a misogynistic character, encompassing derogatory gender-specific language and menacing sexualised threats, constituting gender-based violence.


    Our legal framework is not enough
    New Zealand’s current legal framework is not well equipped to respond to the kind of online violence experienced by women MPs like Ghahraman.

    The Harmful Digital Communications Act 2015 is designed to address online harassment by a single known perpetrator. But the most distressing kind of abuse comes from the sheer number of violent commentators, most of whom are unknown to the victim or intentionally anonymous.

    This includes “mob style” attacks, where large numbers of perpetrators coordinate efforts to harass, threaten, or intimidate their target.

    Without legal recourse, women MPs have two options — tolerate the torrent of abuse, or resign. Both of these options endanger representative democracy.

    Putting up with abuse may mean serious impacts on mental health and personal safety. It may also have a chilling effect on what topics women MPs choose to speak about publicly. Resigning means losing important representation of diverse perspectives, especially from minorities.

    Having to tolerate the abuse is a breach of the right to be free from gender-based violence. Being forced to resign because of it also breaches women’s rights to participate in politics. Therefore, the government has duties under international human rights law to prevent, respond and redress online violence against women.

    Steps the government can take
    United Nations human rights bodies provide some guidance for measures the government could implement to fulfil their obligations and safeguard women’s human rights online.

    As one of the drivers of online violence against women MPs is prevailing patriarchal attitudes, the government’s first step should be to correctly label the behaviour: gender-based violence.

    Calling online harassment “trolling” or “cyberbullying” downplays the harm and risks normalising the behaviour. “Gender-based violence” reflects the systemic nature of the abuse.

    Secondly, the government should urgently review the Harmful Digital Communication Act. The legislation is now nine years old and should be updated to reflect the harmful online behaviour of the 2020s, such as targeted mob-style attacks.

    New Zealand is also now out of step with other countries. Australia, the UK and the European Union have all recently strengthened their laws to tackle harmful online content.

    These new laws focus on holding big tech companies accountable and encourage cooperation between the government, online platforms and civil society. Greater collaboration, alongside enforcement mechanisms, is essential to address systemic issues like gender-based violence.

    Thirdly, given the increasing scale of online violence, the government should ensure adequate resourcing for police to investigate serious incidents. Resources should also be made available for social media moderation among all MPs and training in online safety.

    More than ever, words have the power to break people and democracies. It is now the urgent task of the government to fulfil its legal obligations toward women MPs.The Conversation

    Dr Cassandra Mudgway is senior lecturer in law, University of Canterbury. This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons licence. Read the original article.

    This post was originally published on Asia Pacific Report.

  • The number of British women dying during pregnancy has hit a 20-year high

    The number of women in Britain dying during pregnancy or soon afterwards has reached its highest level in almost two decades, a new study from MBRRACE-UK reported on Thursday 11 January.

    MBRRACE-UK: a staggering increase in maternal deaths

    The figures from MBRRACE-UK, which monitors maternal deaths, stillbirths and infant deaths, and their causes, showed Black women and those from deprived areas remained the most severely impacted. Overall, it found the rate of deaths had increased a staggering 53% since the last three-year reporting period:

    MPs reported last year that although the UK has one of the lowest maternal mortality ratios in the world, it has “glaring and persistent disparities in outcomes for women depending on their ethnicity”.

    It also comes after a series of scandals at maternity units within the NHS. A damning 2022 report into one found failures at the Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital Trust had contributed to the deaths of 201 babies and nine mothers over a 20-year period.

    The latest statistics prompted renewed calls for more investment and training in maternity services, despite health bosses in England claiming more money than ever is going into the sector.

    Marian Knight, director of the National Perinatal Epidemiology Unit and MBRRACE-UK maternal reporting lead, said Britain’s maternity systems were “under pressure” and the “increase in maternal mortality raises further concern”:

    Ensuring pre-pregnancy health… as well as critical actions to work towards more inclusive and personalised care, need to be prioritised as a matter of urgency now more than ever.

    Highest levels of deaths in 20 years

    MBRRACE-UK found there were 13.41 deaths per 100,000 pregnancies reported from 2020 to 2022.

    Excluding deaths from Covid-19 – the second most common cause – the maternal death rate for the period was 11.54 per 100,000.

    This is up from 8.79 per 100,000 in 2017-2019 and the highest since 2003-2005.

    The main cause of death was thrombosis and thromboembolism, or blood clots in the veins. Heart disease and deaths related to poor mental health were also common.

    The maternal death rate among Black women decreased slightly compared to 2019 to 2021, but this cohort remained three times more likely to die compared to white women.

    Women from Asian backgrounds were twice as likely to die than white women, while women living in the most deprived areas were also twice as likely to die compared to those in the least deprived areas.

    A horrifying crisis

    On X, people reacted with both sadness and anger. Head of midwifery Sophie Russell said:

    This is hugely significant, with Covid deaths excluded the death rate is still 31% higher than previous 3 years. Whilst this is multifaceted I still review multiple maternal deaths where women are not listened to. With women from lowest socioeconomic group accounting 20% of all deaths.

    Other people were saying the government must call a public inquiry. However, as one user summed up:

    If these statistics do not make you understand the crisis currently happening in maternity services, I do not know what will. Everyone reading it should be horrified.

    Featured image via Prostock-studio – Envato Elements

    By The Canary

    This post was originally published on Canary.

  • Waltzing Matildas: How is Australia Faring on Gender Equality?

    The following is a shortened, lightly edited excerpt of a speech given by Australian politician, diplomat, gender equality advocate and author Natasha Stott Despoja AO, at the National Foundation for Australian Women annual dinner, 2023. Natasha is currently a Professor in the Practice of Politics at the ANU. She’s also an elected member of the UN’s Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women.

    What an honor to address this dinner with some reflections on the state of gender equality in Australia and globally.

    I use the reference to the Matildas during this difficult time globally, as one of the great highlights of this year has been the successful Women’s World Cup which brought our nation together and highlighted women’s leadership and prowess.

    Tonight, I pay particular tribute to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women tonight, especially those who championed The Voice.

