Prevention E-Bulletin

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Violence is not inevitable. We want more action to prevent violence and abuse before it begins. By working together we can make it happen!

The Prevention E-Bulletin is for practitioners, service providers, policy makers, researchers who are interested in receiving interesting news and information about the prevention of VAWG in the UK.

To subscribe to future editions of this E-Bulletin please send an email with the subject ‘subscribe to Prevention E-Bulletin’ to holly.shepherd@evaw.org.uk.

Welcome to the February Prevention E-Bulletin

NEWS

EVAW submits to the Leveson Inquiry

On 24th January EVAW were delighted to have the opportunity to give oral evidence to the Leveson Inquiry http://www.levesoninquiry.org.uk/, alongside our members Object, http://www.object.org.uk/, Equality Now http://www.equalitynow.org/ and Eaves http://www.eaves4women.co.uk/, about the media's biased and prejudicial treatment of women. All four organisations called for strong recommendations by Lord Leveson on the way the media portrays women and reports on violence against women.

Giving evidence for EVAW, Co-Chair Marai Larasi told the Inquiry about the all too often inaccurate, prejudicial and misleading way that the media reports on cases of rape, killings of women by their partners/exes, forced marriage and other 'honour' crimes, trafficking and sexual exploitation. The cumulative effect this has is to reinforce myths and victim-blaming attitudes that are commonly held and put many women off reporting if they are a victim of violence. You can watch their evidence on the Inquiry website at http://www.levesoninquiry.org.uk/hearing/2012-01-23am.

All four organisations called on the Inquiry to make the following recommendations:

That the PCC is replaced by a stronger body which will hear complaints from groups as well as individuals, which has powers to investigate on its own authority beyond acting on complaints, which is independent of the press and has representatives of equality groups on it, of which membership is compulsory, and which can impose strong sanctions when complaints are upheld including fines.
This new body should carry out ongoing monitoring patterns of discrimination and sexism
Journalists should receive training on the myths and realities about violence against women and how to treat victims.
That a new code of practice is developed for the way ‘case studies' are dealt with by the media.
Regulation of printed materials should be consistent with other forms of media regulation so that if it would not pass pre-watershed restrictions on the television it should not be printed in unrestricted newspapers.
Schools should be required to tackle gender inequality and gender stereotypes and deliver media literacy classes

Please go to the EVAW website http://www.endviolenceagainstwomen.org.uk/ for links to our written submissions and media coverage.

Gender analysis of UK asylum law, policy and practice from Asylum Aid

Asylum Aid have launched a new research report, "I feel like as a woman I'm not welcome": A gender analysis of UK asylum law, policy and practice. It can be downloaded from Asylum Aid's website, at http://www.asylumaid.org.uk/pages/i_feel_like_as_a_woman.html

The report combines legal and qualitative research to test the Government against its promises to establish a gender-sensitive asylum system. Drawing on interviews with asylum-seeking women and refugees across the UK, the report also brings together the jurisprudence and policies most relevant to those with gender-based asylum claims in a single document for the first time. In so doing, it maps the work still ahead in order for the Government to honour its commitments.

Christel Querton's article ‘Unfair, Unsafe and Undignified', trailing the research and its findings, was published by Open Democracy on 24th January. It can be read at: http://www.opendemocracy.net/5050/christel-querton/unfair-unsafe-and-undignified-treatment-of-women-seeking-asylum-in-uk

RESOURCES

Pleasure vs. Profit resources

Zero Tolerance and the Women's Support Project have developed a DVD and resource pack for young people on challenging pornography. The ‘Pleasure vs. Profit' resource also has its own website providing young-people with friendly information about the porn industry.

