In this episode of the FiLiA podcast, Fiona MacKensie, from the campaign group ‘We Can’t Consent to This’ talks to Gemma Aitchison about her campaign to make the government ban the so called ‘rough sex defence’.  Now set to become law in England and Wales, those accused of murder and assault will no longer be able to claim that the victim consented to their death or injury as part of rough sex or a sex game gone wrong.60 UK women have been killed by men who claimed a sex game had gone wrong, and in the last five years, the defence was successful in seven of the 17 killings of a woman which reached trial, with the man being found not guilty or receiving a manslaughter conviction.The campaign is now moving to Northern Ireland where the Northern Ireland Justice Minister Naomi Long has opened a consultation to adopt a new law, expressly forbidding the use of “consent” defences to charges of violence for ABH and above.

In this episode of the FiLiA podcast, Fiona MacKensie, from the campaign group ‘We Can’t Consent to This’ talks to Gemma Aitchison about her campaign to make the government ban the so called ‘rough sex defence’. Now set to become law in England and Wales, those accused of murder and assault will no longer be able to claim that the victim consented to their death or injury as part of rough sex or a sex game gone wrong.60 UK women have been killed by men who claimed a sex game had gone wrong, and in the last five years, the defence was successful in seven of the 17 killings of a woman which reached trial, with the man being found not guilty or receiving a manslaughter conviction.The campaign is now moving to Northern Ireland where the Northern Ireland Justice Minister Naomi Long has opened a consultation to adopt a new law, expressly forbidding the use of “consent” defences to charges of violence for ABH and above.

#131 Fiona MacKensie: We Can't Consent to This

Esther, a sex trade survivor from London, talks to FiLiA’s Luba Fein and explains why prostitution cannot be separated from abuse and exploitation. She became involved with activism against the sex trade because of what was happening to women still involved in prostitution, the structural discrimination which puts huge obstacles in the way of their attempts to exit, the hypocrisy of those who are apologists for the sex trade, and the clear targeting of ever-younger girls with messages sanitising it and normalising the sexualised violence which is ubiquitous in online porn. 

Esther, a sex trade survivor from London, talks to FiLiA’s Luba Fein and explains why prostitution cannot be separated from abuse and exploitation. She became involved with activism against the sex trade because of what was happening to women still involved in prostitution, the structural discrimination which puts huge obstacles in the way of their attempts to exit, the hypocrisy of those who are apologists for the sex trade, and the clear targeting of ever-younger girls with messages sanitising it and normalising the sexualised violence which is ubiquitous in online porn.

#130 Esther: Surviving the Sex Trade

Joan Smith

On this episode of the FiLiA Podcast, Joan Smith talks to FiLiA’s Sally Jackson about the many ways in which our patriarchal system fails Women who have been subjected to violence from men.Joan Smith is a novelist, journalist and human rights activist. She began writing about violence against women after covering the murders carried out by Peter Sutcliffe in the north of England, which she described in her book Misogynies. She is also the author of the Loretta Lawson crime novels, two of which were filmed by the BBC. She is a former Chair of the English PEN Writers in Prison Committee and has been Co-chair of the Mayor of London’s VAWG Board since 2013. Her latest book is Home Grown: How Domestic Violence Turns Men Into Terrorists.Follow Joan on Twitter at @pollblonde 

On this episode of the FiLiA Podcast, Joan Smith talks to FiLiA’s Sally Jackson about the many ways in which our patriarchal system fails Women who have been subjected to violence from men.Joan Smith is a novelist, journalist and human rights activist. She began writing about violence against women after covering the murders carried out by Peter Sutcliffe in the north of England, which she described in her book Misogynies. She is also the author of the Loretta Lawson crime novels, two of which were filmed by the BBC. She is a former Chair of the English PEN Writers in Prison Committee and has been Co-chair of the Mayor of London’s VAWG Board since 2013. Her latest book is Home Grown: How Domestic Violence Turns Men Into Terrorists.Follow Joan on Twitter at <a href="https://twitter.com/polblonde" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@pollblonde </a>

#129 Institutions are failing Women: Joan Smith

In this episode of the FiLiA Podcast, Luba Fein talks to Caroline Pugh-Roberts, a survivor of eight years of human trafficking. Caroline now works full time exclusively with trafficked persons through the Salvation Army and is an expert on human trafficking who is often called upon to testify as such in trials. She has spoken to and educated over 20 thousand people and is an international speaker. Caroline teaches about HT at the Canadian Police College and has trained the RCMP on the psychology of HT victims. Caroline has received the Queens Diamond Jubilee medal, the Hope award and the John Robinson award for her work in this area.

In this episode of the FiLiA Podcast, Luba Fein talks to Caroline Pugh-Roberts, a survivor of eight years of human trafficking. Caroline now works full time exclusively with trafficked persons through the Salvation Army and is an expert on human trafficking who is often called upon to testify as such in trials. She has spoken to and educated over 20 thousand people and is an international speaker. Caroline teaches about HT at the Canadian Police College and has trained the RCMP on the psychology of HT victims. Caroline has received the Queens Diamond Jubilee medal, the Hope award and the John Robinson award for her work in this area.

#128 Human Trafficking Survivor from Canada in Open Letter to PM Trudeau: Shut Pornhub Down

Tua is a lesbian from Cameroon who finally received her leave to remain in the United Kingdom in 2019.Tua talks to Sally Jackson about the violent lesbophobia she was subjected to in Cameroon, and how she was forced into a marriage by her mother. During her escape, she was exploited and trafficked to England where she faced the shameful policies of the UK's Hostile Environment before finding support here.  Her asylum claim was finally accepted in 2019 and she has received her leave to remain.

Tua is a lesbian from Cameroon who finally received her leave to remain in the United Kingdom in 2019.Tua talks to Sally Jackson about the violent lesbophobia she was subjected to in Cameroon, and how she was forced into a marriage by her mother. During her escape, she was exploited and trafficked to England where she faced the shameful policies of the UK's Hostile Environment before finding support here. Her asylum claim was finally accepted in 2019 and she has received her leave to remain.

#127 Tua: Journey to Asylum

Listen to members of Women In Black Armenia, Sona Hovakimyan and Arpi Balyan, who share their opinions and thoughts about the 2020 Nagorno-Karabakh war which began on September 27, 2020, and lasted 44 days.  The war ended after three failed cease-fires on November 9, 2020, when Armenia, Azerbaijan and Russia have signed an agreement to end the military conflict.This recording is the first of our Women in Black series, a powerful collection of testimonies from Women peace activists from across the globe.

Listen to members of Women In Black Armenia, Sona Hovakimyan and Arpi Balyan, who share their opinions and thoughts about the 2020 Nagorno-Karabakh war which began on September 27, 2020, and lasted 44 days. The war ended after three failed cease-fires on November 9, 2020, when Armenia, Azerbaijan and Russia have signed an agreement to end the military conflict.This recording is the first of our Women in Black series, a powerful collection of testimonies from Women peace activists from across the globe.

#126 A Recording From Women In Black Armenia

FiLiA Spokeswoman Raquel Rosario Sánchez speaks with Imogen, a representative of the Cambridge Radical Feminist Network to discuss its origins as a group, its politics and the recent controversies regarding free speech at the University of Cambridge.TEXTTextREMOVEListen Here:TEXTTextREMOVECambridge Radical Feminist Network: Centring Women’s Rights in AcademiaFiLiA PodcastsAUDIOAudioEDITREMOVEThe Cambridge Radical Feminist Network is a network of feminist students and Cambridge residents who meet throughout the academic term to discuss feminism from a radical, materialist and gender-critical perspective. They hold discussion groups every two weeks, which are open to all women, student or not.The Cambridge Radical Feminist Network believes that open, rational and well-reasoned debate is central to genuine feminist analysis, activism and ultimately liberation. They exist to provide a space on campus where lively discussion can take place.

