The "so what can we actually do" thread...

[ImSoNotTelling]

Hello

Following on from the thread about changing the law on rape to grant anonimity to the accused, a few people have started to think about what we can do to get involved, to actually try and change stuff.

So I guess this thread is for suggestions, ideas, and for people to link up to actually try to change things.

So far we have someone possibly standing for pariament!

So come on everyone.

What's the plan....

Just checking in after a bit of a gap, and to say to Vesela that I have also commented on that blog post she mentioned.

Hey Prolesworth,

Boris has stumped up for 2 years funding for the WGN which takes them neatly to the end of his term as Mayor, however his VAW strategy is for 3 years.

Actually he's done more than any other part of the country to support victims and I understand that the Rape Crisis umbrella group are running the tender for the 2 additional centres.

However it's hard won and I simply dont understand why, why is this issue so hard for public bodies to get behind, so hard for the public at large to engage with positively. Why on earth wouldnt we want to support victims of rape, whether they chose to report to the police or not?

More women are raped than get diabetes, more than get strokes, yet far less funding is put behind them.

Alberti estimates that 16% of under 16 year olds have been raped or abused. It didnt even make the papers, let alone the headline it deserved.

It's a mystery to me.

Is there anyone who has done more for equality than Harriet Harman in recent time? Perhaps a MN petition thread for her attention?

yes, wanted to start a thread on that. she has been caricatured by the Daily Mail but I have a lot of admiration for the work she has done.

Am impressed that Bozza is coughing up. Very good.

How does this balance with that link I saw that said that many rape crisis centres were in trouble, i wonder. Thinking about the tory policy to fund loads of new ones.

Watching the news last night and saw the item about the rachel nickell case.

Yet another investigation where the police bungled and blundered and allowed a serial rapist (and occasional murderer) to get on with it for nearly 20 years after having it reported to them that he had confessed to a rape.

God only knows how many other women he attacked in that time. They have not said how many rapes they connected with him in the end (did they bother as they had two murders which maybe felt like enough) - and the real total is certain to be more than the ones reported to the police.

Reid warboys and this bloke - all allowed to continue to rape unhindered for years due to police failings.

It's the police that need fixing isn't it. The more I think the more I feel that that is the key. If they took it more seriously then women would feel more confident in reporting, there would be better evidence gathering and more successful prosecutions. That in turn would lead to a softening in public attitudes, as more and more convictions were reported in the papers ie women not lying.

from here

"The IPPC believes these changes have trickled down - and that the culture of officers who might come across another Robert Napper has changed too. "

Hahahahahahahafuckingha

what about reid and warboys then
are they taking the piss?

You have to ask yourself, are they malicious, or just dim?

Did they just not care about these women, or were they too bungelly to do anything about it.

Given the treatment that sapphire officers dished out to victims of warboys, I suspect the former.

Hmmm maybe later then, not sure I want to start the day in a rage!

Yes I know.

Still here if you want any help with anything re the website etc.

Going to do some gardening now though

Yes I've seen that before, it is good.

it still concentrates on the woman though, I can't remember who it was who said on another thread about rape often being in the passive voice ie "she was raped" rather than "a man raped her" and how the assailant is often painted out of the picture.

I think you need to tackle both sides hand in hand. or something

I have done too much arguing with men about this over the last few days... I need a haven!

None of whom seem to be able to explain quite why the defendants deserve anonymity?!

PROLESWORTH sorry for the delat in replying too you - yes I think that is part of it but it is also about the reality of a younger man being a 'boyfriend' spoiling a girl and then either leaving her with a group of older men or saying he is in deby she has had presents and he needs her help , she then has sex with older men to please boyfriend and can then be trafficed around the country, the girls often feel they are in control because they are doing it for teh love of the boyfriend
sorry for unterrupting your thread the above relates to comments on page 17

What's an adjournment debate? Has something happened?

OK so EDMs are like a formal statement of a position. So in this case the people who have signed up to this EDM are publically stating to Parliament that they think this idea is a load of shit.

I guess they may act as a trigger to other MPs to consider the issue, rather than just voting on instinct/going with the party line.

So not entirely a waste of time, but you're right it has no effect on process.

If it goes to a vote will it be one of these things where everyone has to vote with the party line, or where people can say what they actually think?

I just keep thinking what on earth were they doing, announcing this with seemingly no thought at all? Obviously it was going to attract loads of publicity, yuo'd have thought they'd have been damn sure they were up to speed on meeting all the arguments against. What were they thinking???