key links
news 2008
July
Rape Crisis in the News
With the launch of Fawcett's research on the postcode lottery of rape convictions and a national meeting of senior police to discuss rape convictions it has been a busy time for Rape Crisis.
Policy Worker - BBC interview discusses the problems with rape conviction rates |
Fawcett - postcode lottery map and associated documents |
BBC Today Programme audio programme on police discussions about rape convictions |
Rape Crisis at the United Nations
This month Rape Crisis is present at the United Nations as the UK government gives its report on the status of women to the CEDAW committee. There is full documentation at the United Nations website of the UK submission. The shadow report on the state of the women's voluntary sector might be a useful place to start (download here).
June
Rape Crisis Group named in Woman of the Year award
The Rape and Sexual Abuse Centre for women in Merseyside were presented with an award at a Liverpool Woman of the Year ceremony on 20th June.
(Photograph from Liverpool Daily Post)
Rape Crisis Worker recognised in Queen's Birthday Honours
Sheila Coates – South Essex Rape and Incest Crisis Centre (SERICC) is
awarded an MBE for services to women’s issues and women in the
community.
“I am pleased to accept this honour which was awarded under the heading
of services to women and women’s issues as recognition of the often
hidden struggle that women and girls face when coping with the impact of
sexual violence on their lives and, as an acknowledgement of the
dedication of all my colleagues at SERICC and the wider UK violence
against women sector”.
Sheila Coates June 2008
Book Release - Rape Crisis: Responding to Sexual Violence
or at
May
The Service Needs of Domestic and Sexual Violence Victims Project
Have you been a victim of domestic or sexual violence? Have you used or
tried to use a service as a result of your experience of violence or
abuse in the last five years? Are you a lesbian, bi-sexual, transgender
of from a BME community? A research project, funded by the Home Office,
is interested in finding out about your experiences of seeking help -
things that you found helpful and things that were unhelpful - when you
were trying to find help or support for experiences of domestic or
sexual violence. The questionnaire will take about 20 minutes to
complete and is completely confidential. You can find the survey by
clicking on the link below:
www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=Qz9mYjOVigY7gGo9XGc5Kw_3d_3d
April
New Statesman
The New Statesman continues its campaign in support of Rape Crisis. For full details of all the articles they have published see their website:
http://www.newstatesman.com/subjects/sexual-violence-and-rape-crisis
March
Minister for Women Harriet Harman today announced new funding of up to £1million, aimed at keeping a number of Rape Crisis Centres open. The new funding from the Department for Communities and Local Government, Government Equalities Office, Department for Health, Home Office, Ministry of Justice, and Cabinet Office, should enable centres to stay open and provide vital support services to rape victims while work is undertaken to develop a sustainable business model for the longer term. This follows a campaign by us and the Women's Resource Centre supported by the New Statesman. Harriet Harman announced this emergency fund (19th March 2008) (see comment below) after we campaigned to stop the closure of centres. The number of rape centres has nearly halved since 1984 and women face long waiting times for support. This move is welcomed by Rape Crisis but we will continue to campaign until the future of all centres is secure.
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Harriet Harman, Minister for Women
"Rape Crisis England and Wales has done an important job in alerting us to the funding challenges faced at a local level by these rape crisis centres. We’ve stepped in with this emergency funding to help stop them from closing, while we sort out the longer term. Rape is one of the most devastating offences for victims. It violates the basic right of women, men and children to be treated with dignity and respect."
Dr Nicole Westmarland, Chair of Rape Crisis (England and Wales)
"It is highly significant that this emergency funding has been agreed across a range of government departments including the Department for Communities and Local Government, Government Equalities Office, Department for Health, Home Office, Ministry of Justice, and the Cabinet Office. We very much welcome the Government’s commitment to work towards the development of a ‘sustainable business model’ for the longer term, as this is something we have been campaigning for, for some considerable time. It is vital that we now work very closely across government departments and that this is led by the Minister for Women and Equalities. We want to see an end to the postcode lottery of service provision and ensure that rape victims in England and Wales have parity with the excellent example in Scotland, where accessing rape crisis support services is a right not a privilege. In the longer term, increased and secure funding is clearly needed to prevent this crisis from arising again."
Book offer
For a limited time only you can order a copy of 'Real rape - real pain: help for women sexually assaulted by male partners' for the cost price of just $27 AUS, which includes post and packaging, from the authors' website http://www.partnerrapebook.org/index.html
International Women's Day
Rape Crisis were out in force for the Million Women March on International Women's Day - photos coming soon!
February
Conference details
Truth About Rape NATIONAL EVENT - APRIL 19TH
LEEDS
Places are limited – to register please Email: tar2008@live.co.uk
http://www.truthaboutrape.co.uk/TAR_Fl
Rape Crisis Scotland Conference - Tuesday 4th March 2008 -
http://www.rapecrisisscotland.org.uk/n
Pre-publication notice - Funny Peculiar
Set against the backdrop of the Troubles in 1970s Northern Ireland, Funny Peculiar is the humorous and moving story of a girl resisting the pain and shame of sexual abuse and staying in love with life. Publication date May 2008.
Brandon/Mount Eagle, Turnaround Publisher Services, Unit 3 Olympia Trading Estate,
Coburg Road, London N22 6TZ
tel 0208 829 3000 fax 0208 881 5088
orders@turnaround-uk.com www.turnaround-psl.com
Research Request
Psychologists from University College London are carrying out an
internet-based project to understand people’s experience of being
interviewed by the police following sexual assault. It is hoped that
this research will help to improve the criminal justice process for
people who have been sexually assaulted. If you think that you might be
interested in taking part in this project, please look at the website:
www.survey.bris.ac.uk/psych-ox/policeinterview
You can also email the research team at
policeinterviewstudy@gmail.com if you would like to discuss the
project further.
Breaking the Silence: Healing the Wounds
Providing Effective Community Led Services for Victims of Sexual Violence
Women’s Rape and Sexual Abuse Centre (Cornwall)
in partnership with the
Home Office and the Eden Project
February 1st 2008 - at the Eden Project Cornwall
Click here for booking form
Benefit Night
Music & Performance, raffle with fancy prizes!
Monday 4th Feb 08 - 7.30 till late
Bar Risa
121 Albion Street
Leeds LS2
Free Entry…
Donations Welcome...
All women welcome…
Supportive men as guests
Physical access good
Click here for information leaflet