(Source: dieceased)
Trigger Warning for domestic violence, abuse.
This video was played on the BBC early this morning at around 1am as an appeal video for Comic Relief. Comic Relief is a British charity that’s aim is to use comedy to raise money for various different causes.
Relevant to this specific video, Comic Relief works with Refuge - a wonderful charity that supports women and children who are suffering from domestic violence from a partner or parent. Please support charities like Refuge and Eaves (particularly in this current climate of government hatred and apathy towards the vulnerable, and basically everyone who isn’t a millionaire).
If you are a man, please sign up with the White Ribbon Campaign and pledge to stand against violence against women:
I pledge to never commit, condone, or remain silent about violence against women.
As sort of a side question, to those of you who watched Red Nose Day yesterday: What were your thoughts about how the campaign was presented?
Most women leaving violent relationships return at least once because their self-authority has been eviscerated and replaced with a partner’s authority. Think Stockholm Syndrome. Rihanna probably needs support, not criticism, and her return could be a cause for teaching, not despair.
This is a microcosm of the frequent difference between the original battered women’s centers that were or are run by survivors, and some of the current Family Violence Centers run by people with degrees. The survivors supported women in making their own decisions — because they themselves knew from experience. The second too often repeated the problem by telling women what to do one more time.
"Gloria Steinem’s response to Lena Dunham name-dropping her during some vomitous hand-wringing concern trolling about Rihanna
If you mock and belittle and insult a DV victim for being abused or staying with or going back to an abuser, you are telling them that their abuser was right about what other people think of them and how little support there is for them from others so idk enjoy living with yourself if you like talking about how you’re “so done” with a woman for being “so stupid” or whatever
And you’re the one who’s “sending a bad message” to young girls because the message you’re sending is “I will completely abandon you if you’re ever in this situation and I might say it’s all your fault too”
(via dignified-and-old)
Charities are attacking the government’s decision to effectively change the definition of domestic violence
Half of all women who are victims of domestic violence will no longer qualify for legal aid under government proposals, leaving hundreds of thousands at greater risk of abuse, according to charities.
Ben Jamal, chief executive of the charity Domestic Violence Intervention Project, said analysis of their case files indicated that 50% of women victims would lose out.
Despite David Cameron’s identification of the issue as a priority, experts say the government’s proposed legal reforms run contrary to its pledges to tackle domestic violence. The Home Office action plan to end violence against women promises to “provide adequate support where violence does occur” and “take action to reduce the risk to women and girls who are victims.”.
Three million women a year experience violence in Britain, a significant proportion of them domestic abuse, according to the government. Yet a coalition of specialists and women’s rights groups say that proposals in the legal aid, sentencing and punishment of offenders bill, which has a third reading in the Commons this week, will seriously undermine its strategy on reducing violence against women.
Emma Scott, of campaign group Rights of Women, said the planned reforms to save £350m a year in legal aid would have a “devastating and disproportionate impact” on women. She added: “In his press conference announcing the legal aid bill David Cameron said that he wanted families to feel safe in their own homes, yet it will leave many at greater risk of violence and abuse, trapped in violent and abusive relationships and at greater risk of post separation violence.”
“The reforms demonstrate a total lack of awareness and understanding of the dynamics and nature of domestic violence and the experiences of women affected by it.”
Officially the government’s position is that legal aid will be available to victims of domestic violence. But groups point to the government’s decision to effectively change the definition of domestic violence by upping the type of evidence required to substantiate allegations, making it harder to qualify for legal representation.
Under the proposals “only women who can prove a high risk of violence” such as having secured a conviction against their perpetrator or have been referred for a risk assessment will be eligible for legal aid.
“They will put legal aid for family cases out of scope for the majority of women who have experienced violence and abuse,” said Scott.
Jamal added: “Officially the government says one thing, but in reality they have drawn down the definition so narrowly that significant numbers of women are no longer eligible.”Experts argue that other evidence including GP records, 999 call outs, social services and information from housing agencies should also be allowed.
Jamal also warned that alleged perpetrators will lose legal aid, raising the possibility that victims of domestic violence abuse will be cross-examined in court by their alleged attackers.
This makes me so angry I can’t even handle it.
