By signing up you will receive:
* quarterly e-bulletin
* briefings on relevant policy
* invitations to participate in practice sharing events

Our e-bulletin is full of policy and research updates and infrormation about opportunities to influence policy.

To sign up go to http://www.womeninprison.org.uk/OPENNetwork.php

Women in Prison would like our own premises or to share with other women’s organisations.

We are looking for somewhere in central London with desk space for 19, a training space and at least 2 meeting rooms.

If you know of somewhere suitable please contact Rachel on 020 7841 4760

Different systems, similar outcomes? Tracking attrition in reported rape cases in eleven European countries found that the majority of women reporting rape across Europe do not see justice done, and rising attrition rates make this more likely in 2009. This is the outcome of the continued influence of stereotypes of rape, rape victims and rapists at all stages of the legal process, and a failure to modernise investigation and prosecution practices. During April and May 2009 CWASU along with our European partners on the project held briefing meetings across Europe for key stakeholders and policy shapers, the summary reports for each meeting are available below, the full report was published at the end of June 2009.

Downloads include:
* Austria_English
* Austria_German_final
* European
* Germany_English
* Germany_German

Authors: Jo Lovett, Liz Kelly

Different systems, similar outcomes? Summary Reports
* Hungary
* Ireland
* Portugal
* Scotland
* Sweden

Authors: Jo Lovett, Liz Kelly

Different systems, similar outcomes? Summary
* England_and_Wales

Authors: Jo Lovett, Liz Kelly

Different systems, similar outcomes? Tracking attrition in reported rape cases in 11 European countries

Attrition, the process by which rape cases fall out of the justice system before reaching trial, has been highlighted as a critical issue in several English-speaking countries with common-law systems, and there is emerging research in some European countries. In virtually all countries where major studies have been published, the number of reported rape offences have increased over the last two decades, yet the number of prosecutions has failed to increase proportionately, resulting in a falling conviction rate.

This study, uniquely, sets out to research attrition both in the European context, which has not been widely addressed, and across countries with varying judicial systems and cultures.

In this, the first in-depth trans-European attrition study, original primary data have been collected in Austria, Belgium, England & Wales, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Portugal, Scotland and Sweden.

The Full Report and the above summary reports can be downloaded via http://www.cwasu.org/publication_display.asp?pageid=PAPERS&type=1&pagekey=44&year=2009

Teenage pregnancy has been a policy priority traversing health, education and crime agendas at national and local levels for a decade. In 1999 a twin track strategy for England and Wales was introduced that aimed to halve teenage conception rates among under 18s by 2010, whilst simultaneously reducing social exclusion among teenage parents (SEU, 1999).

Although the 1999 strategy identifies sexual abuse as a risk factor for teenage conception, this link is not evident in annual reports and evaluations of the strategy. Moreover, whether or not teenage pregnancies are a result of non-consensual sex has yet to be specifically addressed in the substantial UK evidence base on risk factors, conducive contexts, interventions and outcomes. That said, international research findings demonstrate connections between sexual abuse, coercion and intimate partner violence and teenage conception rates. The potential links are reiterated in the public consultation on the Teenage Pregnancy Strategy (DCSF, 2010) 2010 and Beyond and the NHS Taskforce on Violence against Women and Children refers to teenage pregnancy as one of many impacts of abuse. This report presents findings from the first contemporary UK study to focus on this association.

Download
* A Missing Link- An Exploratory Study of the Connections Between Non-Consensual Sex and Teenage Pregnancy (pdf file)
* A Missing Link- Executive Summary (pdf file)

Authors: Maddy Coy, Kerry Lee, Liz Kelly

If you are interested please contact Heidi Riedel, Woman’s Trust 020 7034 0303, West London

Irene Cockroft, exhibition curator, author and lecturer, spoke on How the Vote was Won illustrated with wonderful slides.

Once more the lecture room was full – you can download and read the lecture here.

Irene has curated an exhibition at the Museum of Richmond (1 May to 4 September) “How the vote was won – art, theatre and women’s suffrage” – you can download the flyer here.

Nominations are being sought for Life Changers Awards 2010 this award celebrates the contributions made by individuals, civic leaders and businesses within their communities.

The growth of economic, social and cultural development within various countries has given rise to the prominence of businesses and their influence in achieving and sustaining real growth. The impact and contributions made by entrepreneurs, businesses and individuals from dynamic young entrepreneurs to well establish veterans requires acknowledgement and reward.

Life Changers Awards offers platforms to showcase, highlights and reward organisations and individuals alike for their outstanding contributions in their respective fields.

Life Changers Award is given each year to individuals, civic leaders and organisations who have distinguished themselves in various fields of endeavour (or profession).

Presentation of the awards will be during the awards ceremony on Friday, 3rd of December, 2010 at Hilton London Docklands Riverside hotel, 265 Rotherhithe Street, London SE16 5HW, reception starts at 6pm.