FiLiA Spokeswoman Raquel Rosario Sánchez speaks with Imogen, a representative of the Cambridge Radical Feminist Network to discuss its origins as a group, its politics and the recent <a href="https://twitter.com/camradfems/status/1331202567318228992" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">controversies regarding free speech</a> at the University of Cambridge.TEXTTextREMOVEListen Here:TEXTTextREMOVECambridge Radical Feminist Network: Centring Women’s Rights in AcademiaFiLiA PodcastsAUDIOAudioEDITREMOVEThe Cambridge Radical Feminist Network is a network of feminist students and Cambridge residents who meet throughout the academic term to discuss feminism from a radical, materialist and gender-critical perspective. They hold discussion groups every two weeks, which are open to all women, student or not.The Cambridge Radical Feminist Network believes that open, rational and well-reasoned debate is central to genuine feminist analysis, activism and ultimately liberation. They exist to provide a space on campus where lively discussion can take place.

#125 Cambridge Radical Feminist Network: Centring Women’s Rights in Academia

Sall Grover is the founder &amp; CEO of Giggle, a social network &amp; social medial platform for females. Prior to Giggle, Sall pursued her dream of screenwriting in Hollywood but retired after almost 10 years due to extreme sexual assault and harassment. While she sold screenplays, her movies were never made, probably because they were all about strong women who come to realise that they don’t need a man. Sall currently lives in Australia. She is very happily eternally single and is the proud single-dog-mum to a 10-year-old, 20% evil and slightly misogynistic Pekingese-pomeranian named Puck. In this episode of the FiLiA podcast, Sall talks to Sally Jackson about her life in Hollywood and why she returned to Australia, What led her to found Giggle and why it’s female only. Sexual harassment, #MeToo, Women's health, Sex-based rights and prostitution are also discussed.

Sall Grover is the founder &amp; CEO of Giggle, a social network &amp; social medial platform for females. Prior to Giggle, Sall pursued her dream of screenwriting in Hollywood but retired after almost 10 years due to extreme sexual assault and harassment. While she sold screenplays, her movies were never made, probably because they were all about strong women who come to realise that they don’t need a man. Sall currently lives in Australia. She is very happily eternally single and is the proud single-dog-mum to a 10-year-old, 20% evil and slightly misogynistic Pekingese-pomeranian named Puck. In this episode of the FiLiA podcast, Sall talks to Sally Jackson about her life in Hollywood and why she returned to Australia, What led her to found Giggle and why it’s female only. Sexual harassment, #MeToo, Women's health, Sex-based rights and prostitution are also discussed.

#124 FiLiA meets Sall Grover

Jessica Taylor

This episode of the FiLiA podcast is a recording of the latest meeting of the FiLiA Feminist Book Club. FiLiA CEO, Lisa-Marie Taylor, talks to Dr Jessica Taylor about her new book, based on three years of doctoral research and ten years of practice with women and girls in which she explores the many reasons we blame women for male violence committed against them. Learn about the powerful forces in society and individual psychology which compel us to blame women subjected to male violence. Dr Jessica Taylor writes in a way that makes this information understandable to any woman and her accessible language clearly explains these complex issues.

This episode of the FiLiA podcast is a recording of the latest meeting of the FiLiA Feminist Book Club. FiLiA CEO, Lisa-Marie Taylor, talks to Dr Jessica Taylor about her new book, based on three years of doctoral research and ten years of practice with women and girls in which she explores the many reasons we blame women for male violence committed against them. Learn about the powerful forces in society and individual psychology which compel us to blame women subjected to male violence. Dr Jessica Taylor writes in a way that makes this information understandable to any woman and her accessible language clearly explains these complex issues.

#123 Dr Jessica Taylor: Why Women Are Blamed For Everything

Dr Olivia Smith

Dr Olivia Smith is calling for a national system of legal advocacy, after publishing a report that aims to improve sexual offence victims’ experiences of the criminal justice system. In this episode of the FiLiA podcast, Dr Smith, a lecturer in criminology &amp; social policy at Loughborough University talks to FiLiA volunteer Gemma Aitchison about her campaign for independent legal representation for survivors of all serious sexual offences in England and Wales so that all victims of rape and sexual offences are given free access to a lawyer who can advise and represent them at important points in the criminal justice process.

Dr Olivia Smith is calling for a national system of legal advocacy, after publishing a report that aims to improve sexual offence victims’ experiences of the criminal justice system. In this episode of the FiLiA podcast, Dr Smith, a lecturer in criminology &amp; social policy at Loughborough University talks to FiLiA volunteer Gemma Aitchison about her campaign for independent legal representation for survivors of all serious sexual offences in England and Wales so that all victims of rape and sexual offences are given free access to a lawyer who can advise and represent them at important points in the criminal justice process.

#122 Legal Advocacy for Rape Survivors with Dr Olivia Smith

FiLiA is a UK-based feminist charity, platforming and connecting women through our annual conference, blog posts, and podcasts. Listen to women sharing stories, wisdom, experience, feminism, sisterhood and solidarity. Find us at: www.filia.org.uk

FiLiA is a UK-based feminist charity, platforming and connecting women through our annual conference, blog posts, and podcasts. Listen to women sharing stories, wisdom, experience, feminism, sisterhood and solidarity. Find us at: <a href="http://www.filia.org.uk" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">www.filia.org.uk</a>

FiLiA Podcasts

Jennifer Lahl

Ms. Lahl is founder and president of The Center for Bioethics and Culture Network. Lahl couples her 25 years of experience as a pediatric critical care nurse, a hospital administrator, and a senior-level nursing manager with a deep passion to speak for those who have no voice. Lahl’s writings have appeared in various publications including Cambridge University Press, the San Francisco Chronicle, the Dallas Morning News, and the American Journal of Bioethics.Lahl made her writing and directing debut producing the documentary film Eggsploitation. Her other films include Breeders: A Subclass of Women?, which focuses on surrogacy, Maggie’s Story, which follows one woman’s egg donation journey. Lahl’s latest feature film is #BigFertility .Jennifer Lahl will be at the FiLiA Conference in 2019 on the panel about surrogacy. Heather Brunskell-Evans joins her in conversation for this podcast.Links:International Campaign to StopSurrogacyNowFollow Jennifer Lahl on TwitterRead the book Broken Bonds: Surrogate Mothers Speak Out

Ms. Lahl is founder and president of The Center for Bioethics and Culture Network. Lahl couples her 25 years of experience as a pediatric critical care nurse, a hospital administrator, and a senior-level nursing manager with a deep passion to speak for those who have no voice. Lahl’s writings have appeared in various publications including Cambridge University Press, the San Francisco Chronicle, the Dallas Morning News, and the American Journal of Bioethics.Lahl made her writing and directing debut producing the documentary film <a href="http://www.eggsploitation.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Eggsploitation</a>. Her other films include <a href="http://breeders.cbc-network.org/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Breeders: A Subclass of Women?</a>, which focuses on surrogacy, <a href="http://www.cbc-network.org/maggie/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Maggie’s Story</a>, which follows one woman’s egg donation journey. Lahl’s latest feature film is <a href="http://bigfertility.cbc-network.org/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">#BigFertility</a> .Jennifer Lahl will be at the FiLiA Conference in 2019 on the panel about <a href="https://filia.org.uk/new-blog/2019/8/17/jennifer-lahl" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">surrogacy</a>. Heather Brunskell-Evans joins her in conversation for this podcast.Links:International Campaign to <a href="http://www.stopsurrogacynow.com/#sthash.NE0yjANV.dpbs" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">StopSurrogacyNow</a>Follow <a href="https://twitter.com/JenniferLahl" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Jennifer Lahl on Twitter</a>Read the book <a href="https://www.gazellebookservices.co.uk/GazelleBooks/sresult.pgm?search1=9781925581553&amp;searchtype=advanced" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Broken Bonds: Surrogate Mothers Speak Out</a>

