Blog posts from December 2006
30 December 2006
Swedish prostitution policy failing?
The Swedish police have reported a rise in the number of prostitutes on the streets, possible evidence that the criminalising the act of buying sex has not worked. Boy, I hate bad news like this. The Swedish policy is… Read more...Posted by Jess McCabe at 30 December 2006
28 December 2006
Misplaced rape reform?
We are in the middle of a rape crisis in this country. Only 5% of reported rapes end in conviction, and, as stormy illustrated so well recently, even that paltry figure is a considerable exaggeration. Of course, the government… Read more...Posted by Jess McCabe at 28 December 2006
27 December 2006
"A partnership, not a merger"
If I ever get married, I won’t be changing my surname. Joanna Moorhead explains some of the long-term benefits on Comment is Free today. And she should know. She’s been married since 1988. Eighteen years ago, I signalled that… Read more...Posted by Jess McCabe at 27 December 2006
26 December 2006
S Korean men paid to stay away from prostitutes
South Korea’s ministry of equality is going to pay companies whose male employees promise not to visit a prostitute to see in the new year. The BBC reports that the scheme is part of an attempt to crack down on… Read more...Posted by Jess McCabe at 26 December 2006
24 December 2006
An early Christmas present: the end of the smear test
Every 12-13 year old girl in the country could soon be vaccinated against cervical cancer, the Observer reports today. Human papilloma virus (HPV), which causes cervical cancer and kills 1,000 women a year, could be virtually eliminated through a programme… Read more...Posted by Jess McCabe at 24 December 2006
20 December 2006
Legalise brothels? There is a better way
News about the Ipswich murders is still coming in thick and fast. But meanwhile, the case has provoked a flurry of debate over legalising prostitution. In the Guardian today, Simon Jenkins adds his cry to the voices calling for legalising… Read more...Posted by Jess McCabe at 20 December 2006
17 December 2006
Baghdad Burning on Radio 4
Just a quick entry to point out that the book of the week on Radio 4 next week is Riverbend’s ‘Baghdad Burning’, at 10:45am and repeated at 7:45pm Mon-Fri. I’ve read both the book and the blog, and it reveals… Read more...Posted by Jane Eyre at 17 December 2006
16 December 2006
New Articles
Dreaming of a Pink Christmas As Christmas approaches, the children’s toy industry goes into overdrive. Rosalyn Ball looks at how girls and boys toys are still unbelievably segregated along strict gender lines. Gifts for Her It’s not only children’s gifts… Read more...Posted by Catherine Redfern at 16 December 2006
Feminists comment on Ipswich
Mind the Gap have collected a summary of feminist bloggers’ comment on the Ipswich murders. One of the best is by Literary Hoax, echoing what a lot of other people are thinking about this whole horrible thing and asking why… Read more...Posted by Catherine Redfern at 16 December 2006
Reclaim The Night Ipswich - update
The organisers have circulated the following additional message (please email The F Word if there are any further updates and we will keep you posted): “We’ve had an amazing response the last couple of days from all over the country,… Read more...Posted by Catherine Redfern at 16 December 2006
Torture game banned and mock rape trial
The EU is attempting to ban the release of a game which involves a girl being humiliated and beaten as she attempts to escape from an orphanage. There are conflicting reports as to whether the game, Rule of Rose,… Read more...Posted by Jess McCabe at 16 December 2006
14 December 2006
Rape Convictions petition
Petition to ask the Prime Minister to Support victims of rape and sexual violence by ensuring more rapists are convicted. The petition reads: ‘We the undersigned petition the Prime Minister to Support victims of rape and sexual violence by ensuring… Read more...Posted by Catherine Redfern at 14 December 2006
**IPSWICH RECLAIM THE NIGHT - 29TH DECEMBER**
We have received the following message - please forward widely and urgently. Message begins: Friends, After the bodies of 5 sex workers were found murdered within 10 days of each other and the police advising women to stay at home… Read more...Posted by Catherine Redfern at 14 December 2006
13 December 2006
Eaves asks for gift voucher donations
Eaves, an organisation that provides support and shelter to victims of domestic violence and trafficked women, is asking for people to send in 10 pound gift vouchers so the women it helps will have a bit of Christmas cheer…. Read more...Posted by Jess McCabe at 13 December 2006
Subliminal lipstick reduces preference for maths
Gender stereotypes are ingrained enough to influence our judgment in crazy ways. For example, this study shows that reminding female students of their gender made them more likely to say they prefer art subjects over maths. The study took two… Read more...Posted by Jess McCabe at 13 December 2006
Shenzhen regresses to Middle Ages
Around 100 prostitutes have been “paraded in front of a jeering crowd, their names revealed, and then driven away to jail without trial” in the Chinese city of Shenzhen. The New York Times reports that this was part of an… Read more...Posted by Jess McCabe at 13 December 2006
Murder of Prostitutes Prompts Fears for "Other" Women
There’s a particularly appalling article on the BBC news site about the recent murders of women in Ipswich. Here’s a prime quote: All five were working as prostitutes but the shock and anxiety has spread to the wider community in… Read more...Posted by Holly Combe at 13 December 2006
12 December 2006
The New Breastfeeding Taboo.
