Why do rape and sexual assault victims find it hard to go straight to police? – BBC News

Posted September 20th, 2023 in criminal justice, media, news, police, rape, sexual offences, statistics, victims, women by sally

‘Four women have accused Russell Brand of rape and sexual assault in a joint investigation between the Sunday Times, the Times and Channel 4’s Dispatches.’

Full Story

BBC News, 19th September 2023

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Honour-based abuse: Government rejects calls for legal definition – BBC News

‘The government has rejected calls for a legal definition of honour-based abuse.’

Full Story

BBC News, 15th September 2023

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Women arrested at vigil for murdered Sarah Everard win Met Police payout and apology – The Indepdent

Posted September 14th, 2023 in compensation, coronavirus, demonstrations, London, news, penalties, police, women by tracey

‘The Metropolitan Police are paying compensation to two women handcuffed and arrested at a vigil for Sarah Everard, murdered by police officer Wayne Couzens.’

Full Story

The Independent, 14th September 2023

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Hundreds of UK women can now take legal action over Essure device – BBC News

Posted September 5th, 2023 in class actions, contraception, news, personal injuries, women by sally

‘Two hundred women in the UK who claim they were left in pain after having a permanent contraception device fitted, can now take group legal action through the courts, against its manufacturer.’

Full Story

BBC News, 5th September 2023

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Brexit: EU-derived equal pay protections to be retained – BBC News

Posted August 31st, 2023 in brexit, EC law, equal pay, news, women by tracey

‘Women will still have the right to equal pay with men when an EU protection lapses at the end of this year, the government says.’

Full Story

BBC News, 30th August 2023

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

OnlyFans billboards ‘not overtly sexual’, regulator rules – BBC News

Posted August 23rd, 2023 in advertising, children, complaints, internet, news, ombudsmen, women by sally

‘Billboards showing a scantily clad model advertising her explicit social media accounts have been cleared by the regulator despite complaints.’

Full Story

BBC News, 23rd August 2023

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Coronial powers and the rights of the unborn (Part 1) – UK Human Rights Blog

‘In this two-part article, Maya Sikand KC, Tom Stoate, and Ruby Peacock, explore two difficult questions arising from the inquest into the “harrowing circumstances” of the death of a baby, Aisha Cleary, at HMP Bronzefield. This first part seeks to answer the question: should coroners have jurisdiction to investigate stillbirths?’

Full Story

UK Human Rights Blog, 11th August 2023

Source: ukhumanrightsblog.com

Refugee and asylum for women – EIN Blog

Posted August 9th, 2023 in asylum, immigration, news, refugees, treaties, women by tracey

‘Women have historically found it more difficult to qualify for refugee status than men. The 1951 Convention relating to the status of a refugee promises protection for refugees following the Second World War and Europe’s inadequate response to those fleeting Nazism. However, not everyone who is fleeing danger or violence qualifies as a refugee under this Convention.’

Full Story

EIN Blog, 9th August 2023

Source: www.ein.org.uk

Fake taxi driver who preyed on young women jailed for 18 years – The Independent

Posted July 26th, 2023 in imprisonment, kidnapping, news, rape, sentencing, sexual offences, taxis, victims, women by sally

‘A fake taxi driver who kept condoms, latex gloves and Viagra in his car as he prowled the streets for vulnerable women has been jailed for 18 years, police said.’

Full Story

The Independent, 25th July 2023

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Woman jailed for taking abortion pills after time limit to be freed from prison – The Guardian

Posted July 19th, 2023 in abortion, appeals, families, imprisonment, news, sentencing, time limits, women by tracey

‘A woman who was jailed for terminating her pregnancy after the legal time limit during lockdown will be released from prison and reunited with her children, after winning a court of appeal effort to reduce her sentence.’

Full Story

The Guardian, 18th July 2023

Source: www.theguardian.com

Better support needed to prevent honour-based abuse remaining hidden crime – MPs – The Independent

‘Honour-based abuse should have a statutory definition in a similar way to domestic abuse, MPs said, as they warned it risks remaining a hidden crime without better victim support.’