#042 FiLiA meets: Jennifer Lahl

Huschke Mau is a German woman who was in prostitution for a long time. She´s a writer, an activist and doing her PhD.Her biography in her own words:- Was born- Experienced heavy violence in childhood- Ran away at 17- Has been in prostitution for many years- Survived rape, prostitution, drug and alcohol abuse and suicide attempts- Attended university- Writing her PhD right now- Founder of Netzwerk Ella, the only prostitution survivors group in Germany- Activist for the Nordic Model since 2014Huschke will be speaking at the FiLiA Conference in 2019.LINKSHUSCHKE MAUNETZWERK ELLAFACEBOOK – HUSCHKE MAUFACEBOOK – NETZWERK ELLATWITTER - HUSCHKE MAUTWITTER – NETZWERK ELLA

Huschke Mau is a German woman who was in prostitution for a long time. She´s a writer, an activist and doing her PhD. Her biography in her own words:- Was born- Experienced heavy violence in childhood- Ran away at 17- Has been in prostitution for many years- Survived rape, prostitution, drug and alcohol abuse and suicide attempts- Attended university- Writing her PhD right now- Founder of Netzwerk Ella, the only prostitution survivors group in Germany- Activist for the Nordic Model since 2014Huschke <a href="https://filia.org.uk/new-blog/2019/8/26/hushke-mau" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">will be speaking at the FiLiA Conference in 2019</a>.LINKS<a href="https://huschkemau.de/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">HUSCHKE MAU</a> <a href="https://netzwerk-ella.de/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">NETZWERK ELLA</a> <a href="https://www.facebook.com/huschkemau/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">FACEBOOK – HUSCHKE MAU</a> <a href="https://www.facebook.com/NetzwerkElla/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">FACEBOOK – NETZWERK ELLA</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/HuschkeMau" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">TWITTER - HUSCHKE MAU</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/NetzwerkElla" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">TWITTER – NETZWERK ELLA</a>

#045 FiLiA meets: Huschke Mau

Vandana Aparanti

Vandana Aparanti is an anti-caste activist and expert in the field of oppressed caste women’s rights. She is co-founder and the Chair of STOP gender based caste oppression, one of the only women’s organisation raising awareness about caste discrimination in India and the UK. Vandana has been into active campaigning to bring caste legislation into British law, participating in protests and events around the issue. Vandana has spoken at a number of events about human rights violations on oppressed caste women.Vandana holds a Masters in Sociology and is currently working as a Domestic Violence Officer in a well-known BME charity in London.She is speaking at the FiLiA Conference in 2019.

Vandana Aparanti is an anti-caste activist and expert in the field of oppressed caste women’s rights. She is co-founder and the Chair of STOP gender based caste oppression, one of the only women’s organisation raising awareness about caste discrimination in India and the UK. Vandana has been into active campaigning to bring caste legislation into British law, participating in protests and events around the issue. Vandana has spoken at a number of events about human rights violations on oppressed caste women.Vandana holds a Masters in Sociology and is currently working as a Domestic Violence Officer in a well-known BME charity in London.<a href="https://filia.org.uk/new-blog/2019/8/17/vandana-aparanti" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">She is speaking at the FiLiA Conference in 2019.</a>

#043 FiLiA meets: Vandana Aparanti

Saba Ismail

Saba Ismail has been advocating for women’s rights since she was a teenager, co-founding the organisation Aware Girls with her sister Gulalai. Gulalai’s work focuses on sexual violence in armed conflict, the dangers of radicalisation and the abuse of women: “We cannot have peace without gender equality, and without gender equality we cannot have peace. These two things are linked.” Because of this activism, the family has been attacked and Gulalai forced to flee Pakistan. Since Saba’s discussion with Sadia Hameed was recorded, Gulalai arrived safely to the United States although her family is still facing persecution in Pakistan.Read more about GulalaiSupport Gulalai and Saba’s nonprofit: Voices for Peace and DemocracyFollow Saba and Gulalai on Twitter

Saba Ismail has been advocating for women’s rights since she was a teenager, co-founding the organisation <a href="https://www.awaregirls.org" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Aware Girls</a> with her sister Gulalai. Gulalai’s work focuses on sexual violence in armed conflict, the dangers of radicalisation and the abuse of women: “We cannot have peace without gender equality, and without gender equality we cannot have peace. These two things are linked.” Because of this activism, the family has been attacked and Gulalai forced to flee Pakistan. Since Saba’s discussion with Sadia Hameed was recorded, Gulalai arrived safely to the United States although her family is still facing persecution in Pakistan.<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2019/07/23/world/asia/pakistan-gulalai-ismail-.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Read more</a> about <a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-49765178" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Gulalai</a>Support Gulalai and Saba’s nonprofit: <a href="https://www.v4pd.org" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Voices for Peace and Democracy</a>Follow <a href="https://twitter.com/sabaismail" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Saba</a> and <a href="https://twitter.com/Gulalai_Ismail" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Gulalai</a> on Twitter

#075 FiLiA meets: Saba Ismail

Raquel Rosario Sánchez

Raquel Rosario Sánchez is a writer, campaigner and researcher from the Dominican Republic. She became Spokeswoman for FiLiA on 25 November 2019, the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women. Today, we are delighted to broadcast our first podcast with her.Raquel specialises in ending male violence against girls and women. She is a featured writer at Dominican newspaper El Caribe and Spanish platform Tribuna Feminista. She was a contributor for Feminist Current and is the co-founder and editor of Women Talk Back! Her work has been translated into French, Portuguese, German, Spanish, Italian and Korean.As a campaigner, Raquel has worked for the National Organisation for Women and successfully championed the passage of the Equal Rights Amendment in Oregon, United States. In the United Kingdom, apart from being our Spokeswoman, she has worked with feminist political campaigns Woman's Place UK and Fair Play for Women. As a researcher, Raquel is currently pursuing a PhD with the Centre for Gender and Violence Research at the University of Bristol. Her MA and PhD work focuses on online communities of men who pay for sex.You can read more about her work here:www.raquelrosariosanchez.comOr follow her on social media:facebook.com/8RosarioSancheztwitter.com/8RosarioSanchezinstagram.com/8RosarioSanchez

Raquel Rosario Sánchez is a writer, campaigner and researcher from the Dominican Republic. She became Spokeswoman for FiLiA on 25 November 2019, the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women. Today, we are delighted to broadcast our first podcast with her.Raquel specialises in ending male violence against girls and women. She is a featured writer at Dominican newspaper El Caribe and Spanish platform Tribuna Feminista. She was a contributor for Feminist Current and is the co-founder and editor of Women Talk Back! Her work has been translated into French, Portuguese, German, Spanish, Italian and Korean.As a campaigner, Raquel has worked for the National Organisation for Women and successfully championed the passage of the Equal Rights Amendment in Oregon, United States. In the United Kingdom, apart from being our Spokeswoman, she has worked with feminist political campaigns Woman's Place UK and Fair Play for Women. As a researcher, Raquel is currently pursuing a PhD with the Centre for Gender and Violence Research at the University of Bristol. Her MA and PhD work focuses on online communities of men who pay for sex.You can read more about her work here:<a href="http://www.raquelrosariosanchez.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">www.raquelrosariosanchez.com</a>Or follow her on social media:<a href="http://facebook.com/8RosarioSanchez" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">facebook.com/8RosarioSanchez</a><a href="http://twitter.com/8RosarioSanchez" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">twitter.com/8RosarioSanchez</a><a href="http://instagram.com/8RosarioSanchez" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">instagram.com/8RosarioSanchez</a>

#072 FiLiA introduces our Spokeswoman: Raquel Rosario Sánchez

Simi Kamal

Simi Kamal is head of grants at the Pakistan Poverty Alleviation Fund. She is a geographer, social development specialist, and women’s rights advocate with over 30 years’ experience in water sector, poverty alleviation, inclusive development, and gender equality. She is author or co-author of more than 400 papers, articles, book chapters, handbooks, and modules published and presented worldwide. Simi joins FiLiA to discuss her experience and work as part of the Every Woman Treaty - a campaign to end violence against women and girls worldwide.Sign the Every Woman Treaty

Simi Kamal is head of grants at the Pakistan Poverty Alleviation Fund. She is a geographer, social development specialist, and women’s rights advocate with over 30 years’ experience in water sector, poverty alleviation, inclusive development, and gender equality. She is author or co-author of more than 400 papers, articles, book chapters, handbooks, and modules published and presented worldwide. Simi joins FiLiA to discuss her experience and work as part of the Every Woman Treaty - a campaign to end violence against women and girls worldwide.Sign the <a href="https://everywoman.org" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Every Woman Treaty</a>

#071 FiLiA meets: Simi Kamal

Recording from the Sunday Opening Session at the FiLiA Conference in 2019.Marie Laguerre - From being catcalled and punched in the street to cyber harassment - a story of sexist violence.Jessica Taylor - All the ways we continue to blame women and girls for male violence.Miss Yankey - Secret chains and chambers: “Another Woman’s Cry” My story of survival.