    It was a profound experience to be on the Prime Minister’s Referendum Council and see the painstaking work and collaboration that went into the Uluru Statement from the Heart and – like many of you – I express my despair at the result.

    From an international perspective, it was concerning to see how my UN colleagues reacted. The specificity of the referendum was lost, but the general message of the rejection of the rights and recognition of Indigenous Australians is a narrative that understandably has currency in some multilateral spaces.

    My not-for-profit work these days involves protecting and advancing the rights of women and girls in UN Member States as a member of the UN Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW). I have just returned from State Party dialogues with countries ranging from Uruguay to France, Albania to Malawi.

    Regardless of the differences, no country has achieved gender equality, including Australia.

    Yet, no country or community, regardless of its circumstances, can reach its full potential while drawing on the skills of only half its population.

    This session was particularly daunting: I spoke with families of the hostages in Israel as well as Palestinian and Israeli feminist NGOs terrified about the welfare of their friends and people as well as the disproportionate impact of war and terror on women and girls.

    We continue to see examples of the deterioration of women’s human rights globally: and the impact and prevalence of Conflict Related Sexual Violence in conflicts such as the Middle East, Afghanistan, DRC, Sudan, Ukraine.

    Despite the crises occurring globally, and the backlash against women and girls, our seat at the table is still missing, especially in peace negotiations.

    This is in spite of the UN Security Council Resolution 1325 and subsequent resolutions on ‘Women, Peace and Security’ which acknowledge “the important role of women in the prevention and resolution of conflicts and in peace-building” and insisted on the increased participation of women in all stages of a peace process, including peace negotiations. 

    We know there is a strong correlation between peace agreements signed by female delegates and durable peace and yet, seven out of every ten peace processes do not involve women mediators or signatories.

    In the multilateral sphere, we are not only dealing with countries which have been slow to advance gender equality, we are now confronted by countries actively backtracking.

    The High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Turk, has warned about the “pushback and backsliding”, the “systematic countering of women’s rights and gender equality”.

    On IWD, the UNSG Antonio Gutteres said, “the patriarchy is fighting back”, warning it would take 300 years to achieve gender equality at the current pace.

    The covid pandemic also exacerbated existing inequalities and made the lives of those already marginalised — including the poor, people with disabilities, and women and girls, much worse.

    Before COVID, approximately 244 million children were out of school, mostly girls.  Now, the education of almost 1.5 billion young people is at risk.

    As a result of the pandemic, over the next decade, up to 10 million more girls will be at risk of becoming child brides.

    These examples remind us that everything is relative and of course Australia is doing comparatively well. But, the enduring comment I get from my UN colleagues about Australia is that they are surprised that we are not doing better!

    The reality remains that when it comes to gender parity in Australia: women are still paid less for the same work, are more likely to engage in part-time and casual work, carry the primary responsibility for care-giving, for both children and parents, and retire with less superannuation.

    These situations are compounded for women from poorer, diverse and Indigenous backgrounds and for women with disabilities.

    Women represent less than 36% of board positions, there are only 10 female CEOs of ASX 200 companies; women comprise 20% of the ADF workforce and until recently, Australia had fewer women in its highest ranks of government than nearly every OECD country.

    Yet, we know that an increased number of women in leadership roles leads to improved distribution of resources, better maintenance of public infrastructure, better natural resource management, and actually has a positive effect – right down to measures as simple as profit and loss.

    Companies with more women in senior management teams have about 30% higher profit margins than those with lower gender diversity.

    The business case is compelling. As Sam Mostyn and the Women’s Economic Equality Taskforce has made clear, a tax system that eliminates “negative gender biases” could unlock $128 billion lost annually to inequality.

    Apart from this being the fair thing to do, increasing women’s leadership and voice are the right thing to do.

    Research also shows women in leadership positions changes perceptions regarding the roles and aspirations of girls (including reducing the time girls spend on household chores in developing countries), results in more girls attending school and becoming equipped, themselves, to play leadership roles, including in conflict prevention.

    We can’t be what we can’t see.

    When I became a Senator, so many messages came from young women, saying that “if I could do it so could they”.

    That was more than 27 years ago, and the federal parliament was around 14% female, and I was sure that we’d have gender parity long before now.

    I take heart in recent changes: there are more women than ever before, 4% of MPs are of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander backgrounds, and we have more diverse cultures and backgrounds reflected and represented. The Senate is now 53% female.

    I was serious about changing public perceptions around who was a politician (male, white, privileged, older) and worked with others to change the policy landscape for women generally, and the culture of the parliament specifically. I dealt with ridiculous stereotypes, unsolicited comments and touching, double standards and discrimination.

    Being a younger woman underscored these experiences, but no woman is exempt, and these experiences are compounded for women of color, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women, lesbian and trans-women and for women with disabilities.

    All of whom have been profoundly under-represented in our decision-making institutions and whose injustices deserve bolder attention. Along with those of older women, the fastest growing group moving into poverty.

    But, as my CEDAW colleague, Nicole Ameline reminds us, it is not just about numbers – and of course reflecting the difference and diversity in our population – but we need serious ‘disruption’ when it comes to decision-making institutions and ‘systems’.

    Left to right, Jane Madden, President of NFAW, Zali Steggall MP, Natasha Stott Despoja, Aunty Violet Sheridan, Ngunnawal elder, Stephanie Copus Campbell, Ambassador for Gender Equality, Zoe Daniel MP, Sally Moyle, Vice President of NFAW and Mary Atkinson, Ngunnawal elder. Picture: Supplied

    Left to right, Jane Madden, President of NFAW, Zali Steggall MP, Natasha Stott Despoja, Aunty Violet Sheridan, Ngunnawal elder, Stephanie Copus Campbell, Ambassador for Gender Equality, Zoe Daniel MP, Sally Moyle, Vice President of NFAW and Mary Atkinson, Ngunnawal elder. Picture: Supplied

    This is the rationale behind Madam Ameline’s GR 40 which calls for a “paradigm shift towards parity as a key norm in support of the realisation of women’s rights to equal inclusive and meaningful representation in decision making systems at all levels of the CEDAW Convention”.

