The End Violence Against Women Coalition with HOPE not hate has produce guidance for challenging far-right weaponisation of gender-based violence

[IwantToRetire]

Far-right groups often weaponise gender-based violence by accusing or sharing allegations made against asylum seekers in order to turn public opinion against them. These far-right groups capitalise on fears of violence and crime and often racialised narratives, galvanising violence towards asylum seekers, migrants, Muslims and people of colour. It can have profound effects on the community at large, because people are often unable or unwilling to distinguish asylum seekers from other marginalised groups in the community.

Meanwhile, the government is weaponising gender-based violence to justify anti-migrant legislation and to crack down on our fundamental rights to protest.

In tackling the weaponisation of gender-based violence, it is crucial that we do not reinforce the harmful social attitudes that prevent survivors from coming forward, being believed by authorities and accessing justice and support.

The guide highlights that it is not human rights defenders’ role to investigate whether or not an allegation took place. Most acts of violence against women are not reported to the police, and for those who do report, conviction rates are poor. Instead, we need to be able to identify when allegations are being exploited to fuel racist agendas, address those who are coopting them and counter them in ways that provide a strong and unified opposition to both gender-based violence and racism.

EVAW press release https://www.endviolenceagainstwomen.org.uk/new-guide-to-challenging-the-far-rights-weaponisation-of-gender-based-violence/

Online Allegations Of Gender-Based Violence
https://hopenothate.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/Allegations-of-gender-based-violence-HOPE-not-hate-resource.pdf

So it doesn’t matter if you’re raped? But it does matter if someone mentions the identity of your rapist if they were anything other than straight and white? Cool.

And this by a group that claims to speak for women's groups who are funded to support women who have been subjected to male violence.

Let alone why they would think that they need to partner with a group whose reputation with women isn't that good.

It makes it look like even if they say they are speaking for women's groups, they dont think women's groups are capable of commenting on issues without the accreditation of men.

“In tackling the weaponisation of gender-based violence, it is crucial that we do not reinforce the harmful social attitudes that prevent survivors from coming forward, being believed by authorities and accessing justice and support.”

Including harmful social attitudes which are the product of campaigning to create new rape myths? Such as campaigns which create a narrative that discussion of sexual assault by incomers from other countries as racist and defamatory? Thus promoting a ‘no debate’ position in left wing politics? And creating a link in the mind of the public between racists and women coming forward with experiences of sexual assault.

Or are ‘harmful social attitudes’ ok when the victim blaming is generated by the self identified ‘good guys’?

How noble of them that in a choice between focusing on tackling violence and sexual violence against women and girls or focusing on the risk of VASVWG making men look bad, their priority was the impact on men.

What a load of bloviating tripe!

I'm not far right, extreme, I'm a wishy washy liberal. And I'm noticing certain patterns, one of which is that women's needs seem to come last in every sodding area.

Oh but we must be kind to...
Oh but what about...

And women are expected to step back every time.

It's not the " far right " i'm worried about right now but the far left tra's committing overt physical violence against women, intruding on changing areas meant for girls and women, stealing sporting places and prizes from girls and women, etc!

Other than that, what you are saying is that rape victims ought not to mention the colour of the rapist unless they're white, or even better, if they're non white, keep your mouth shut for the sake of diversity! That's how it goes, isn't it?!

The thing I always notice when anyone talks about "weaponizing" something, is they almost always avoid talking about if that thing is actually a problem.

I tend to assume, if they don't address that, it is probably true. There is a real issue, and they just don't want anyone to bring it up.

It now seems to be a standard behaviour on the left, it's very disappointing.

It has been obvious for decades that if women accuse men from minorities of sexual harassment and assault this is seen as inadmissable by the left, because it 'weaponises' racism. Thus we have the grooming gangs of Rotherham etc, and the condemnation of German women who said they were assaulted by immigrants on New Year's Eve pre-Covid. It is wrong to say these things happen and women are expected to stay silent about them. Some message for a women's group to be putting out.

10th rule of misogyny: The worst thing about male violence is that it makes men look bad.

The left does seem to like certain terms or rhetoric like, "weaponise", "culture war distraction", "dog whistle", which yeah, could all be used to avoid the issues.

Like maybe it signals to the audience that those bad right wing people can't possibly have good motivations in talking about something, and that's all you need to know.

Its just so sad that women's groups that only exist because 70s Women's Liberationists starting talking about and then organising around male violence against women ie challenging the official idea that "it's just a domestic".

Why would women who are now getting paid to continue that tradition seem to put more value on appeasing the male left, than focusing on their primary purpose.

I know, and others may have seen, accusations and resignations in women's groups because of racists behaviour within the group work structure. And obviously that should be dealt with.

But I dont see how because of that internal failing, that women's groups now seem to need to ingratiate themselves with the male left.

If they have to partner with anyone, because they dont value their own status or work practices, why dont they ask women from BME communities who work or volunteer in groups supporting women who have suffered male violence, how best to address this.