Full Story

The Independent, 19th July 2023

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Met to use counter-terrorism tactics against worst male predators – The Guardian

Posted July 18th, 2023 in London, news, police, sexual offences, terrorism, violence, women by tracey

‘The Metropolitan police has started using counter-terrorism tactics to hunt down the worst male offenders targeting women. Scotland Yard said it will rank the worst male offenders and then “use the organised crime or terrorism approach” against those assessed to be the most harmful top 100.’

Full Story

The Guardian, 18th July 2023

Source: www.theguardian.com

Employment law highlights “gender gap” in civil legal justice – Legal Futures

‘Employment law is one of the main areas where women face systemic barriers to seeking civil legal help and legal aid needs to be expanded as a result, a feminist think tank has urged.’

Full Story

Legal Futures, 17th July 2023

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Law firms urged to ‘focus on what really works’ to tackle gender inequality – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted July 17th, 2023 in diversity, equality, gender, law firms, news, sex discrimination, statistics, women by tracey

‘Law firms have been urged to focus on what actually works when it comes to tackling gender inequality, after a survey found most female legal professionals believe measures adopted by their organisations to be ineffective.’

Full Story

Law Society's Gazette, 14th July 2023

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Legal aid cuts denying vulnerable women access to justice, says thinktank – The Guardian

‘Vulnerable women in England and Wales, including survivors of domestic and sexual abuse, are being denied justice because of cuts to the civil legal aid budget, a thinktank has said.’

Full Story

The Guardian, 13th July 2023

Source: www.theguardian.com

“Women will suffer” warning as CA hears divorce costs funding case – Legal Futures

Posted July 12th, 2023 in appeals, costs, divorce, families, family courts, law firms, news, statistics, women by sally

‘The future of litigation funding in divorce cases – which new figures from law firms show mainly benefits women – is in the balance as the Court of Appeal hears a crucial appeal.’

Full Story

Legal Futures, 12th July 2023

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Bar chief backs feminist barrister abused by other counsel – Legal Futures

Posted July 6th, 2023 in barristers, bullying, complaints, harassment, news, threatening behaviour, women by sally

‘The chair of the Bar Council has spoken out in support of a feminist barrister who said yesterday that she has complained about abuse from more than 50 “mainly White male” barristers.’

Full Story

Legal Futures, 6th July 2023

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Josie Welsh: The Power of a (Lord) Chief Justice – UK Constitutional Law Association

Posted July 3rd, 2023 in constitutional law, diversity, judges, judiciary, news, women by tracey

‘From 1 October 2023, England and Wales will have its first female Lord Chief Justice (“LCJ”), with the recent news that His Majesty The King was “pleased to approve” Dame Sue Carr’s appointment to the office. Her appointment follows the announcement of the retirement of current Lord Chief Justice The Rt Hon. Lord Burnett at the end of September. In light of the news of change to England and Wales’ highest judicial office, questions will inevitably be asked about the role and its power within the judiciary and in the constitution as a whole. With this in mind, I want to make some initial observations about the role of the LCJ, noting that we may not necessarily understand the nature of LCJ power simply by reading relevant statutory provisions, since the power of the LCJ is partly a function of the role and partly of the character, personality and skills of the individual holding it. What this suggests is that the change in office-holder may prove to be more significant than it appears at first.’

Full Story

UK Constitutional Law Association, 3rd July 2023

Source: ukconstitutionallaw.org

Carr to be first female lord chief justice – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted June 16th, 2023 in diversity, judges, news, women by tracey

‘Dame Sue Carr has been picked as the next lord chief justice of England and Wales, HM Judiciary announced this afternoon. She will take up the post on 1 October following the retirement of The Rt Hon. the Lord Burnett of Maldon on 30 September. Carr will be the first woman in the post. It is understood that the other short-listed applicant was also a woman, Dame Victoria Sharp.’

Full Story

Law Society's Gazette, 15th June 2023

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Bar for street sexual harassment offences in England and Wales set too high, charities say – The Guardian

‘Proposals to tackle sexual harassment in the street in England and Wales do not go far enough because the bar for offences has been set too high, charities have warned.’

Full Story

The Guardian, 16th June 2023

Source: www.theguardian.com