Recording from the <a href="https://filia.org.uk/agenda" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Sunday Opening Session</a> at the FiLiA Conference in 2019.<a href="https://filia.org.uk/sunday-20th-oct/2019/9/16/marie-laguerre-test" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Marie Laguerre</a> - From being catcalled and punched in the street to cyber harassment - a story of sexist violence.<a href="https://filia.org.uk/sunday-20th-oct/2019/5/30/section-1-list-1" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Jessica Taylor</a> - All the ways we continue to blame women and girls for male violence.<a href="https://filia.org.uk/sunday-20th-oct/2019/5/30/section-3-list-1" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Miss Yankey</a> - Secret chains and chambers: “Another Woman’s Cry” My story of survival.

#068 Sunday Opening Speeches - FiLiA Conference 2019

A recording of the panel on the invention of transgender children from the FiLiA Conference in October 2019. Featuring: Charlie Evans, who founded the Detransition Advocacy Network; a charity to support people who have desisted or reversed gender reassignment. Susan Matthews, who shows how the new genre of gender identity workbook effectively creates a new consciousness within its readers, creating anxiety and developing an obsession with the concept of gender which is understood as biologically innate. And Heather Brunskell-Evans, who describes how the rationale for ‘transgendering’ children has grown out of the idea that ‘gender identity’ is pre-social. The new proposition (from transgender ideology) that ‘gender identity’ is an inherent, ‘born’ property is not a scientifically established fact but a disputed concept with a political history.

A recording of the panel on the invention of transgender children from the <a href="https://filia.org.uk/saturday-19th-oct/2019/5/30/born-in-your-own-body " rel="nofollow" target="_blank">FiLiA Conference in October 2019</a>. Featuring: <a href="https://filia.org.uk/new-blog/2019/10/18/charlie-evans" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Charlie Evans</a>, who founded the Detransition Advocacy Network; a charity to support people who have desisted or reversed gender reassignment. <a href="https://filia.org.uk/new-blog/2019/8/18/susan-matthews" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Susan Matthews</a>, who shows how the new genre of gender identity workbook effectively creates a new consciousness within its readers, creating anxiety and developing an obsession with the concept of gender which is understood as biologically innate. And <a href="https://filia.org.uk/new-blog/2019/8/18/heather-brunskell-evans" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Heather Brunskell-Evans</a>, who describes how the rationale for ‘transgendering’ children has grown out of the idea that ‘gender identity’ is pre-social. The new proposition (from transgender ideology) that ‘gender identity’ is an inherent, ‘born’ property is not a scientifically established fact but a disputed concept with a political history.

#067 From Born in Your Own Body to the Invention of the Transgender Child - FiLiA Conference 2019

In the UK, as the coronavirus pandemic rages, we are seeing the effects of years of over-medicalisation of birth. The NHS has decided that the best use of its midwives would be to close all midwifery-led units, strip back their home birth services and redeploy all midwives to the obstetric units. This is a huge blow, but it is just the start. This move made it so that healthy women had to scrap their plans for a low/no-intervention natural birth and head to an obstetric unit, where the rates of intervention and caesarean are so much higher. Imagine the anxiety of that woman, being told to go to the hospital that everyone else in the country is being told to stay away from if they are not sick. Pregnancy is not a sickness and more often than not, doesn't need to be a medical event.LINKS:Greater Manchester Doulas WebsiteFacebookInstagram

In the UK, as the coronavirus pandemic rages, we are seeing the effects of years of over-medicalisation of birth. The NHS has decided that the best use of its midwives would be to close all midwifery-led units, strip back their home birth services and redeploy all midwives to the obstetric units. This is a huge blow, but it is just the start. This move made it so that healthy women had to scrap their plans for a low/no-intervention natural birth and head to an obstetric unit, where the rates of intervention and caesarean are so much higher. Imagine the anxiety of that woman, being told to go to the hospital that everyone else in the country is being told to stay away from if they are not sick. Pregnancy is not a sickness and more often than not, doesn't need to be a medical event.LINKS:Greater Manchester Doulas <a href="http://greatermanchesterdoulas.com/ " rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Website</a><a href="https://en-gb.facebook.com/GreaterManchesterDoulas/ " rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Facebook</a><a href="https://www.instagram.com/greatermanchesterdoulas/ " rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Instagram</a>

#066 FiLiA Meets: Greater Manchester Doulas - Birth during COVID-19

Sam Walshe

Sam Walshe speaks about the impact of being exploited into street prostitution as a teenager and having disclosable criminal records. She participated in a legal case brought by three women (including Fiona Broadfoot) formerly involved in prostitution, which challenged the Government’s Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) Regulations. After an unhappy childhood marred with violence and sexual abuse, Sam was exploited into prostitution at the age of 14. She was trafficked between Bristol and London on the streets, in brothels, massage parlours and escort agencies. By the time she escaped her pimp she was hooked on crack and heroin and remained on the streets to feed her habit. Sam has been drug free for 14 years and off the streets for the same time. She has 2 children and helps at a support project that works with sexually exploited women.Sam spoke at FiLiA in 2019 on the Issue of Criminal Records for Prostituted Women.Read about the legal case at the Centre for Women’s Justice.Find out more information on the 2018 ruling.

Sam Walshe speaks about the impact of being exploited into street prostitution as a teenager and having disclosable criminal records. She participated in a legal case brought by three women (including<a href="https://filia.org.uk/podcasts/2019/9/30/filia-meets-fiona-broadfoot" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> Fiona Broadfoot</a>) formerly involved in prostitution, which challenged the Government’s Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) Regulations. After an unhappy childhood marred with violence and sexual abuse, Sam was exploited into prostitution at the age of 14. She was trafficked between Bristol and London on the streets, in brothels, massage parlours and escort agencies. By the time she escaped her pimp she was hooked on crack and heroin and remained on the streets to feed her habit. Sam has been drug free for 14 years and off the streets for the same time. She has 2 children and helps at a support project that works with sexually exploited women.Sam spoke at FiLiA in 2019 on <a href="https://filia.org.uk/new-blog/2019/9/28/julie-swede" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">the Issue of Criminal Records for Prostituted Women</a>.<a href="https://www.centreforwomensjustice.org.uk/news/2020/1/22/prostitution-convictions-case-update" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Read about the legal case</a> at the <a href="https://www.centreforwomensjustice.org.uk/home" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Centre for Women’s Justice</a>.Find out more information on the <a href="https://www.centreforwomensjustice.org.uk/news/2018/3/14/sex-trade-survivors-win-crucial-victory-disclosure-of-soliciting-convictions-is-a-disproportionate-interference-with-private-life-and-not-in-accordance-with-the-law" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">2018 ruling</a>.

