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PArliament
Domestic Abuse Bill – what can you do to lobby?

Domestic Abuse Bill – what can you do to lobby?

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Letter re Domestic Abuse Bill Dear All Firstly, congratulations on the work of all Soroptimists in the UK who lobbied for a change in the law re non-fatal strangulation in domestic abuse. It is now confirmed that there will be a clause in the new Domestic Abuse Bill to change the law – you have been successful! Dame Vera Baird helped with this amendment as she is asking again for our assistance. The final reading of the bill is scheduled for March 8th Between 2009 and 2018, 888 women were killed with 60% being recorded as having domestic abuse as a factor. In the same period 108 men were killed by women with domestic abuse cited in 77% of cases. The defence of provocation reduces a murder charge to manslaughter but doesn’t really work for women because they often use a weapon – e.g., run

United Nations
UN Committee calls for crackdown on trafficking of women and girls in digital age 

UN Committee calls for crackdown on trafficking of women and girls in digital age 

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  GENEVA (11 November 2020) The UN women’s rights committee today called on governments to pursue all appropriate means to eliminate trafficking in women and girls, highlighting the increasing use of social media to recruit trafficking victims during the COVID-19 pandemic. In its general recommendation released today, the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) found that women and girls continue to be major victims of trafficking across the world, despite the existing anti-trafficking legal and policy frameworks at national and international levels. The Committee emphasised that the realities of trafficking in women and girls now extend well beyond the offline world, pointing to recent trends of trafficking in cyberspace. The development of social media and chat apps to gain easy access to potential victims when traffickers cannot use more traditional ways to recruit women and girls for sexual exploitation during COVID-19 lockdowns was alarming,

CSW65
What is the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) 65?

What is the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) 65?

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The Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) 65 is scheduled to take place 15-26 March 2021 in New York. For the first time this will be a virtual event. The sixty-fifth session of the Commission on the Status of Women will take place from 15 to 26 March 2021. In light of the evolving COVID-19 situation, and taking into account the latest guidance from the United Nations Secretary-General and the World Health Organization (WHO), CSW65 will take place in a hybrid format with mostly virtual meetings.  Representatives of Member States, UN entities, and ECOSOC-accredited non-governmental organizations (NGOs) from all regions of the world are invited to attend the session. Please be reminded that if you want to register for CSW 65 (and receive updates) then you need to do so by the Indico website by 22 February 2021. Main theme: ‘Women’s full and effective participation and decision-making in public

PArliament
House of Lords vote for anti-genocide amendments

House of Lords vote for anti-genocide amendments

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February 3rd, 2021 On Tuesday evening, peers voted in favour of two amendments to the Trade Bill to strengthen the UK’s approach to preventing genocide, defeating the Government. Humanists UK, which briefed All-Party Parliamentary Humanist Group (APPHG) peers in support of these amendments ahead of these votes, has welcomed their inclusion in the Bill.  The Trade Bill will now be returned to the House of Commons to be considered by MPs. The first of these amendments will require Government ministers to determine whether another signatory to a new trade agreement has committed crimes against humanity before the agreement can be laid before Parliament for ratification. Then publish that determination at the same time as requesting Parliament to ratify the agreement. The second amendment will allow the High Court or Court of Session in Scotland to make a preliminary determination that another signatory to a bilateral trade

Gov.UK
Open Consultation Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) Call for Evidence (England & Wales)

Open Consultation Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) Call for Evidence (England & Wales)

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Summary This call for evidence is seeking to collect views from those with lived experience of, or views on, crimes considered as violence against women and girls. It will run for a period of 10 weeks and is open to all genders. This consultation closes at 11:45pm on 19 February 2021  https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/violence-against-women-and-girls-vawg-call-for-evidence Consultation description We are seeking your views to help inform the development of the government’s next Tackling Violence Against Women and Girls Strategy. We are particularly keen to hear from people who may feel underrepresented in previous strategies or who feel their circumstances were not supported by existing services. In addition to those with lived experiences of these issues, we are also seeking the views of those with expertise in working with victims and survivors, those involved in preventative activity, and those involved in providing services. This includes relevant professionals, such as those

AskforAni
What is Ask for ANI?

What is Ask for ANI?

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Briefing for local partners on Ask for ANI domestic abuse codeword scheme FINAL 2 These materials provide background information on domestic abuse and allow staff to feel confident responding to Ask for ANI alongside Safe Spaces requests. Staff should view all the training materials on this page so that they know what to do when they receive an Ask for ANI request. The training information explains how Ask for ANI and Safe Spaces can work together. Staff can print the training leaflet and use it as a quick reference in the consultation room if someone requests support using the Ask for ANI codeword. Pharmacies should also make sure they are familiar with the information provided on the UK SAYS NO MORE website. Documents Understanding domestic abuse for the Ask for ANI domestic abuse codeword scheme PDF, 1.43MB, 20 pages Training information for Ask for ANI and Safe Spaces

Age UK
Good News from Age UK

Good News from Age UK

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AGE UK Happily, we have some brilliant news to share – UK has had a campaign win! Thanks to you, older people who have faced domestic abuse will finally be recognised. At the moment, official domestic abuse statistics don’t count anyone over 74, meaning older victims and survivors risk being forgotten about and overlooked. The Office of National Statistics and the Government have listened to your campaigning and data will now be collected on all victims and survivors of domestic abuse, whatever their age. Campaigners like you made sure this ageism couldn’t be ignored, and it paid off. You can read Age UK’s full response here: https://www.ageuk.org.uk/latest-press/articles/2020/12/age-uk-warns-progress-in-resuming-care-home-visiting-is-stalling/age-uk-comment-on-ons—national-crime-survey-will-now-record-data-on-domestic-abuse-for-those-aged-75/?utm_source=DA-14012021&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=DA&utm_auk_reference=CON-14535019 We are so proud that we’ve achieved this change which will make a real difference for many older people. It’s a great start to our year of campaigning.

Good news! Non-fatal strangulation is to become a separate offence

Good news! Non-fatal strangulation is to become a separate offence

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Congratulations to all those who wrote to government ministers and peers in support of Non fatal strangulation becoming a separate offence. Non-fatal strangulation is set to become criminal offence in England and Wales.  Perpetrators could face up to seven years in prison after sustained campaign from victims and activists The government is set to make non-fatal strangulation a specific criminal offence, with perpetrators facing up to seven years in prison after a sustained campaign from victims and activists. The justice secretary, Robert Buckland, is hoping to add a new offence to a police and sentencing bill next month, it is understood.  Campaigners had pushed for a change in the law via the domestic abuse bill, with Lady Newlove, former victims’ commissioner putting down an amendment last Tuesday when the bill came to the House of Lords.  Current victims’ commissioner for England and Wales, Dame Vera Baird QC, called non-fatal

We can all do something simple to help fight against Climate Change

We can all do something simple to help fight against Climate Change

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 This year COP 26 = ‘Conference of the Parties’ is taking place in Glasgow from 1st November to 12th November. Delayed from last year, it is under the presidency of the UK Government in partnership with Italy. The theme is ‘Uniting the world to tackle Climate Change’ and the talks will bring together heads of state, climate experts and campaigners to agree co-ordinated action to tackle climate change and inspire action. It is expected to be the biggest summit the UK has ever hosted and attended by countries that signed the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change – a treaty agreed in 1994. What can we do? 1. You can use your voice. It is humans that are destroying the world. By speaking up, especially to your MP or MSP. This is one of the most powerful things that you can do. Ask your