    These changes are those that the National Foundation for Australian Women has been calling for since its inception.

    Your admirable goal of advancing and protecting the interests of Australian women in all spheres, including intellectual, cultural, political, social, economic, legal, industrial and domestic has been pioneering.

    And, importantly, you goal is to ensure that the aims and ideals of the women’s movement, and its collective wisdom, are handed on to new generations of women.

    It is an honor to be the dinner speaker for this pioneering feminist organisation which I have watched and been honored to connect with since it began. I have admired its founders, including the late Pamela Denoon, and its members. NFAW is one of the most important bodies in contemporary feminist herstory.

    Your work on a gender-lens on budgeting and social policy, the women’s archives and other projects have made Australian women’s lives better and have guided and held accountable governments of all persuasions. I thank you.

    We still have a long way to go before we have a more gender equal future. 300 years is shameful statistic.

    But it is not easy when 59% Australians believe that gender equality has mostly or already been achieved.

    Only 26% disagreed that women are more naturally suited to be the main carer of children and elderly parents – 37% agree with this statement, and 37% are ‘on the fence’.

    Just 53% agree that it is important for Australians to stand up for gender equality in other countries. I am particularly proud of the work that Australia does, especially in partnership in the Pacific.

    We have to tackle the historically-entrenched beliefs and behaviours that drive gender inequality, and the social political and economic structures, practices and systems that support this inequality.

    That means we have to make changes in all the areas in which we live, love, learn work and play!

    Speaking of play… it brings me to sport, and my initial comments. A feature of our State Party dialogues has been the increasing acknowledgement of the role of women in sport. In many areas it has undergone some of the most exciting gender revolutions in recent times.

    I cried on the inaugural night of the AFLW back in 2017.  And has the same feelings as I watched the opening night of the WWC2023. The WWC 2023 was the biggest women’s single-sporting event in the world with ticket sales smashing the previous Women’s World Cup ticket record.

    As a consequence, we have seen greater investment in women’s football and an emphasis on gender equality. And we may be sceptical about some countries. In 2018 women couldn’t enter a stadium in Saudi Arabia and now there’s investment in a national women’s team.

    I loved watching young girls and boys, mostly in their Sam Kerr shirts, at the game and clamouring for photos and autographs.

    I loved this Matilda effect.

    I do note that there is an actual Matilda effect: it is a bias against acknowledging the achievements of women scientists whose work is attributed to their male colleagues.

    Australia celebrates a goal during the International Friendly Match between Australia and Canada at Allianz Stadium on September 6, 2022 in Sydney, Australia

    Australia celebrates a goal during the International Friendly Match between Australia and Canada at Allianz Stadium on September 6, 2022 in Sydney, Australia. Picture: Shutterstock

    And who would have thought the actions of a man would overshadow the greatness of this event?  Football boss Luis Rubiales’ forcible kiss of Women’s World Cup player Jennifer Hermosa — was an abuse of authority and reminded us how women – even in the highest echelons of their sectors or professions – can be subject to inappropriate and abusive actions.

    But these actions were called out and condemned globally. Increasingly, I take great heart from the brave young and diverse women calling out bad behaviour and holding perpetrators to account.

    I think NFAW’s mission to ensure that the aims and ideals of the women’s movement and its collective wisdom are handed on to new generations of women is in good hands.

    But the price of feminism is eternal vigilance, something NFAW has been aware of for decades.

    There are many hard won rights that we must protect and advance, in spite of the global backlash.

    Friends, this is not a women’s problem: this is everybody’s business.

    And I thank you all for being a part of this mission!

    • Picture at top: Natasha Stott Despoja during a welcome reception at ANU, in Canberra, ACT, Australia, 05 September, 2022. Photo: Tracey Nearmy/ANU

     

    The post Waltzing Matildas: How is Australia Faring on Gender Equality? appeared first on BroadAgenda.

    This post was originally published on BroadAgenda.

  • We’re making progress in preventing gender-based violence

    On Friday, as around 5,000 people took to the streets of Melbourne for the Walk Against Family Violence, which every year kicks off the 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence, I found myself stuck at home marking student assessments. As I browsed through my social media feeds, I felt disappointed that I couldn’t attend. But, as I began reading the assessments, I felt less disappointed and surprisingly optimistic. This is not something that usually happens when I am marking.

    The 16 Days of Activism is an annual international campaign, beginning on 25 November, the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, and running until 10 December, Human Rights Day. The International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women began in Latin America to commemorate the murders of the Mirabal sisters, Patria, Minerva and Maria Teresa, political activists who were clubbed to death in 1960 by the Trujillo dictatorship’s secret police in the Dominican Republic.

    The 16 Days of Activism became a global campaign in 1991. Since then, every year, feminists, survivors and those working in the area of gender-based violence take to the streets, write opinion pieces like this and call for more action and investment to end the scourge that is gender-based violence. I say this not to diminish this activism. The work of feminist organising and women’s movements has been critical to holding governments accountable and driving change.

    However, this year has felt different because I feel more hopeful than before. I feel that there is, at last, some progress underway in preventing violence against women, and my own research and work have also given me hope. Not a passive kind of ‘wishing on a star’ hope but an active, Rebecca Solnit kind of hope “is an axe you break down doors with in an emergency”.

    What is there to be hopeful about?

    Community understanding of gender-based violence is improving. Worldwide, population-level data confirms that domestic violence is predominantly gendered. Women are overwhelmingly the victims of violence in intimate relationships and sexual violence, and men are overwhelmingly the perpetrators of this violence. In Australia, as in other parts of the world, attitudes and understanding regarding violence against women are beginning to reflect the evidence, with more and more Australians rejecting violence against women and gender inequality.

    Australia has a comprehensive plan to end violence against women in one generation, the National Plan to End Violence against Women and Children 2022-2023.

    The Plan’s vision may be ambitious, but when it comes to the lives of countless women and children, can we afford to be anything but ambitious?

    We also have the First Action Plan that provides a roadmap for the first 5-year effort towards achieving that vision and the Outcomes Framework, which includes clear targets (something the last National Plan sadly lacked).