#062 FiLiA meets: Sam Walshe

Manu Schon

Manu Schon is a sociologist and radical feminist blogger for the Blog “Die Störenfriedas.” She is an anti-prostitution activist, co-founder of Abolition 2014 and LINKE – for a world without prostitution. Manu runs (together with others) SEX INDUSTRY KILLS – documenting homicides and attempted homicides in prostitution. In this podcast, she is joined in conversation with Heather Brunskell-Evans to discuss the subject of prostitution, the experience of German women and the sex industry and why feminists ought to support the Nordic Model.This podcast was recorded prior to the FiLiA Conference in 2019, where Manu spoke on Feminist Perspectives on the Sex Trade.LINKSSEX INDUSTRY KILLSMANUELA SHONFACEBOOKTWITTERThis podcast was edited by our wonderful FiLiA volunteer Toyin Jimoh

Manu Schon is a sociologist and radical feminist blogger for the Blog “Die Störenfriedas.” She is an anti-prostitution activist, co-founder of Abolition 2014 and LINKE – for a world without prostitution. Manu runs (together with others) <a href="http://www.sexindustry-kills.de/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">SEX INDUSTRY KILLS</a> – documenting homicides and attempted homicides in prostitution. In this podcast, she is joined in conversation with Heather Brunskell-Evans to discuss the subject of prostitution, the experience of German women and the sex industry and why feminists ought to support the Nordic Model.This podcast was recorded prior to the FiLiA Conference in 2019, where <a href="https://filia.org.uk/new-blog/2019/8/18/feminist-perspectives-on-the-sex-trade-speakers-to-be-confirmed" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Manu</a> spoke on <a href="https://filia.org.uk/sunday-20th-oct/2019/5/30/section-1-button-2" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Feminist Perspectives on the Sex Trade</a>.LINKS<a href="http://www.sexindustry-kills.de/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">SEX INDUSTRY KILLS</a> <a href="https://manuelaschon.blogspot.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">MANUELA SHON</a> <a href="https://www.facebook.com/ManuSchonWi/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">FACEBOOK</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/manuelaschon?lang=en-gb" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">TWITTER</a>This podcast was edited by our wonderful FiLiA volunteer Toyin Jimoh

#060 FiLiA meets: Manu Schon

Susan Hawthorne

In this podcast, Susan Hawthorne speaks to FiLiA about her work in researching violence against lesbians. Susan joined the Women's Liberation Movement in 1973, the Collective of Melbourne's Rape Crisis Centre in 1974 and has been involved in many different areas including as an aerialist in the Performing Older Women's Circus, organising writers festivals and feminist conferences. She is the author of fifteen books: three fiction, nine poetry and three non-fiction. In Uganda in 2002, a woman said to her, "Be careful, in Uganda lesbians are tortured." This set her on the path to researching why she had not heard this before. From 2003 onwards she has written numerous research papers, spoken on the subject of the torture of lesbians at conferences in India, New Zealand, South Africa, Canada, South Korea, USA and Australia to almost no effect. In 2017, her novel Dark Matters was published. She hopes one day to reach a wider audience. Her poetry collections The Butterfly Effect (2005), Cow (2011) Lupa and Lamb (2014) and The Sacking of the Muses (2019) also deal with violence against lesbians and the importance of lesbian culture.She spoke at the FiLiA conference in 2019 on two panels: violence against lesbians and feminist publishing.Twitter @susanhaRead Dark MattersFind out more about Susan and her workSpinifex Press Website, Facebook and Twitter

In this podcast, Susan Hawthorne speaks to FiLiA about her work in researching violence against lesbians. Susan joined the Women's Liberation Movement in 1973, the Collective of Melbourne's Rape Crisis Centre in 1974 and has been involved in many different areas including as an aerialist in the Performing Older Women's Circus, organising writers festivals and feminist conferences. She is the author of fifteen books: three fiction, nine poetry and three non-fiction. In Uganda in 2002, a woman said to her, "Be careful, in Uganda lesbians are tortured." This set her on the path to researching why she had not heard this before. From 2003 onwards she has written numerous research papers, spoken on the subject of the torture of lesbians at conferences in India, New Zealand, South Africa, Canada, South Korea, USA and Australia to almost no effect. In 2017, her novel Dark Matters was published. She hopes one day to reach a wider audience. Her poetry collections The Butterfly Effect (2005), Cow (2011) Lupa and Lamb (2014) and The Sacking of the Muses (2019) also deal with violence against lesbians and the importance of lesbian culture.She spoke at the FiLiA conference in 2019 on two panels: violence against lesbians and feminist publishing.<a href="https://twitter.com/susanha" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Twitter</a> @susanhaRead<a href="http://www.spinifexpress.com.au/Bookstore/book/id=297/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> Dark Matters</a>Find out more about <a href="http://www.spinifexpress.com.au/Bookstore/author/id=11/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Susan and her work</a><a href="http://www.spinifexpress.com.au/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Spinifex Press Website</a>, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/spinifexpress/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Facebook</a> and <a href="https://twitter.com/spinifexpress" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Twitter</a>

#059 FiLiA meets: Susan Hawthorne

Came Women and Girls Development Organisation (CAWOGIDO) is a community based diaspora organisation dedicated to improving the health and well-being of a variety of people from disadvantaged communities, Black and Minority Ethnic groups, develop their potential and mobilise them to engage effectively in community development and regeneration activities and build their capacities. For this podcast, Margaret, Bernadette and Geraldine join FiLiA in a discussion on breast ironing.From the CAME Website: “Breast ironing is a traditional practice that many Cameroonians do not talk about and nobody wants to work on it but it is secretly taking place. According to a recent study conducted in Cameroon it involves massaging or pressing the breasts of adolescent girls in order to suppress and reverse their development. The rationale is to prevent girls from developing breasts between 11 and 15 years old in the belief that a flat childlike chest will discourage unwanted male attention, rape and premarital pregnancy. Breast ironing is a well-kept secret between the young girl and her mother. Often the father remains completely unaware. The girl believes that what her mother is doing is for her own good and she keeps silent. This silence perpetuates the phenomenon and all of its consequences. Breast ‘ironing’ involves massaging the growing breasts of young girls in order to disappear the breasts, usually by using a stone, a hammer or a spatula that has been heated over coals. Breast ironing is terribly painful and violates a young girl’s physical integrity. Breast ironing exposes girls to numerous health problems such as cancer, abscesses, itching, and discharge of milk, infection, dissymmetry of the breasts, cysts, breast infections, severe fever, tissue damage and even the complete disappearance of one or both breasts. This painful form of mutilation could not only have negative health consequences for the girls, but often proves futile when it comes to deterring teenage sexual activity. Saying that breasts are destroyed is an understatement. Adolescents are traumatised, mutilated. This is a serious damage not only on their physical integrity, but also on their social and psychological well-being. And we must stop it.”CAME Women and Girls WebsiteCAME on FacebookRead more about Breast Ironing

Came Women and Girls Development Organisation (CAWOGIDO) is a community based diaspora organisation dedicated to improving the health and well-being of a variety of people from disadvantaged communities, Black and Minority Ethnic groups, develop their potential and mobilise them to engage effectively in community development and regeneration activities and build their capacities. For this podcast, Margaret, Bernadette and <a href="https://filia.org.uk/new-blog/2019/10/2/geraldine-yenwo" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Geraldine</a> join FiLiA in a discussion on breast ironing.<a href="http://cawogido.co.uk/#Brestironing" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">From the CAME Website</a>: “Breast ironing is a traditional practice that many Cameroonians do not talk about and nobody wants to work on it but it is secretly taking place. According to a recent study conducted in Cameroon it involves massaging or pressing the breasts of adolescent girls in order to suppress and reverse their development. The rationale is to prevent girls from developing breasts between 11 and 15 years old in the belief that a flat childlike chest will discourage unwanted male attention, rape and premarital pregnancy. Breast ironing is a well-kept secret between the young girl and her mother. Often the father remains completely unaware. The girl believes that what her mother is doing is for her own good and she keeps silent. This silence perpetuates the phenomenon and all of its consequences. Breast ‘ironing’ involves massaging the growing breasts of young girls in order to disappear the breasts, usually by using a stone, a hammer or a spatula that has been heated over coals. Breast ironing is terribly painful and violates a young girl’s physical integrity. Breast ironing exposes girls to numerous health problems such as cancer, abscesses, itching, and discharge of milk, infection, dissymmetry of the breasts, cysts, breast infections, severe fever, tissue damage and even the complete disappearance of one or both breasts. This painful form of mutilation could not only have negative health consequences for the girls, but often proves futile when it comes to deterring teenage sexual activity. Saying that breasts are destroyed is an understatement. Adolescents are traumatised, mutilated. This is a serious damage not only on their physical integrity, but also on their social and psychological well-being. And we must stop it.”<a href="http://cawogido.co.uk/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">CAME Women and Girls Website</a>CAME on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/pg/CameWomenAndGirlsDevelopmentOrganisation/about/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Facebook</a><a href="http://cawogido.co.uk/2019/02/04/breast-ironing-the-whole-community-needs-an-education/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Read more about Breast Ironing</a>

