MPs call for menopause to be protected characteristic in UK Equality Act – The Guardian

Posted July 28th, 2022 in employment, equality, health, news, reports, women by sally

‘MPs have called for menopause to be a protected characteristic and for a special ambassador to keep women in the workplace, after a report showed the UK is currently “haemorrhaging talent”.’

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The Guardian, 28th July 2022

Source: www.theguardian.com

Women offenders still being jailed despite pledge to cut prisoner numbers, say MPs – The Guardian

Posted July 26th, 2022 in imprisonment, news, reports, select committees, sentencing, statistics, women by sally

‘Ministers have made little progress developing alternatives to custodial sentences for women, MPs have concluded, amid official predictions that the female prison population may rise by a third in the next three years.’

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The Guardian, 26th July 2022

Source: www.theguardian.com

Record numbers of sexual offences reported in London – BBC News

Posted July 22nd, 2022 in London, news, police, rape, sentencing, sexual offences, women by tracey

‘A record number of reported rapes and sexual assaults in London will push the court system to “breaking point”, a victims commissioner has said.’

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BBC News, 22nd July 2022

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Top barrister accuses Labour of ‘spin’ over NDAs gagging ex-staff – The Guardian

‘One of the UK’s most high-profile freedom of expression lawyers has accused Labour of “spin and dissembling” for denying it attempted to stop two female ex-staffers from speaking about sexual harassment. In a highly unusual intervention, Mark Stephens, who represented Georgie Robertson and Laura Murray, said there were “high public interests at play” and said the party was “undermining their credibility” by issuing statements denying it had tried to offer them non-disclosure agreements.’

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The Guardian, 21st July 2022

Source: www.theguardian.com

Premature birth ‘almost twice as likely’ in England’s prisons than outside – The Guardian

Posted July 21st, 2022 in birth, health & safety, imprisonment, news, pregnancy, prisons, statistics, women by sally

‘Female prisoners are almost twice as likely to give birth prematurely as women in the general population, leaving them and their babies at risk, research has revealed.’

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The Guardian, 19th July 2022

Source: www.theguardian.com

Samsung did not break rules over woman running at 2am advert – BBC News

Posted July 20th, 2022 in advertising, complaints, news, ombudsmen, women by sally

‘A Samsung ad criticised for showing a woman running alone at 02:00 has been cleared by the advertising watchdog.’

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BBC News, 20th July 2022

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Judicial diversity – solicitor numbers continue to dwindle – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted July 15th, 2022 in barristers, diversity, judiciary, legal profession, news, solicitors, statistics, women by tracey

‘Latest judicial diversity statistics continue to paint a bleak picture for solicitors, with the percentage of non-barristers in post lower than it was in 2014.’

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Law Society's Gazette, 15th July 2022

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Forced adoptions: Call for government apology to mothers – BBC News

Posted July 15th, 2022 in adoption, children, families, human rights, inquiries, news, select committees, women by tracey

‘Hundreds of thousands of unmarried women who were forced to give up their babies for adoption should receive a government apology, a report has said.’

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BBC News, 15th July 2022

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Female doctors launch campaign against harassment in UK healthcare – The Guardian

Posted July 11th, 2022 in doctors, equality, harassment, hospitals, news, sex discrimination, statistics, women by tracey

‘Female doctors have launched an online campaign that they say exposes shocking gender-based discrimination, harassment and sexual assault in healthcare.’

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The Guardian, 11th July 2022

Source: www.theguardian.com

Karolina Szopa and Jamie Fletcher: The Future of Abortion Rights under the European Convention on Human Rights in Light of Dobbs – UK Constitutional Law Association

Posted July 4th, 2022 in abortion, constitutional law, human rights, news, pregnancy, women by tracey

‘On Friday 24th June 2022, in Dobbs v Jackson Women’s Health Organization, the US Supreme Court (SCOTUS) overruled the right to an abortion nearly 50 years since it first declared it a constitutionally protected right. An outpour of protests and condemnation followed the release of the opinion, with many legal professionals, politicians and NGOs across Europe speaking out against the devastating consequences this decision will have on women’s and other pregnant people’s rights in the US. Pregnancy holds implications for women’s physical and social identity, with repercussions on the woman’s economic status, her chance for education, career and ability to pursue the life she chooses, not least to mention her physical health. In the opinion of this blog’s authors, a pivotal decision such as access to an abortion should be shielded from state interference.’