    There is also a dedicated Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Action Plan. The Government has committed $2.3 billion over two years (2022-2024) towards implementing the National Plan and supporting the delivery of the action plans. While leading academics in gender-based violence have reasonably criticised this investment as not being commensurate with the scale of the problem, it is an unprecedented investment in fiscally constrained times.

    People and organisations from across disciplines, sectors and causes are coming together to address the issue. Researchers, governments, and community and private sector organisations, including social media platforms, banks and Indigenous organisations, are coming together to address gender-based violence through innovative partnerships such as the Centre of Excellence for the Elimination of Violence Against Women.

    There are also indications that rates of gender-based violence are decreasing, with rates of lifetime physical and/or sexual intimate partner violence dropping by 31 per cent globally between 2000 and 2018. In Australia, we have seen a 31 per cent reduction in rates of intimate partner homicide (from 36 females killed to 25) over one year, from 2019-2020 to 2020-2021. While it is likely that COVID-19 and its associated effects (e.g. preventing women from leaving) will have had some impact on both of these rates of violence, they are still positive signs. Ultimately, although any preventable deaths are too many and the lasting trauma inflicted on women and children has devastating consequences and costs, we must consider signs of progress and learn from them.

    As my PhD research on Rosie Batty and the ‘Batty effect’ confirmed, much of this progress is thanks to the tireless advocacy work of survivors of gender-based violence and their loved ones, who have shone a light on what had previously been seen as a private issue and demanded change. Policymakers have, over time, recognised the value of engaging victim-survivors in developing policy and service reforms. While findings from my study examining the first three years of the Victorian Government’s Victim Survivor’s Advisory Council, recently published in the Journal of Gender-Based Violence, uncovered numerous challenges to meaningful engagement with survivors in the co-production of public policy, ultimately, I found that survivors were determined to persist.

    Policymakers were determined to share what they had learned, including their mistakes, to ensure practices are improved. Central to what policymakers had learned was, put simply, that we need to be the change we want to see. Preventing gender-based violence requires the transformation of institutions, systems and structures to rewrite formal and informal rules, which support power imbalances and gender inequality, and embed gender equality.

    What more needs to be done?

    While we must recognise that there are signs of progress in preventing gender-based violence, it is critical to acknowledge that more needs to be done, and it needs to be done urgently. The United Nations (UN) recently conceded that “without dedicated investment in scaling up prevention programmes, implementing effective policies and providing support services to address violence”, the world will not achieve the Sustainable Development Goal target of eliminating violence against women and girls by 2030.

    Although this is incredibly disappointing, the UN also released a report on the science for accelerating transformations, which explains that following the emergence phase, when innovation, piloting and the application of new knowledge take place, the next step to achieving successful transformations is accelerating and institutionalising change. This requires decisive action by governments, investing in infrastructure and capabilities, and overcoming resistance and barriers to reform. In other words, we have the foundations for transformation and know what works; now, we need to fast-track action and investment and embed the change we want to see in our institutions and ourselves.

    While others marched, I felt hopeful as I marked those student assessments because they had written about the growing international evidence on what works to prevent violence against women and developed their own intervention programs. They had fantastic proposals for programs in early childhood centres, local sporting clubs and newsrooms, and they were all realistic, affordable and intersectional (taking into consideration the multiple forms of violence experienced by many and compounding factors such as disability, poverty and race). Ultimately, that filled me with enormous hope for the future.

    Before you go…

    Please note: picture at top is a stock image. Adobe Stock/CWA 

    The post We’re making progress in preventing gender-based violence appeared first on BroadAgenda.

    This post was originally published on BroadAgenda.

  • Taliban’s gender apartheid tightens, suppressing women’s rights,

    Today is the International Day to End Violence Against Women. The Taliban’s regime of gender apartheidcontinues to stifle women’s rights and voices. The Australian Government has removed human rights defenders from their list of criteria for priority processing from the country our military and aid workers spent decades working to improve alongside their Afghan allies and friends.

    Recent reports confirm the arrest of at least two young women advocates championing the rights of their fellow women in Afghanistan. Additional cases likely exist involving activists who have disappeared without any public attention.

    Parisa Azada, an active member of the Afghanistan Women’s Movement for Justice and Freedom, left home at 7am to join another protest with women from Bamiyan Province.

    For two days before her arrest, Parisa had been receiving concerning calls from unknown numbers. She sensed what was coming and asked her friends and circle of activists to raise a voice for her in case she went missing.

    Photo: Zolfa Behnia from 8 am Daily. Posted with permission. 

    Parisa Azada at a protest. The text says: “Detaining protestor women is suffocating free speech”. Photo: Zolfa Behnia from 8 am Daily. Posted with permission.

    Around 9am, after printing the banners for the day’s protest in a shop in Kabul, she called her friends and told them that she thought she was being followed by a black car. She was in Sarkariz, in Kabul’s Police District 3. Fear spread through the group of protestors as Prisa did not show up at the protest, and that night she did not come home. Her brother received a short call from the Taliban, who told him they had his sister but didn’t even specify where she was being held.

    Parisa has been missing since the 15th of November. Her family has been unresponsive to her friends and is under the Taliban’s surveillance. She’s a 24-year-old woman from Bamiyan in central Afghanistan whose friends describe her as funny, smart, and kind.  Parisa had been involved with the Afghanistan Women’s Movement for Justice and Freedom for several years. She attended many public protests, including against the Taliban’s strict dress code for Afghan women and the detention of journalists and human rights activists.

    The Afghanistan Women’s Movement for Justice and Freedom works on a range of women’s rights issues, including violence against women and free speech. The organisation has over 150 members from different provinces of Afghanistan. They’ve managed more than 70 protests and lawsuits for women’s rights since January 2022.