The Awards Categories are as follows:
1. Outstanding Achievement Award
2. Best Development & Initiative Award
3. Best Replicable Project Award
4. Lifetime Achievement Award
5. Civic Leader Award
6. Exemplary Business Award
7. International Achievement Award
8. Young Entrepreneur Award
9. Personality of the Year
10. Best Advocacy Campaign of the Year
11. Corporate community involvement Award
12. Best practice Award
13. Young Male Achievement Award
14. Young Female Achievement Award
15. Arts and Culture Champion Award
16. Rising Star

Nominations can be made online at: http://www.life-changers-awards.com, if you are unable to submit your entry online please contact James Phillips at Life Changers on 02088541484 or via email: nominate@life-changers-awards.com or awards@life-changers-awards.com.

Life Changers must receive all entries by 30 September 2010.

More information about Life Changers Awards can be found on our webpage: http://www.life-changers-awards.com.

This decision from the Department of Work and Pensions (DWP), came in the wake of prolonged consultation and months of lobbying by OBJECT.

“Most people we have spoken to are absolutely stunned that the porn and sex industries have become so ‘normal’ that even Government agencies were, in effect, promoting them. An end to ‘Job Centre Plus sex ads’ is an important step forward in stemming this normalising and recognises the high levels of exploitation and abuse invariably associated with these industries.” Dr Sasha Rakoff, Director OBJECT

Information from the DWP : http://www.dwp.gov.uk/docs/adult-entertainment-jobs-eia-aug-2010.pdf

Women’s Hour: Chris Grayling, DWP Minister, makes the announcement, followed by responses from OBJECT and the Vice Chair of the Lap Dancing Association: http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/console/b00t6ft0

BBC 5 Live: Discussion with OBJECT and lap dance club owner (1 hr 40 mins): http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b00t9r5c/Gabby_Logan_02_08_2010

FORWARD is a charity that aims to safeguard and protect the reproductive and sexual rights of African girls and women. The youth program within FORWARD is organizing an art exhibition with the central theme being beauty, who defines it and what lengths women go to achieve it. We have opened the opportunity for the general public to take part in this exhibition by submitting their art work and photography.

CALL FOR ENTRIES!

The Concept

In many societies around the world there are varying concepts of beauty but an almost universal pressure to attain it. Whether we lose weight, surgically enhance, hide or remove parts of ourselves that are considered unattractive, the female form continues to be reshaped and redefined.

The aim of this exhibition is to ask the questions; ‘who decides?’ and ‘at what cost?’

‘WOMAN; Whose canvas?’ will primarily be an interactive digital exhibition. Artists can submit up to three photographs of work. Email jpeg images to woman.whose.canvas@gmail.com with a brief paragraph of no more than 200 words describing each piece of work.

Deadline: 5pm Friday 17th September 2010.

Issues you may wish to explore…
* What influences do the media, family, culture and religion have over the portrayal and pursuit of female beauty?
* What validates beauty as something other than what women are naturally born to be?
* And to what extent does pursuing beauty in fact hinder health, happiness and even human rights?

The Event

The exhibition will take place in London on Wednesday 27th October at The Rag Factory (just off Brick Lane, near Liverpool Street).

This event is organized by young women at FORWARD, a charity that exists to promote the health and human rights of African women and girls, empowering communities to end violence against women. http://www.forwarduk.org.uk

Selected photographs will be projected onto blank canvases and with your permission produced as postcards to promote your work and support the work of FORWARD. Most images will be exhibited electronically but some artwork will be selected to be displayed if you are willing to post or deliver at your own expense.

The evening aims to entice all the senses including, refreshments, audio, visual, panel discussion, and a chance to network. At the end of the exhibition visitors will be invited to creatively express their own ideas of true beauty on the blank canvases displayed.

We look forward to receiving your work and if you have any further questions regarding this opportunity please do not hesitate to contact Jenny, Saria or Nora at woman.whose.canvas@gmail.com

Refuge is looking for women and girls of all ages to take part in the adidas Women’s 5k Challenge on Sunday 5 September in Hyde Park. The UK’s largest women-only fun run, the event has a fantastic atmosphere perfect for women of all fitness levels. So whether you run, walk or crawl the course; we would be absolutely delighted to have you on our team!

If you decide to run for Refuge in this brilliant event we would not ask you to commit to a specific fundraising target – anything that you raise would be very gratefully received. All sponsorship raised is very valuable to our work, supporting women and children to rebuild their lives free from the fear of domestic violence.

Securing your place

To secure your place, please visit http://www.womenschallenge.co.uk/onlineentry/register/1/. You will need you buy your own place for £15, with £5 going straight to your chosen charity.

Please select REFUGE from drop down list A!

Please tick the box for a fundraising pack, so that we can get in touch straight away to offer support. Speaking of which….

Support for runners

As a Refuge runner, we would offer you a free team T-Shirt, 5k training plan, full sponsorship pack and your own personalized online fundraising page with http://www.justgiving.com/refuge/raisemoney.

We’ll also be there on the day to support you and cheer you on at the top of our lungs!

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If you have any questions about taking part in an event in aid of Refuge, please contact Harriet on 020 7395 7713 or harriet_gray@refuge.org.uk.

We would love to welcome you onto our team!