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UK Constitutional Law Association, 30th June 2022

Source: ukconstitutionallaw.org

Government To Partially Comply With Istanbul Convention Against Domestic Abuse And Sexual Violence – Each Other

Posted June 28th, 2022 in domestic violence, immigration, news, sexual offences, treaties, women by sally

‘In May, Home secretary, Priti Patel, announced that the UK will comply with the Istanbul Convention after a 10-year delay. The UK will now seek to ratify the Convention by 31 July. It is the first legally-binding treaty with minimum legal standards which governments must meet to combat violence against women. After a decade of waiting, concerns have been raised though that the government has and will continue to fail migrant and refugee women, as the government is ‘reserving their right‘ not to comply with article 59, which would end some migrants’ dependence on abusive partners for their immigration status.’

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Each Other, 27th June 2022

Source: eachother.org.uk

Most female lawyers believe they will not experience pay equality – Legal Futures

Posted June 23rd, 2022 in equal pay, law firms, news, reports, women by sally

‘Most female lawyers (84%) believe that gender pay equality will not be achieved until after they retire and that firms’ commitment is more about headlines than real change.’

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Legal Futures, 23rd June 2022

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Society fails women by not believing rape victims, campaigner says – The Independent

‘Society must stop “failing” women by assuming rape victims are lying, a campaigner who helped shape the Government’s landmark review of serious sexual offences has said.’

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The Independent, 15th June 2022

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Gymnastics abuse: Eloise Jotischky becomes first to win a civil case against British Gymnastics – BBC News

Posted June 13th, 2022 in children, compensation, harassment, news, sex discrimination, sport, women by tracey

‘A former elite acrobatic gymnast has become the first to win a civil case against British Gymnastics for the abuse she experienced in the sport.’

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BBC News, 12th June 2022

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Sarah Everard: Three attendees fined over unofficial vigil – BBC News

Posted June 10th, 2022 in coronavirus, fines, kidnapping, murder, news, police, rape, sexual offences, women by sally

‘Three people have been fined for breaking Covid laws by attending a vigil for Sarah Everard.’

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BBC News, 9th June 2022

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

All strangulation of women is serious – and it’s time for the law to step up – The Guardian

Posted May 31st, 2022 in assault, domestic violence, news, prosecutions, sentencing, women by sally

‘Next month, on 7 June, as part of the Domestic Abuse Act (2021), non-fatal strangulation (NFS) and suffocation becomes a free-standing offence, punishable by up to five years in prison in England and Wales. Campaigners including the Centre for Women’s Justice (CWJ) and We Can’t Consent To This – who challenged the defence where the perpetrator claims it happened as part of “rough sex gone wrong” – have long argued that NFS, if prosecuted at all, was frequently charged as common assault, receiving a sentence of a few months.’

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The Guardian, 29th May 2022

Source: www.theguardian.com

New protections for rape victims available at more Crown Courts – Ministry of Justice

‘More victims of rape and sexual offences will be spared the stress of being cross-examined in court under a measure rolled out to a further 14 locations today (12 May 2022).’

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Ministry of Justice, 12th May 2022

Source: www.gov.uk

Stop matching lone female Ukraine refugees with single men, UK told – The Guardian

Posted April 13th, 2022 in asylum, government departments, immigration, news, refugees, Russia, Ukraine, war, women by tracey

‘UN agency intervenes in wake of claims predatory men using Homes for Ukraine scheme to target vulnerable.’

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The Guardian, 13th April 2022

Source: www.theguardian.com

Supporting male victims of crimes considered violence against women and girls – Family Law

‘The Home Office has published a document setting out the government’s position on and work to support male victims of crimes considered violence against women and girls. The document says: “The term ‘violence against women and girls’ refers to acts of violence or abuse that we know disproportionately affect women and girls. These crimes include – and are not limited to – rape, sexual violence, domestic abuse, stalking, ‘honour’-based abuse including forced marriage, ‘revenge porn’, and the harms associated with sex work and prostitution. These crimes have profound and long-lasting physical and mental health impacts and have absolutely no place in our society. The use of this term cannot and should not negate the experiences of, or provisions for, male victims of these crimes.” ‘

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Family Law, 11th April 2022

Source: www.familylaw.co.uk

High court denies Met permission to challenge ruling on Sarah Everard vigil – The Guardian

‘The Metropolitan police has been refused permission for a “hopeless” appeal against a high court ruling that found the force breached the rights of organisers of a vigil for Sarah Everard in south London last year.’

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The Guardian, 11th April 2022

Source: www.theguardian.com