    Arghawan Farahmand* reported on the arrest of Parisa and other women’s rights issues. Like other female journalists in Afghanistan, she works in hiding. She’s been working with the 8am Newspaper (Hashte Sobh Daily) for over two years now. Arghawan explained, “I have shared so much with Parisa and I am afraid that my work will be held against me”

    Arghawan and Rahila went to university with Parisa. They know her well. Rahila was once a cheerful, motivated leader who started an organisation called GirlUp, an NGO in Kabul that actively worked against gender-based and sexual violence by raising awareness and advocating for women’s right to education and equal access to opportunities. She is now spending her days in hiding and in constant fear of being arrested, just like her friends.

    The circles of women activists and protestors are closely connected; concerns are increasingly haunting all women who have advocated for gender equality in any way. “I am worried that they will torture her, and she will lead them to us,” Rahila said.

    There are other brave women like Parisa, Arghawan and Rahila with significant ties to Australia who have applied for humanitarian visas.

    Azadi-e Zan works with a range of women’s rights defenders who have been fleeing the Taliban. The Australian Government refuses to grant visas to people who are inside Afghanistan. Many families flee to neighbouring countries like Pakistan and Iran, where the authorities also abuse their human rights. They exhaust any savings they may have had waiting for visas to come for places like Australia.

    It is likely, if they arrived on medical visas, they won’t be able to have their visas renewed after changes to Pakistan Government policies. Other visa categories are also difficult to get and incredibly expensive. They can wait indefinitely for registration with UNHCR and still receive no material or practical assistance.

    Now, the interim military Government of Pakistan is undertaking widespread deportation operations, sending incredibly high-risk women’s rights defenders back to Afghanistan without a second thought.

    Two such families who have been waiting for Australian humanitarian visas for years include Benafsha Bahar* and Zainab Hussaini*.

    Benafsha was a law professor at Al-Bironi University and ran a pro bono family law clinic helping women escape domestic violence. She experienced specific direct threats from the Taliban when she helped a woman escape an abusive marriage to a Talib. Now she, her husband and children are waiting for the Pakistan police to return to their door and send them back to the Taliban.

     

    Zainab, 18, is a young activist involved in the Australian Sisterhood Program, connecting young Australian and Afghan women for cross cultural exchange and to discuss the advancement of women’s rights. Zainab worked in her school as an environmental activist since 2016 and attended street rallies protesting the Taliban and the Hazara genocide. She has participated in a range of workshops, including with the Afghan Women’s Network, on gender equality and girl’s education.

    • Picture at top: Parisa Azadeh holds a sign that says: “Stop violence against women”. Photo: Zolfa Behnia from 8 am Daily. Posted with permission. 

    The post Taliban’s gender apartheid tightens, suppressing women’s rights, appeared first on BroadAgenda.

    This post was originally published on BroadAgenda.

  • NZ elections 2023: Green Party, Te Pāti Māori call out ‘harmful emboldening of extremism’

    RNZ News

    Green Party co-leader James Shaw has compared the language of New Zealand First leader Winston Peters to former US president Donald Trump, saying it may be emboldening violence against candidates in Aotearoa NZ’s election campaign.

    It comes after several candidates from different parties have spoken out about being targeted, including a home invasion on Te Pāti Māori’s youngest candidate, an assault on a Labour candidate, and another Labour candidate saying she has faced the “worst comments and vitriol” this campaign.

    Te Pāti Māori candidate Hana-Rāwhiti Maipi-Clarke, whose home was ram raided and invaded, put the blame on what she called race-baiting from right-wing parties.

    Peters told Newshub Nation that notion was wrong, and accused Te Pāti Māori of being a racist party.

    New Zealand First leader Winston Peters speaks at a public meeting at Napier Sailing Club in Napier on 29 September 2023.
    New Zealand First leader Winston Peters . . . believes candidates faced worse times during the Rogernomics privatisation period of the 1980s. Image: RNZ/Samuel Rillstone

    But Shaw — who himself was assaulted in 2019 — suggested Peters could be empowering and emboldening extremists.

    “It makes me really angry. Because political leaders, through the things we say create an air of permissiveness for that kind of extreme language and now physical violence to take place and it’s not too dissimilar to what we saw in the United States under Donald Trump,” he said.

    “Half of the argument about Trump was whether he personally intervened to make those things happen and at one level it doesn’t matter, he created an atmosphere where these extremists felt empowered and emboldened to kind of enact their kind of crazy, racist, misogynist fantasies.

    Lead to physical violence
    “And that did lead to physical violence there and it’s leading to physical violence here too.”

    However, Shaw told RNZ he was not surprised given the “misogynist and racist rhetoric”, which he said had been at least in part been given permission by political parties in this election campaign.

    Green Party co-leader James Shaw and Te Pāti Māori co-leader Debbie Ngarewa-Packer.
    Green Party co-leader James Shaw and Te Pāti Māori co-leader Debbie Ngarewa-Packer . . . calling out “misogynist and racist rhetoric” in the election campaign. Image: RNZ News/Cole Eastham-Farrelly/Samuel Rillstone

    “[It] has created a situation where that kind of online hate and violent language is only one or two steps from actual acts of physical violence and now you’re starting to see those manifest. It is really worrying.

    “I think all of us have a responsibility to try and create an atmosphere for democracy to take place, which is respectful, where people can have different opinions and for that to be okay.

    “And I think that at the moment we’re seeing a rise in this kind of culture or language which is imported from overseas, that is not just unhelpful but downright dangerous.”

    Te Pāti Māori said the break-in at Maipi-Clarke’s house was yet another example of political extremism in New Zealand.

    Co-leader Debbie Ngarewa-Packer said some right-wing politicians were emboldening racist behaviour and needed to take responsibility.

    ‘Harmful inciting’
    “We have seen a harmful inciting, a very harmful emboldening of extremism, this is an example of that.

    “We’ve had it with our billboards – they’ve been so destroyed that we haven’t been able to afford to replace a lot of them now. It’s just been disgusting, the extent of racism.”

    This year’s election had brought some of the worst abuse Te Pāti Māori had ever experienced, she said.

    New Zealand First leader Winston Peters claimed of Maipi-Clarke’s incident that “it couldn’t have been a home invasion” and he would answer more questions about the case when he knew all the facts.

    “As for the first one [alleged assault on Labour’s Angela Roberts], violence of that sort is just not acceptable, full stop.”