#058 FiLiA meets: CAME Women and Girls

Bracha Barad

FiLiA has covered the case of a young British woman who reported being gang raped while staying at a resort in Cyprus, and called on the UK Government to take action. Read our piece Cyprus: trial by porn cultureIn this podcast, FiLiA speaks with feminist activist Bracha Barad, who flew from Israel to Cyprus to show support for the victim. Bracha Barad is a Co-founder and Executive Director of Kulan, an Israeli feminist NGO. She began producing the Tel Aviv Slut Walk in 2016, administration that is part of an international movement against sexual violence and victim blaming. Under her leadership the TLV Slut Walk has become the biggest feminist annual protest in Israel. She is also part of the managing team of the biggest feminist virtual community, Feminist Discourse, and together they founded Kulan, an organization that builds a community of women struggling for social change, and helps sound the voices of women in the field, in the media, and on social networks. Julian Norman joins her in a discussion about the case in Cyprus.Kulan WebsiteFollow Bracha on Twitter and FacebookSign the petition for the Cypriot government to drop all chargesFind out updates about the case on BBC News

FiLiA has covered the case of a young British woman who reported being gang raped while staying at a resort in Cyprus, and called on the UK Government to take action. Read our piece <a href="https://filia.org.uk/news/2020/1/4/cyprus-trial-by-porn-culture" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Cyprus: trial by porn culture</a>In this podcast, FiLiA speaks with feminist activist Bracha Barad, who flew from Israel to Cyprus to show support for the victim. Bracha Barad is a Co-founder and Executive Director of Kulan, an Israeli feminist NGO. She began producing the Tel Aviv Slut Walk in 2016, administration that is part of an international movement against sexual violence and victim blaming. Under her leadership the TLV Slut Walk has become the biggest feminist annual protest in Israel. She is also part of the managing team of the biggest feminist virtual community, Feminist Discourse, and together they founded Kulan, an organization that builds a community of women struggling for social change, and helps sound the voices of women in the field, in the media, and on social networks. Julian Norman joins her in a discussion about the case in Cyprus.<a href="https://www.togetherkulan.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Kulan Website</a>Follow Bracha on <a href="https://twitter.com/baradbracha" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Twitter</a> and<a href="https://www.facebook.com/brachabarad" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> Facebook</a><a href="https://www.change.org/p/drop-all-charges-against-the-alleged-rape-victim-in-cyprus" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Sign the petition </a>for the Cypriot government to drop all chargesFind out updates about the case on<a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/topics/c15dw2ee9x9t/cyprus-rape-case" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> BBC News</a>

#056 FiLiA discusses: Rape Case in Cyprus with Bracha Barad

Hala Aldosari, PhD, Saudi Arabia/USA, is a scholar-activist best known for advocating for women’s rights and protection from violence in Saudi Arabia. Her writing, speaking, and activism focuses on ending the country’s oppressive male-guardianship law and reforming family law. She was part of the protest to end the driving ban in Saudi Arabia; founded Aminah, an online resource center to promote full citizenship rights of Saudi women; and hosted a radio show for women’s rights. Hala’s activism and extensive writing for international media draw from her research on women’s health, women’s rights, and violence against women in Saudi Arabia. Currently, she is at the MIT Center for International Studies (CIS) as its Robert E. Wilhelm Fellow conducting research on successful initiatives of women’s rights in the Arab countries and will use her fellowship to establish an advocacy organization to advance women’s and human rights in Saudi Arabia. Hala was previously a scholar in residence at the Center for Human Rights and Global Justice at New York University, where she examined the intersection of reproductive health and women’s rights in Saudi Arabia. In 2018, she was awarded the Alison Des Forges Award by Human Rights Watch for her extraordinary activism. Hala is part of the steering committee for the Every Woman Treaty to end violence against women and girls. For this podcast, she is joined in conversation with FiLiA’s Sadia Hameed.Find out more about the Every Woman Treaty and Sign

Hala Aldosari, PhD, Saudi Arabia/USA, is a scholar-activist best known for advocating for women’s rights and protection from violence in Saudi Arabia. Her writing, speaking, and activism focuses on ending the country’s oppressive male-guardianship law and reforming family law. She was part of the protest <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dyLEgizwzWc" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">to end the driving ban</a> in Saudi Arabia; founded Aminah, an online resource center to promote full citizenship rights of Saudi women; and hosted a radio show for women’s rights. Hala’s activism and extensive <a href="https://www.foreignaffairs.com/articles/saudi-arabia/2016-08-10/guardians-gender-gap" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">writing for international media</a> draw from her research on women’s health, women’s rights, and violence against women in Saudi Arabia. Currently, she is at the MIT Center for International Studies (CIS) as its Robert E. Wilhelm Fellow conducting research on successful initiatives of women’s rights in the Arab countries and will use her fellowship to establish an advocacy organization to advance women’s and human rights in Saudi Arabia. Hala was previously a scholar in residence at the Center for Human Rights and Global Justice at New York University, where she examined the intersection of reproductive health and women’s rights in Saudi Arabia. In 2018, she was awarded the Alison Des Forges Award by Human Rights Watch for her extraordinary activism. Hala is part of the steering committee for the <a href="https://everywoman.org/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Every Woman Treaty</a> to end violence against women and girls. For this podcast, she is joined in conversation with FiLiA’s Sadia Hameed.<a href="https://everywoman.org/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Find out more about the Every Woman Treaty and Sign</a>

#052 FiLiA meets: Hala Aldosari

Angela C. Wild is a lesbian feminist activist, writer, researcher and a political artist. Her work focuses on promoting uncompromising lesbian visibility, building lesbian culture, fighting for women-only-spaces as well as challenging compulsory heterosexuality, institutionalised femininity, motherhood and pornography.She is a founding member of Get The L Out lesbian activist group and author of Lesbians At Ground Zero the first research on the cotton ceiling.She is a contributor to the radical feminist journal 'Rain and Thunder'. Her work is featured in the 'Archives Recherche Culture Lesbiennes' in Paris. She is currently pursuing a Masters Degree in Women’s Studies.She spoke at the FiLiA conference 2019 on the panel Violence Against Lesbians.Links:Adrienne Rich - Compulsory Heterosexuality and the Lesbian ExistenceAngela C. Wild - A bundle of JoyGet The L Out WebsiteWild Womyn WorkshopFACEBOOKTWITTER

Angela C. Wild is a lesbian feminist activist, writer, researcher and a political artist. Her work focuses on promoting uncompromising lesbian visibility, building lesbian culture, fighting for women-only-spaces as well as challenging compulsory heterosexuality, institutionalised femininity, motherhood and pornography.She is a founding member of Get The L Out lesbian activist group and author of Lesbians At Ground Zero the first research on the cotton ceiling.She is a contributor to the radical feminist journal 'Rain and Thunder'. Her work is featured in the 'Archives Recherche Culture Lesbiennes' in Paris. She is currently pursuing a Masters Degree in Women’s Studies.<a href="https://feminism-in-london.squarespace.com/news/2019/11/9/what-is-the-cotton-ceiling" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">She spoke at the FiLiA conference 2019</a> on the panel <a href="https://filia.org.uk/saturday-19th-oct/2019/5/14/violence-against-lesbians" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Violence Against Lesbians.</a>Links:<a href="https://www.semanticscholar.org/paper/Compulsory-Heterosexuality-and-Lesbian-Existence-Rich/53fe831da4a3bbd8713f4b174c07cbeff96e4230" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Adrienne Rich - Compulsory Heterosexuality and the Lesbian Existence</a><a href="https://angelacwild.wixsite.com/politicalartist/a-bundle-of-joy" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Angela C. Wild - A bundle of Joy</a><a href="http://www.gettheloutuk.com/blog/category/research/lesbians-at-ground-zero.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Get The L Out Website</a><a href="https://www.wildwomynworkshop.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Wild Womyn Workshop</a><a href="https://www.facebook.com/GetTheLOut/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">FACEBOOK</a><a href="https://twitter.com/frenchfem?lang=en" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">TWITTER</a>