Parents, carers and those working with young people are increasingly concerned about the bombardment of sexualised and violent imagery that young people face every day, and its effects on their wellbeing. `Pleasure vs. Profit` is one of the first resources to make the connections between sexualisation and the creep of pornographic images and values into mainstream culture, and to focus on the situation in Scotland. Accompanying the film is a comprehensive information pack, developed by the Women`s Support Project with support from Zero Tolerance, which provides more information and ideas on how to challenge `porn culture`. The Pleasure Vs Profit pack (pdf 7.5MB) is accessible here

With input from young people, police and activists, the film exposes how the porn industry manipulates young people`s natural curiosity about sex, and in doing so jeopardises their ability to explore their sexuality in a healthy way and at their own pace.

http://www.zerotolerance.org.uk/sites/all/files/PleasurevProfitInformationPack_sm.pdf http://www.pleasurevsprofit.co.uk/

Film on Abuse in Teenage relationships

David Goodall, a Scottish film maker has made a film called Crush about abuse in teenage relationships. It is in the form of a 28 minute drama, and is being used in schools in Scotland. The idea is to raise awareness and promote discussion about the subject. Watch the film here http://vimeo.com/18826547 (password - kagemusha). Licensing is involved, so if you want to use the film please contact David at Soundsmove Film Production on 01555 894 678, 07970 198 784 or dg@soundsmove.com.

GOVERNMENT WORK

ParentPort Website

ParentPort has now gone live at http://www.parentport.org.uk/. It is a new website that has been set up to help parents, grandparents, guardians and carers make their voices heard in relation to media content they find inappropriate for children. The website was set up by seven UK media regulators in response to the Bailey Review of the Commercialisation and Sexualisation of Childhood ("Letting Children be Children"). The site sets out simply and clearly what parents can do if they feel a programme, advertisement, product or service is inappropriate. ParentPort helps to make it easier for parents to make complaints by directing them to the right media regulator for their specific area of concern.

If you have any questions or would like support or further information from the ParentPort regulators, please get in touch with one of the individuals listed here. (Catherine Anderson, BBFC canderson@bbfc.co.uk t: 020 7440 3285, Rhys Hurd, Ofcom Rhys.Hurd@ofcom.org.uk t: 020 7981 3414 or Matt Wilson, ASA mattw@asa.org.uk t: 020 7492 2122)

Home Office Body Confidence Campaign

The Home Office has launched a campaign aiming reduce the burdens that popular culture places on people's wellbeing and self-esteem and is working with a range of organisations to take action to tackle the causes of low levels of body confidence. Read more at

http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/equalities/equality-government/body-confidence/

As part of the campaign, Lynne Featherstone, Minister for Equalities, has published a blog posting on Huffington Post

http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/lynne-featherstone/body-image-be-body-confident_b_1234056.html

CONSULTATIONS

Child Protection in Schools

The OCC has also commissioned NSPCC to do a small study on child protection in schools. If you wish to circulate the survey to schools or to submit evidence yourself please contact EVAW for details of how to do this.

Projects challenging sexual violence against children using participatory methods

Ben Massey and Jenny Pearce from the University of Bedfordshire are working on a study to identify what projects there are in Council of Europe member states that challenge sexual violence against children using participatory methods.

They are trying to locate projects which are specifically focused on children within the UK. If you know of any please contact Ben at Massey Research Ltd, ben@masseyresearch.co.uk or on +44 (0) 207 207 1474 or +44 (0) 7790 011 794.

EVENTS

Working effectively in and with Schools: a practical approach to successful partnerships with schools

Tender is holding a day's training on 9th February 2012 in Central London. This training will help participants to create robust and mutually beneficial links with schools to deliver high impact work with students and teachers. For more information on the course please visit Tender's website. If you would like to book please email dorota@tender.org.uk to request a booking form.

Women using violence in intimate relationships - new training course by Respect

RESPECT is introducing this new pilot course for frontline workers across the social health and domestic violence sectors interested in learning to:

Identify how women's use of violence fits into domestic violence definitions exploring context, meaning and impact.
Practice using the Respect matrix for assessing who is doing what to whom and with what consequences, with reference to women.
Work with case studies to understand why and how women use violence in intimate relationships.

The course is offered at the introductory price of £50 for Respect members and £60 for non-members. More information here: http://www.respect.uk.net/pages/training.html#womenusingviolence

VACANCIES

Office of the Children's Commissioner

Please see links regarding current vacancies for a research assistant and a data analyst on the CSEGG Inquiry

http://www.academicjobs.co.uk/UJobs/OC1.htm

http://www.academicjobs.co.uk/UJobs/OC2.htm

http://www.academicjobs.co.uk/unijobs.htm

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