    He believed the time for candidates was worse was during the Rogernomics period of the 1980s.

    “With respect, I can recall during the period of Rogernomics, there was a full scale fight going on inside the Labour Party convention.”

    Chris Hipkins campaigning Saturday 30 September.
    Labour leader Chris Hipkins in Mount Eden today . . . assaulting candidates or threatening their safety “shows total contempt for the very principle of democracy”. Image: RNZ/Giles Dexter

    Minorities persecuted
    Labour Party leader Chris Hipkins — who has vowed to call out racism — said a number of parties were deliberately trying to persecute minorities and it was reprehensible.

    Assaulting candidates or threatening their safety “shows total contempt for the very principle of democracy”, he said.

    He had made it clear to all Labour’s candidates that if they thought their physical safety might be at risk, they should not do that activity, Hipkins said.

    “I think there has been more racism and misogyny in this election than we’ve seen in previous elections.”

    Hipkins said he had respect for women and Māori who put themselves forward in elected office, but they should never have to put up with the level of abuse that they have had to in this campaign.

    National Party leader Christopher Luxon told reporters his party had referred several incidents to the police too.

    Luxon said he condemned threats and violence on political candidates, or their family and property, as well as all forms of racism.

    Number of serious incidents
    “It’s entirely wrong. We’ve had a number of serious incidents that we’ve referred to the police as well, over the course of this campaign.

    “I think it’s important for all New Zealanders to understand that politicians are putting themselves forward, you may disagree with their politics, you may disagree with their policies, but we can disagree without being disagreeable in this country.”

    He would not detail the complaints his party had made to police.

    He said political leaders had a responsibility not to fearmonger during the campaign.

    “Running fearmongering campaigns and negative campaigns just amps it up, and I think actually what we need to do is actually everyone needs to respect each other. We have differences of opinion about how to take the country forward, we are unique in New Zealand in that we can maintain our political civility, we don’t need to go down the pathway we’ve seen in other countries.

    “It’s just about leadership, right, it’s about a leader modelling out the behaviour and treating people that they expect to treated.”

    Asked if National had a hand in being responsible for fearmongering, he said it did not, and their campaign was positive and focused on what mattered most to New Zealanders.

    Worry over online abuse
    Shaw was worried for his candidates, having seen the online abuse they were subjected to.

    “It’s vile, it is really extreme and it is stronger now than it has been in previous election campaigns and like I said I don’t think it takes much for a particularly unhinged individual from whacking their keyboard to whacking a person.”

    But it was worse for female candidates and Māori, he said.

    “Not just a little bit, not just an increment, but orders in magnitude, from what I’ve seen my colleagues be exposed to. It is just unhinged.”

    There has been increased police participation in this campaign, Shaw said.

    “Parliamentary security have got new protocols that we are observing. We have changed, for example, the way we campaign, the way we do public meetings, or when we’re out and about, we’re observing new security protocols that we haven’t had in previous years.”

    Hipkins said where there might be additional risk, they have worked with Parliamentary Service on a cross-party basis to ensure there was additional support available for some MPs.

    All parties have an interest in ensuring the election campaign was conducted safely, he said.

    What has happened?
    This week, Te Pāti Māori candidate Hana-Rāwhiti Maipi-Clarke’s home was ram raided and invaded, with a threatening note left.

    Police said they were investigating the burglary of a Huntly home, which was reported to them on Monday.

    Te Pāti Māori candidate Hana-Rāwhiti Maipi-Clarke
    Te Pāti Māori candidate Hana-Rāwhiti Maipi-Clarke . . . her home was ram raided and invaded and she blames what she called race-baiting from right-wing parties. Image: 1News screenshot/APR

    Te Pāti Māori issued a statement saying it was the third incident to take place at Maipi-Clarke’s home this week.

    Also this week, Labour candidate for Taranaki-King Country Angela Roberts said she had laid a complaint with the police about being assaulted at an election debate in Inglewood.

    Hipkins said he had great respect for Roberts, and he told her she could take any time off if she needed to, but she has chosen not to.

    “She’s an incredibly staunch and energetic campaigner and I know it knocked the wind out of her sails a little bit, but I know that she’s bouncing back.”

    On Thursday, Labour candidate for Northland Willow-Jean Prime told reporters she has faced the “worst comments and vitriol” in the seven campaigns she has been through – two in local government and five in central government.

    “I was being shouted down every time I went to answer a question by supporters of other candidates primarily, there were not many of the general public in there,” she said of a Taxpayers Union debate in Kerikeri.

    “Whenever I said a te reo Māori word, like puku, for full tummies, lunches in schools, I was shouted at.

    “When I said Aotearoa, the crowd responded ‘It’s New Zealand!’. When I said rangatahi, ‘stop speaking that lanugage!’ that is racism coming from the audience, that’s not disagreeing with the gains I’m explaining that we’ve made in government.”

    She said she noticed that type of “dog-whistling” in other candidate debates, but not whilst out and about with the general public.

    “What is really worrying is that they feel so emboldened to be able to come out and say this stuff publicly, they don’t care that other people that might be in the audience, that might be listening or the impact that has on us as candidates.”

    The New Zealand general election is on October 14, but early voting begins on October 2.

    This article is republished under a community partnership agreement with RNZ.

    This post was originally published on Asia Pacific Report.

  • Braverman sinks to a new low – attacking the 1951 Refugee Convention

    On 26 September, home secretary Suella Braverman gave a hate-fuelled tirade on the subject of asylum seekers as part of a keynote speech in Washington. In it, she stated that the United Nations Refugee Convention was not “fit for our modern age”.

    The address, which took place at the right-wing American Enterprise Institute, was billed as intending to lay out an international plan to deal with the refugee crisis. However, Braverman’s answer appears to boil down to simply redefining what a refugee is.

    Braverman: ‘A completely different time’

    The 1951 Refugee Convention legally defines the term “refugee” and outlines their rights. Braverman called it “an incredible achievement of its age”. However, she went on to cite a deeply questionable study stating that the convention now gives at least 780 million people the potential right to move to another country.