#050 FiLiA meets: Angela C Wild

Panel Discussion on SURROGACY - A HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATION, recorded at the Filia Conference 2019DO WE NEED A FEMINIST ANALYSIS OF SURROGACY? THE LAW COMMISSION OF ENGLAND AND WALES AND THE SCOTTISH LAW COMMISSION HAVE BEEN CONDUCTING A PUBLIC CONSULTATION ON PROVISIONAL PROPOSALS FOR REFORM OF THE LAWS GOVERNING SURROGACY IN THE UK. THE CLOSING DATE FOR THE CONSULTATION IS OCTOBER 11, 2019. AFTER REVIEWING ALL RESPONSES, THEY WILL DECIDE ON THEIR FINAL RECOMMENDATIONS FOR LAW REFORM, ACCOMPANIED BY A DRAFT BILL (LEGISLATION) IN 2021.THEIR PROJECT DOES NOT SEEK TO EXAMINE WHETHER OR NOT SURROGACY SHOULD BE ALLOWED. INSTEAD, THE COMMISSIONS’ FIRST PREMISE IS THAT SURROGACY IS AN ACCEPTED FORM OF BUILDING A FAMILY, AS RECOGNISED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND SOCIAL CARE (DHSC). THE DHSC ALREADY RECOGNISES SURROGACY AS A LEGITIMATE FORM OF FAMILY-BUILDING. THEIR FOCUS IN THE PROJECT IS ON IMPROVING HOW SURROGACY OPERATES. THEY BELIEVE THAT WHILE SOCIETY AND ATTITUDES HAVE EVOLVED, THE LAW HAS NOT DONE SO SUFFICIENTLY.THE SPEAKERS ON THIS PANEL - Julie Bindel, Sheela Saravanan, Jennifer Lahl and Renate Klein - CHALLENGE THE COMMISSIONS’ PROPOSITION THAT SURROGACY IS PROGRESSIVE.  THEY DEMONSTRATE THAT WHEN THE FOCUS SHIFTS ONTO A FEMINIST EXAMINATION OF WOMEN, WOMEN’S BODIES AND WOMEN’S HUMAN RIGHTS A DIFFERENT CONCLUSION ABOUT THE POLITICS OF SURROGACY WILL BE REACHED. 

<a href="https://filia.org.uk/sunday-20th-oct/2019/5/30/section-2-button-3" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Panel Discussion on SURROGACY - A HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATION, recorded at the Filia Conference 2019</a> DO WE NEED A FEMINIST ANALYSIS OF SURROGACY? THE LAW COMMISSION OF ENGLAND AND WALES AND THE SCOTTISH LAW COMMISSION HAVE BEEN CONDUCTING A PUBLIC CONSULTATION ON PROVISIONAL PROPOSALS FOR REFORM OF THE LAWS GOVERNING SURROGACY IN THE UK. THE CLOSING DATE FOR THE CONSULTATION IS OCTOBER 11, 2019. AFTER REVIEWING ALL RESPONSES, THEY WILL DECIDE ON THEIR FINAL RECOMMENDATIONS FOR LAW REFORM, ACCOMPANIED BY A DRAFT BILL (LEGISLATION) IN 2021.THEIR PROJECT DOES NOT SEEK TO EXAMINE WHETHER OR NOT SURROGACY SHOULD BE ALLOWED. INSTEAD, THE COMMISSIONS’ FIRST PREMISE IS THAT SURROGACY IS AN ACCEPTED FORM OF BUILDING A FAMILY, AS RECOGNISED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND SOCIAL CARE (DHSC). THE DHSC ALREADY RECOGNISES SURROGACY AS A LEGITIMATE FORM OF FAMILY-BUILDING. THEIR FOCUS IN THE PROJECT IS ON IMPROVING HOW SURROGACY OPERATES. THEY BELIEVE THAT WHILE SOCIETY AND ATTITUDES HAVE EVOLVED, THE LAW HAS NOT DONE SO SUFFICIENTLY.THE SPEAKERS ON THIS PANEL - <a href="https://filia.org.uk/new-blog/2019/8/17/julie-bindel" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Julie Bindel</a>, <a href="https://filia.org.uk/new-blog/2019/8/17/sheela-saravanan" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Sheela Saravanan</a>, <a href="https://filia.org.uk/new-blog/2019/8/17/jennifer-lahl" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Jennifer Lahl</a> and <a href="https://filia.org.uk/new-blog/2019/8/17/renate-klein" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Renate Klein</a> - CHALLENGE THE COMMISSIONS’ PROPOSITION THAT SURROGACY IS PROGRESSIVE.  THEY DEMONSTRATE THAT WHEN THE FOCUS SHIFTS ONTO A FEMINIST EXAMINATION OF WOMEN, WOMEN’S BODIES AND WOMEN’S HUMAN RIGHTS A DIFFERENT CONCLUSION ABOUT THE POLITICS OF SURROGACY WILL BE REACHED.

#049 Surrogacy: A Human Rights Violation - FiLiA Conference 2019

Pragna Patel

Pragna Patel speaking at the FiLiA Conference 2019.SOUTHALL BLACK SISTERS’ ‘BRADFORD CONNECTION’ AND THE POLITICS OF SIMULTANEOUS RESISTANCE: LESSONS FOR CONTEMPORARY FEMINISMSouthall Black Sisters is 40 this year and FiLiA is organising its 6th feminist conference in Bradford. Against this backdrop, Pragna Patel, director of SBS, explores BME women’s experiences and political activism in the context of austerity, rising racism and religious fundamentalism and the attendant patriarchal agenda. She explores the ways in which SBS’s 'Bradford connection' has shaped the organisation's brand of secular, anti-racist and anti-fundamentalist feminism and draws out lessons for contemporary feminism.LINKSSOUTHALL BLACK SISTERSFACEBOOKTWITTER

<a href="https://filia.org.uk/new-blog/2019/8/25/pragna-patel" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Pragna Patel speaking at the FiLiA Conference 2019.</a> SOUTHALL BLACK SISTERS’ ‘BRADFORD CONNECTION’ AND THE POLITICS OF SIMULTANEOUS RESISTANCE: LESSONS FOR CONTEMPORARY FEMINISMSouthall Black Sisters is 40 this year and FiLiA is organising its 6th feminist conference in Bradford. Against this backdrop, Pragna Patel, director of SBS, explores BME women’s experiences and political activism in the context of austerity, rising racism and religious fundamentalism and the attendant patriarchal agenda. She explores the ways in which SBS’s 'Bradford connection' has shaped the organisation's brand of secular, anti-racist and anti-fundamentalist feminism and draws out lessons for contemporary feminism.LINKS<a href="https://southallblacksisters.org.uk/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">SOUTHALL BLACK SISTERS</a> <a href="https://www.facebook.com/Southall.Black.Sisters" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">FACEBOOK</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/SBSisters" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">TWITTER</a>

