"Baby Reindeer," a powerful autobiographical Netflix show by Richard Gadd, offers a raw and unflinching look into the complexities of male sexual abuse and the lingering effects of trauma. Gadd recounts his harrowing experience with a female stalker who initially appeared in his life as a supportive presence during a vulnerable moment. However, this relationship quickly devolved into a nightmare as her obsession grew increasingly intrusive and violent. Furthermore, it also sh

Miraculously, when the Online Safety Act  was first produced as a Bill, it had not a single mention of women and girls. The reaction  led to intense campaigning  from well-known organisations including The End Violence Against Women Coalition, Refuge, NSPCC, and Glitch. The result? The Online Safety Act, passed in October 2023, has now been described  as “landmark guidance” and a “historic moment for women’s rights,” aimed at helping protect women and girls from the dispropor

In November it was revealed, through the publication of former cabinet minister Nadine Dorries’ book, that an MP had committed sexual offences against up to five individuals, with two of these offences being rape. Furthermore, in a letter included in Dorries’ book, former Chairman Sir Jake Berry stated that a number of these offences were made known to the party, but that limited action had taken place in response. He goes on to make the very serious claim that the party had

In the last few years, particularly since the COVID-19 pandemic, increasing aspects of everyday life have moved online, whether grocery shopping, teaching, or working. This trend of individuals leading their lives virtually naturally comes with numerous positives. However, the virtual world also introduces new concerns, particularly for children. In 2021, Mark Zuckerberg, the owner and founder of Facebook, announced the release of his new brand 'Meta', providing an online spa

We've read it so you don't have to. The Victims and Prisoners Bill  was originally sponsored by Dominic Raab 29 March 2023. It came in response to previous public consultations surrounding victim experiences and the parole system. The Bill will introduce procedures relating to victims of criminal conduct and victims of major incidents. Further, it will bring reforms to the parole system, and put restrictions on marriage for prisoners with life sentences. Now in the Committee

Kirsty Brimelow KC, the chair of the Criminal Bar Association, highlights there is a “crisis in the criminal justice system”, further explaining that “barristers have left, courts are in disrepair and complainants, witnesses and defendants suffer”. Figures released show that there are 65,000 cases which await trial in the Crown Court, an increase of 25,000 since the Covid-19 Pandemic. A report published by Rape Crisis England and Wales(2023), specified that of this backlog of

The number of students subjected to sexual violence at UK universities has remained at significant levels in recent years. In 2021, student website The Tab found that 59% of female students had been subjected to sexual assault while at university, with 7% of sexual assault cases were reported to their institution (1). The failures within the complaints processes and support systems at UK universities has meant that hundreds of sexual assault cases are not being adequately inv

Women make up about 11% of the UK military (1), however, there is limited investigation on the impact of adversity women experience during their service, and even more so in reference to sexual harassment and assault. Sexual harassment, violence, and abuse continue to be very prominent issues in the military. Until systematic change is applied, the institutional failures will only contribute to the issue. Anonymous research with 750 women veterans found that 22.5% reported se

The hotly anticipated fourth and final season of Sex Education was released on Netflix last week. Fans have been patiently awaiting answers for two years. Would Moordale Secondary rise from the ashes following its Season 3 bankruptcy? How would Jean (Gillian Anderson) tackle life as a single mother? And would we finally see Otis (Asa Butterfield) and Maeve (Emma Mackey) live happily ever after? As ever, this season continues to teach us more about sexual assault and consent t

Note in support of the women subjected to sexual harassment, violence & abuse by Russell Brand: Brand wasn’t the first and won’t be the last male public figure from that era to be exposed for being predatory and abusive. Right now, we need to rally around and support the women who have had the courage to speak out, especially when speaking out against powerful public figures with a fanbase that is ready to weaponise. Speaking out about sexual violence is one of the hardest th

Between 2017 and 2022, 35 000 cases of sexual misconduct were reported in the NHS, and recent research conducted by the Working Party on Sexual Misconduct in Surgery (WPSMS) has correlated this finding, highlighting high rates of sexual violence in the surgical workforce, perpetrated by colleagues. A recent analysis of NHS staff by WPSMS has shown that female surgeons are being subjected to sexual harassment, sexual assault and rape by colleagues, with nearly two thirds of fe

Amendments have recently been made to the Online Safety Bill which made persecuting perpetrators of revenge porn easier. This amendment removes the requirement for prosecutors to prove the intent to cause distress, therefore, anyone who has shared explicit videos of someone without their consent will be sentenced to a minimum of six months in prison. Former Love Island star Georgia Harrison has been a passionate campaigner for such reforms after falling victim to revenge porn

In March 2023, Baroness Casey released her report into the problems that exist within the Metropolitan Police force in the wake of the kidnap, murder and rape of Sarah Everard. The Met has been notorious for its toxic environment, riddled with sexism, misogyny and racism which causes us to question - if those who are meant to keep us safe indulge in the same thing as those who abuse us, how are we supposed to protect ourselves? One of the report’s main findings was the inadeq

“Don’t walk home alone at night.” We’ve all been given this advice. We’ve all felt the injustice of it. Why should women bear the responsibility of rape? Why should we change our behaviour on account of rapists? Yes, we need to ‘educate our sons,’ but in the meantime, we need to think more carefully about the advice we are giving to women. There are two reasons why telling women not to walk home alone at night is exacerbating the problem. Firstly, it reinforces the misogynist

Note: This article focuses on the impact of pornography on sexual violence & abuse against women - although not explicit in depictions, this controversial and explicit topic of porn is referenced. All views surrounding this topic are personal. However, I would first like to acknowledge that in alignment with GINA's values, while not discussed in this article, porn can perpetuate, condone & profits from violence against women & girls. Upon viewing, porn can influence attitudes

I’ve debated writing in detail about abortion law in America. In truth, I have very little to say. I’m sure we can all agree that the rights of women are being deeply violated. In approximately half of the states in the US, abortion is impossible to come by except in exceptional circumstances, such as a risk to the mother’s life. Unfortunately, I’m not surprised. The three conservative judges Donald Trump appointed to the Supreme Court made these kinds of antiquated laws like

For as long as I could, I put off writing about Johnny Depp’s defamation case against his ex-wife, Amber Heard. In all honesty, the trial made me so angry, I didn’t want to read about it, let alone write about it. However, since Depp won in the US, the media frenzy seems to have died down, and I’ve finally felt able to approach this divisive piece of news. Putting those involved aside for a second, I have been disgusted by the way this trial has been treated as a source of en

Like, I am sure, everyone who's following the horrific events taking place in Ukraine, I have been horrified by the continuing reports of sexual violence perpetrated by Russian Soldiers against Ukrainian women. It is beginning to emerge that, alongside bombs and guns, rape is also a weapon of warfare. The scale of the sexual violence is impossible to know. In the best of times, it’s very difficult for victims to report abuse. Sadly, victims are often made to feel both guilty

A quick google search reveals that there has been much backlash in the wake of Netflix’s release of the documentary Savile: A British Horror Story. Why, then, are newspapers such as The Guardian and The Telegraph giving it respectable reviews? Many have argued that the documentary unveils the true horror of Jimmy Savile’s crimes, without sensationalism. Even if this were true, it does not excuse the fact that Savile is at the heart of this documentary, not the people he assau