The New Breastfeeding Taboo Removing the stigma around breastfeeding has rightly been a worthwhile feminist cause. However, as Cathryn Dagger explains, a dogmatic inflexible view on this issue can lead to a “holier than thou” attitude in which women… Read more...Posted by Catherine Redfern at 12 December 2006
11 December 2006
Fairy Tales are Grimm
Fairy Tales are Grimm Ugly sisters? Evil step-mothers? Prince charming and happy ever after? Dina Jose argues that traditional fairy tales can cause more harm than good, and suggests we need to tell children fun, inspiring stories instead that teach… Read more...Posted by Catherine Redfern at 11 December 2006
November comments published
Feedback, comments and discussions about past articles and reviews received during November have now been published…. Read more...Posted by Catherine Redfern at 11 December 2006
Demo against rape
There is a report on a protest / demonstration against rape in Manchester City Centre up on the Feminism Up North blog. See part 1 and part 2 for photos and information. The group is also responsible for organising a… Read more...Posted by Catherine Redfern at 11 December 2006
More on the Tories Family Policy document
Not surprisingly the controversy arising from this relates to the exclusion of the most marginal of family groups. First off was Iain Duncan-Smiths comments that gay parents did even come “on the radar” when talking about families. It seems because… Read more...Posted by Louise Livesey at 11 December 2006
10 December 2006
Tories revert to "back-to-basics" rhetoric
Anyone hoping that David Cameron’s leadership of the Conservative party marks a shift to the centre-ground, if not quite the left, will be sorely disappointed by the latest revelations about its “family” policies. Instead of advocating family-friendly policies such… Read more...Posted by Jess McCabe at 10 December 2006
Two book reviews
Trickster’s Choice / Trickster’s Queen - Tamora Pierce Cazz Blase introduces Tamora Pierce’s latest fantasy series for young adults, which feature strong heroines and touch on issues of colonialism and race. Like Mother, Like Daughter? Clare Burgess reviews this collection… Read more...Posted by Catherine Redfern at 10 December 2006
Do you have a rape alarm?
If you do, get yourself down to the Sudanese embassy for 10AM today to take part in a protest against the rape of thousands of women and girls in Darfur. The action is part of a global protest against the… Read more...Posted by Jess McCabe at 10 December 2006
9 December 2006
Another tired drunk women story
The BBC has chosen to publish yet another one of those hand-wringing features about how women are getting “lashed”. Usually, these stories have some sort of news hook to them: at the very least, someone has done a report of… Read more...Posted by Jess McCabe at 9 December 2006
Latest Feminist Carnival up at Diary of a Freak Magnet
Here it is!… Read more...Posted by Jess McCabe at 9 December 2006
8 December 2006
Women's rights the solution to domestic violence shocker!
File this under blindingly obvious - domestic violence is more prevelant in countries where women are treated as second class citizens under the law. This study by the US government “reveals” that in countries where women are denied the right… Read more...Posted by Jess McCabe at 8 December 2006
Ruth Kelly - another equalities blunder
When your equalities minister is fighting not to implement a ban on discrimination on the grounds of orientation, you know you’re in trouble. Ruth Kelly has a bad history of blocking rather than championing reform in her post as… Read more...Posted by Jess McCabe at 8 December 2006
Jurors hold on to old-fashioned ideas on rape
Jurors still blame women if they are raped while drunk, according to new study. The study - which involved observing jurors during mock trials - revealed that changes to the law around rape have had little effect on jury-room… Read more...Posted by Jess McCabe at 8 December 2006
7 December 2006
Sir Mike Jackson - soliders deserve unreserved support
Last night in the Richard Dimbleby Lecture Sir Mike Jackson argued that soldiers deserved the public’s unreserved support in the work that they do. Now arguments about the wrongness of the Iraq invasion aside I find this very difficult as… Read more...Posted by Louise Livesey at 7 December 2006
5 December 2006
From EU blunders to furry elephants
A new EU institute will tackle gender inequality across Europe, EU Observer reports. Based in the Lithuanian capital, Vilnius, it will collate data on gender issues from all the 25 member states, hold conferences, etc. The sort of thing that… Read more...Posted by Jess McCabe at 5 December 2006
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