#047 Pragna Patel -  FiLiA Conference 2019

Fiona Broadfoot

Fiona Broadfoot is a sex trade survivor, having been trafficked into prostitution at the age of 15. Fiona spent 11 years entrenched in the violent world of prostitution. she has since worked to raise awareness of the harm it causes to young people and their families. She was a close friend and fellow campaigner of Irene Ivison, the founder of PACE (formerly known as CROP), and was instrumental in the setting up of CROP in 1996, alongside her own organisation, EXIT, which was formed offer support to women exiting prostitution. Fiona travelled the country with Irene, campaigning, speaking about her own experiences, at conferences and on television, challenging the public and professional perception that young people involved in CSE were ‘prostitutes,’ who had chosen that ‘lifestyle’. Irene sadly, died in 2000, but Fiona had the strength and commitment to carry on the fight, alone. This was at a time when CSE was not recognised as a child abuse issue, but Fiona did not let this deter her.She went on to become involved in training professionals and working with young people at risk of, or being, sexually exploited. She could speak directly to young people, using the credibility given to her by her own personal experience.Fiona has also continued to campaign on the issue of violence against women and girls. She has spoken at many national and international conferences, impressively for the last 3 years at the United Nations in New York and has advised government policy in both Ireland and Scotland. She is a fierce proponent of the Nordic model and is a member of SPACE International (Survivors of Prostitution Abuse Calling for Enlightenment). She is an inspirational communicator, who can change attitudes through the power and passion of her public speaking. She is also selfless in telling her own story, sometimes at much personal cost, to demonstrate the reality of being a victim and survivor of prostitution abuse. She can communicate effortlessly and effectively with victims, survivors, professionals and those in power. She has spent her life combatting sexual abuse and violence.Fiona recently achieved a place on the highly competitive Lloyds School for Social Entrepreneurs and has now started her own social enterprise called the ‘Build a Girl Project’. The Project is firmly based on a survivor led perspective and is deeply committed to supporting and empowering victims and survivors of sexual exploitation and abuse and challenging the normalisation of sexism and misogyny that girls and young women are often faced with and constrained by.For the FiLiA conference in 2019 Fiona will be opening the event, leading the March Against the Sex Trade and chairing a panel on the sex trade.Support Build A Girl HEREBUILD A GIRL TWITTERFIONA BROADFOOT TWITTERBUILD A GIRL FACEBOOK

Fiona Broadfoot is a sex trade survivor, having been trafficked into prostitution at the age of 15. Fiona spent 11 years entrenched in the violent world of prostitution. she has since worked to raise awareness of the harm it causes to young people and their families. She was a close friend and fellow campaigner of Irene Ivison, the founder of PACE (formerly known as CROP), and was instrumental in the setting up of CROP in 1996, alongside her own organisation, EXIT, which was formed offer support to women exiting prostitution. Fiona travelled the country with Irene, campaigning, speaking about her own experiences, at conferences and on television, challenging the public and professional perception that young people involved in CSE were ‘prostitutes,’ who had chosen that ‘lifestyle’. Irene sadly, died in 2000, but Fiona had the strength and commitment to carry on the fight, alone. This was at a time when CSE was not recognised as a child abuse issue, but Fiona did not let this deter her.She went on to become involved in training professionals and working with young people at risk of, or being, sexually exploited. She could speak directly to young people, using the credibility given to her by her own personal experience.Fiona has also continued to campaign on the issue of violence against women and girls. She has spoken at many national and international conferences, impressively for the last 3 years at the United Nations in New York and has advised government policy in both Ireland and Scotland. She is a fierce proponent of the Nordic model and is a member of SPACE International (Survivors of Prostitution Abuse Calling for Enlightenment). She is an inspirational communicator, who can change attitudes through the power and passion of her public speaking. She is also selfless in telling her own story, sometimes at much personal cost, to demonstrate the reality of being a victim and survivor of prostitution abuse. She can communicate effortlessly and effectively with victims, survivors, professionals and those in power. She has spent her life combatting sexual abuse and violence.Fiona recently achieved a place on the highly competitive Lloyds School for Social Entrepreneurs and has now started her own social enterprise called the ‘Build a Girl Project’. The Project is firmly based on a survivor led perspective and is deeply committed to supporting and empowering victims and survivors of sexual exploitation and abuse and challenging the normalisation of sexism and misogyny that girls and young women are often faced with and constrained by.For the <a href="https://filia.org.uk/new-blog/2019/9/28/fiona-broadfoot" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">FiLiA conference in 2019 Fiona</a> will be opening the event, leading the March Against the Sex Trade and chairing a panel on the sex trade.Support Build A Girl <a href="https://www.gofundme.com/build-a-girl-summer-school" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">HERE</a><a href="https://twitter.com/BuildaGirlProj" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">BUILD A GIRL TWITTER</a><a href="https://twitter.com/fiona_broadfoot" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">FIONA BROADFOOT TWITTER</a><a href="https://www.facebook.com/thebuildagirlproject/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">BUILD A GIRL FACEBOOK</a>

#041 FiLiA meets: Fiona Broadfoot

Sammy Woodhouse

Sammy Woodhouse describes her story like this:“I am an author, public speaker, campaigner, fundraiser, consultant &amp; assisting in training throughout the UK. My greatest achievement, I am a mum to 2 beautiful boys. I am also a young woman rebuilding my life after I was groomed and abused mentally, physically and sexually as a child and throughout my adult life.In July 2013, I contacted Andrew Norfolk at The Times newspaper and handed over evidence that proved I was abused and failed by authorities. My story was published, naming the man that abused me, Hussain and the deputy leader of Rotherham council in August 2013. This triggered the Alexis Jay report, which exposed 1,400 children being abused and failed in Rotherham. A police investigation (Operation Clover &amp; Operation Stovewood) was also launched into my abuse and into all non-recent child abuse cases in South Yorkshire making it the biggest investigation in the UK.In February 2016, after testifying in court, Hussain was found guilty and sentenced to 35 years in prison alongside 5 others, for a total of 102 years. Four trials in total under Operation Clover &amp; Thunder, 21 survivors, 20 criminals and a total sentencing of 290 years 6 months.As an award winning campaigner, I have campaigned for improvements around counselling services, better national funding, mandatory education, licensing policies and Sammy’s Law.As a campaigner I am trying to bring awareness and make changes at a national level.”Sammy Woodhouse WebsiteTwitter &amp; FacebookRead Sammy’s book - Just a Child: Britain’s Biggest Child Abuse Scandal Exposed

Sammy Woodhouse describes <a href="https://sammywoodhouse.com/my-story/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">her story</a> like this:“I am an author, public speaker, campaigner, fundraiser, consultant &amp; assisting in training throughout the UK. My greatest achievement, I am a mum to 2 beautiful boys. I am also a young woman rebuilding my life after I was groomed and abused mentally, physically and sexually as a child and throughout my adult life.In July 2013, I contacted Andrew Norfolk at The Times newspaper and handed over evidence that proved I was abused and failed by authorities. My story was published, naming the man that abused me, Hussain and the deputy leader of Rotherham council in August 2013. This triggered the Alexis Jay report, which exposed 1,400 children being abused and failed in Rotherham. A police investigation (Operation Clover &amp; Operation Stovewood) was also launched into my abuse and into all non-recent child abuse cases in South Yorkshire making it the biggest investigation in the UK.In February 2016, after testifying in court, Hussain was found guilty and sentenced to 35 years in prison alongside 5 others, for a total of 102 years. Four trials in total under Operation Clover &amp; Thunder, 21 survivors, 20 criminals and a total sentencing of 290 years 6 months.As an award winning campaigner, I have campaigned for improvements around counselling services, better national funding, mandatory education, licensing policies and Sammy’s Law.As a campaigner I am trying to bring awareness and make changes at a national level.”<a href="https://sammywoodhouse.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Sammy Woodhouse Website</a><a href="https://twitter.com/sammywoodhouse1" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Twitter</a> &amp; <a href="https://www.facebook.com/SammyWoodhouse1985/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Facebook</a>Read Sammy’s book -<a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/1788700074/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_ep_dp_pU9RAb2J20GTR" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> Just a Child: Britain’s Biggest Child Abuse Scandal Exposed</a>

#039 FiLiA meets: Sammy Woodhouse

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