    She said that it is:

    incumbent upon politicians and thought leaders to ask whether the Refugee Convention, and the way it has come to be interpreted through our courts, is fit for our modern age or in need of reform.

    Regarding this perceived lack of reform, she stated that:

    The first [reason] is simply that it is very hard to renegotiate these instruments. The second is much more cynical. The fear of being branded a racist or illiberal. Any attempt to reform the refugee convention will see you smeared as anti-refugee

    ‘Very real danger’

    She also added that Western countries will not be able to sustain an asylum system:

    if in effect simply being gay, or a woman, or fearful of discrimination in your country of origin, is sufficient to qualify for protection.

    We are living in a new world bound by outdated legal models. It’s time we acknowledge that.

    The problem being, of course, that fearing discrimination should be sufficient grounds to qualify for protection. In a world with any measure of human decency, nobody should have been able to question that simple maxim without choking on their words. Unfortunately, I’m given to doubt that Braverman and her cronies have a shred of human decency to share between them.

    In a statement as part of his role at the AIDS Foundation, musician Elton John said he was “very concerned” about Braverman’s comments. He highlighted the fact that “simply being gay”, as the home secretary put it, was clearly cause to be fearful:

    Nearly a third of all nations class LGBTQ+ people as criminals and homosexuality is still punishable by death in 11 countries.

    Dismissing the very real danger LGBTQ+ communities face risks further legitimizing hate and violence against them.

    Colonialism and the refugee crisis

    Of course, this isn’t even to mention the UK’s role in the criminalisation of homosexuality in these countries. As the Migrant Rights Network put it:

    Sadly, out of the 69 countries where homosexuality is criminalised today, 36 of them are former British colonies. Many commonwealth African nations, for instance, still hold onto the colonial-era legislation and attitudes towards the LGBTQ+ community.

    Likewise, another key and growing driver of refugee movement is the ever-worsening climate crisis. The non-profit Climate Refugees stated that:

    Recent trends indicate more internal displacement due to climate-related disasters than conflict, where in fact, of the 30.6 million people displaced across 135 countries in 2017, 60 percent were as a direct result of disasters.

    And, in turn, those climate disasters are driven by the Global North and its energy colonialism. As the Canary’s Hannah Sharland documented:

    industrialised colonial nations have belched out the bulk of emissions that have fueled climate warming. However, the impacts of super-charged extreme weather have disproportionately hit the less industrialised nations least responsible.

    But far from acknowledging the dire issue of the refugee crisis – let alone taking ownership of the role that the UK and the rest of the Global North played in it – Braverman has an entirely different solution. She’s looking away.

    The solution? Ignore the problem

    Braverman has previously criticised the European Convention on Human Rights for blocking the Tory government’s Rwanda scheme. Hitting back, the non-profit Refugee Council said that – rather than taking aim at the UN convention – the UK should be:

    addressing the real issues in the asylum system, such as the record backlog, and providing safe routes for those in need of protection.

    Similarly, Yvette Cooper, Labour’s shadow home secretary, accused Braverman of having “given up on fixing the Tories’ asylum chaos” and “looking for anyone else to blame”.

    This attitude typifies Tory responses to social issues across the board. Rather than working to find a solution, they change definitions in order to sweep a problem under the rug. From plans to redefine child poverty, to changing targets for cancer care in order to reduce damning figures, to funneling foreign aid into investment portfolios, the Conservatives are no stranger to moving goalposts.

    So, simply defining a refugee more narrowly as someone immediately at risk of violence or death is barely even a stretch.

    Everyday cruelty

    The Guardian went as far as reporting that:

    Asked after the speech whether the UK would consider leaving the convention if changes were not delivered, Braverman said the government would do “whatever is required” to tackle the issue of migrants arriving via unauthorised routes.

    To state this simply, the home secretary appears to prefer that the UK removes itself entirely from the Refugee Convention, rather than facing up to the fact that refugees are human beings in need of help.

    Truly, I wish I could say that I was shocked – or even surprised. Unfortunately at this point, Braverman is beyond the point where her naked cruelty is anything more than an everyday occurrence.

    Featured image via the Guardian/screengrab

    Additional reporting via Agence France-Presse

    By Alex/Rose Cocker

    This post was originally published on Canary.

  • Endometriosis isn’t funny. Libby doesn’t agree.

    Let’s start at the start. What is endometriosis? Who does it impact?

    Endometriosis is a painful, chronic, incurable illness that affects one in nine people who menstruate. Gynaecologist and author Dr Susan Evans defines it as “a condition where bits of tissue like the lining of the uterus are found in places outside the uterus where they shouldn’t be”. Endometriosis symptoms can include, but are not limited to: debilitating pain during periods, abdominal bloating, nausea, fatigue, low mood and depression, anxiety, pain with sex, adhesions, painful bowel movements and/or urination, chronic pelvic pain, and infertility.

    Patients can have some, none or all of those symptoms. There are four stages of endometriosis with one being the least endometriosis lesions and four being the most, but there is no correlation between stages of endo and levels of pain.

    You could have stage one endo and severe pain or stage four endo and no pain. We still have tons to do in terms of research and awareness to work out why and how that is so.

    Tell us a bit about your own endo story and how it’s impacted your life? 

    I was born and raised in Canberra and moved to Adelaide at 14 years old. Just when we were about to move, I had a sudden attack of abdominal pain and I fainted on our icy cold Canberra bathroom tiles. My mum suggested it was probably period pain because she suffered similar and was a fainter as well. Later that day, I got my first period. Figuring it was normal and just the way period pain worked, I got on with my life, and we moved to Adelaide where I endured these painful, dizzy and nauseating episodes every month.

    When I was 19, I had a working holiday in Cairns where a friend told me she’d been diagnosed with ‘endometriosis’ and described her symptoms to me. They matched my own, so I took myself off a doctor and he sent me away with a diagnosis of ‘partying too hard’ after chastising me for diagnosing myself (where did you get your medical degree? he asked). 

