Blog posts from December 2006
Swedish prostitution policy failing?
by Jess McCabe // 30 December 2006, 00:06
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...
Misplaced rape reform?
by Jess McCabe // 28 December 2006, 21:04
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...
"A partnership, not a merger"
by Jess McCabe // 27 December 2006, 18:26
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...
S Korean men paid to stay away from prostitutes
by Jess McCabe // 26 December 2006, 23:03
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...
An early Christmas present: the end of the smear test
by Jess McCabe // 24 December 2006, 15:32
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...
Legalise brothels? There is a better way
by Jess McCabe // 20 December 2006, 23:50
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...
Baghdad Burning on Radio 4
by Barbara Felix // 17 December 2006, 15:40
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...
New Articles
by Catherine Redfern // 16 December 2006, 17:32
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...
Feminists comment on Ipswich
by Catherine Redfern // 16 December 2006, 17:27
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...
Reclaim The Night Ipswich - update
by Catherine Redfern // 16 December 2006, 11:50
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,...
Torture game banned and mock rape trial
by Jess McCabe // 16 December 2006, 10:10
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,...
Rape Convictions petition
by Catherine Redfern // 14 December 2006, 21:43
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...
**IPSWICH RECLAIM THE NIGHT - 29TH DECEMBER**
by Catherine Redfern // 14 December 2006, 21:30
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...
Eaves asks for gift voucher donations
by Jess McCabe // 13 December 2006, 21:28
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....
Subliminal lipstick reduces preference for maths
by Jess McCabe // 13 December 2006, 21:06
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...
Shenzhen regresses to Middle Ages
by Jess McCabe // 13 December 2006, 20:42
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...
Murder of Prostitutes Prompts Fears for "Other" Women
by Holly Combe // 13 December 2006, 13:15
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...
The New Breastfeeding Taboo.
by Catherine Redfern // 12 December 2006, 19:38
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...
Fairy Tales are Grimm
by Catherine Redfern // 11 December 2006, 17:53
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...
November comments published
by Catherine Redfern // 11 December 2006, 11:57
Feedback, comments and discussions about past articles and reviews received during November have now been published....
Demo against rape
by Catherine Redfern // 11 December 2006, 10:25
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...
More on the Tories Family Policy document
by Louise Livesey // 11 December 2006, 10:16
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...
Tories revert to "back-to-basics" rhetoric
by Jess McCabe // 10 December 2006, 18:55
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...
Two book reviews
by Catherine Redfern // 10 December 2006, 11:16
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...
Do you have a rape alarm?
by Jess McCabe // 10 December 2006, 00:28
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...
Another tired drunk women story
by Jess McCabe // 9 December 2006, 00:31
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...
Latest Feminist Carnival up at Diary of a Freak Magnet
by Jess McCabe // 9 December 2006, 00:06
Here it is!...
Women's rights the solution to domestic violence shocker!
by Jess McCabe // 8 December 2006, 15:54
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...
Ruth Kelly - another equalities blunder
by Jess McCabe // 8 December 2006, 08:50
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...
Jurors hold on to old-fashioned ideas on rape
by Jess McCabe // 8 December 2006, 00:15
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...
Sir Mike Jackson - soliders deserve unreserved support
by Louise Livesey // 7 December 2006, 10:38
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...
From EU blunders to furry elephants
by Jess McCabe // 5 December 2006, 22:15
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...
Founder of The F-Word, Catherine Redfern, has co-authored a new book with Kristin Aune. Find out more at the 