    At 22, I was back on the east side, living in Jindabyne and working at Blue Cow Mountain. I woke early one morning in severe pain, staggered to my local GP and promptly collapsed on the waiting room floor. I was whisked off in an ambulance to Cooma and my appendix was whipped out.

    My surgeon visited me after the procedure and said he’d removed a healthy appendix. I asked, what’s wrong with me, then? And he said, You’ve probably just got your knickers in a twist over something.

    Back in Adelaide for many years, I visited doctors complaining of pain, only to be told it was all in my head, until I was 35 and pregnant with a much-wanted baby that turned out to be a cornual ectopic pregnancy (a rare and dangerous condition where implantation occurs on the outside corner or in the cavity of the ‘horn’ of the uterus). This was the first of 11 pregnancy losses and no surviving pregnancies. 

    After having the ectopic removed via caesarean surgery, I was in more pain than ever, so I kept going back to my specialist asking for help and he kept saying I was fine, just grieving and/or stressed (eg, all in my head). After 12 months of dismissal, he reluctantly agreed to do a diagnostic laparoscopy but assured me there was nothing wrong with me. That surgery revealed stage four endometriosis. Finally, I had answers. Finally, it wasn’t all in my head. Finally, I could start healing. Because, when you spend 22 years trying to fix a head that isn’t sick, your head gets a little sick. So, I had a lot of work to do to forgive myself.  

    The cover "Endo Days."

    The cover “Endo Days.”

    In a nutshell, what’s your book about? 

    Endo Days is a journalistic memoir that’s part narrative, part instruction manual and part comedy routine. It threads my story through interviews with a diverse range of ‘endo friendos’ across Australia, including the experiences of trans, queer, neurodivergent, younger, older, First Nations, metropolitan and rural Australians. The book offers tips and tricks for living well with chronic illness and takes the reader through my journey from misdiagnosis to treatment, through medical gaslighting, pregnancy losses, raising step-kids and a foster son, and working towards educating others.

    Why did you write it?

    When I was first diagnosed, I was angry and confused. I was sent home with this word, ‘endometriosis’ but no further information. I googled and was even more confused. I am a teacher by trade, so I immediately wanted to get some resources out there for people like me who were diagnosed late and feeling lost in the void.

    But I also wanted to educate 14-year-old me (and her mum) that pain like that isn’t normal and there are better ways we can advocate for ourselves.

    So when Wakefield Press approached me to write the book I knew I wanted to write the resource that would have helped me when I was first trying to navigate this illness. 

    You actually have a comedy how about endo and your book is quite funny in parts too. Why take this approach? 

    Someone once said to me, ‘there’s nothing funny about chronic illness’ and that felt like a challenge! 

    In my family, we have always used humour to diffuse tragic, difficult or awkward situations and my journey through endometriosis has been all of those things. But I also learn best through laughing. My husband Matt and I wrote our comedy cabaret (also called Endo Days) about our experiences with endo together.

    In the show, we sing and joke about things like pain, the partner experience, medical gaslighting, fertility issues, being excluded from the ‘Mum Club’ because I didn’t birth my three children, unsolicited advice (have you tried yoga?) and there’s even a rap about suppositories. The show is great fun and a well-earned laugh for people with pain and their supporters. 

    It’s therapeutic for me as well, but the best bit is giving people who feel like there’s no hope and nothing out there for them an hour of comedy and song that is entirely relatable and allows them to feel validated and important, which they deserve.

    Libby Trainor Parker is also a comedian. Picture Supplied/Craig Egan

    Libby Trainor Parker is also a comedian. Picture Supplied/Craig Egan

    A huge concern all through your book is gaslighting by the medical profession. Unpick this for us.

    It took two decades for me to be diagnosed with endometriosis. I went to so many doctors complaining of pain, moods, fertility issues, bloating, nausea, bladder and bowel pain. And every time, I was told it was stress and anxiety, tiredness or a mystery virus. I was never referred to a gynaecologist until an ectopic pregnancy accidentally took me to a specialist who also said it was in my head, but who finally diagnosed me.

    Endometriosis, in addition to many illnesses that affect women and people assigned female at birth, is still underfunded, under-researched and lacking awareness. Many of us are sent away with a prescription of ‘paracetamol and a lie down’ or ‘get some exercise and take up a hobby’ or ‘deal with it, it’s a women’s lot’. One woman told me a story that she was instructed by a GP to, ‘have an affair because then you’ll lose weight and feel better about yourself and your pain will go away’. 

    But it’s hard for doctors as well, especially GPs, because they are expected to be experts on everything from coldsores to cancer, so they need us to know our bodies better so we can go to see them armed with more information and the confidence to describe our symptoms better.

    And I think things are changing. We are talking more. There is more information out there and, what was once a taboo topic is becoming more acceptable to discuss.

    I see a generation of younger people coming through who are gutsier and more informed than I ever was and it gives me hope that endometriosis will be easily diagnosed and treated in the near future.

    You also delve into all the endo myths. Give us an example. 

    Patients are often told pregnancy or hysterectomy will cure endometriosis, but there is not yet a cure for endo. People are also often told endo causes infertility, but that is also not always the case. There is so much that is unknown about endometriosis, but telling someone to get pregnant or have a hysterectomy before they’re ready to is extreme and dangerous!

    If people take one thing away from your book, what would you like it to be? 

    I want people with endometriosis to feel seen, heard, understood and validated, and I want them to know they are not alone. There are people fighting for them every day and working hard to get this illness better recognised so we can fix it. I want them to know there is change on the horizon and there is hope. I want partners, parents, supporters and health practitioners to feel acknowledged and that we are grateful to them.

    Living with chronic illness is so hard and we’re all doing our best. We can’t be warriors every day. Some days, I’m too tired to fight and I go back to bed and try again tomorrow. And that’s okay. I want people with endo to know that they’re enough, what they’re doing is enough and I’m proud of them for surviving. 

    Is there anything else you want to say? 

    I am hoping to bring my show and book to Canberra, so please come and see me so I can be the Homecoming Queen.  

    The post Endometriosis isn’t funny. Libby doesn’t agree. appeared first on BroadAgenda.

    This post was originally published on BroadAgenda.