New project in Norfolk helping children troubled by domestic violence

8 April 2008 in Children Parenting, Domestic Violence, Eastern

More than 30 children, some as young as five, have been identified as having anger management issues and problems with domestic violence at home thanks to a groundbreaking Norfolk project to tackle the causes of crime and yobbish behaviour.
Broadland District Council paid £100,000 for research by the University of East Anglia to look into what [...]

Petitions against Hooters opening in Southend and Sheffield

4 April 2008 in Campaign, Eastern, Violence Against Women, Women's Group, Yorkshire and Humberside

Sheffield Fems (http://www.womeninlondon.org.uk/networks/sheffieldfems.htm) are organising a challenge to Hooters’ proposal to open a restaurant in Sheffield and they’ve set up this petition.
We object to the opening of a Hooters Bar/Restaurant in Sheffield.
We believe not only is this bar sexist but that it is tacky and a terrible development for the new Leopold Square.
We believe that [...]

The Lincolnshire Echo is spearheading a campaign to set up a new rape crisis centre

2 April 2008 in Eastern, Rape and Sexual Assault

A £70,000 grant is required from central government to establish the centre which will offer emotional support, forensic tests and medical treatment for victims of sexual assault and rape.
The Echo’s Action on Rape campaign has the backing of local police but Echo editor Jon Grubb said the paper was struggling to get the local health [...]

The invisibles – women forced into marriage against their will

18 March 2008 in Eastern, Violence Against Women, Women's Group

Each year, it is believed, thousands of young British Asian women are forced into marriages against their will. Those who resist face ostracism – or far worse. So why, do we hear so little about them?
The All Women’s Centre in Luton is a small brick building set back from the main road. They like it [...]

Study claims ‘4,000 forced marriages in UK every year’

14 March 2008 in Eastern, Violence Against Women

The number of women forced into marriage per year in the UK could be as high as 4,000, a study has claimed. Previous government estimates stated the figure stood at around 300 but a new report published today claims the official number is dramatically higher.
The study carried out by Dr Nazia Khanum and set up [...]

Peterborough has seen the highest number of domestic violence incidents recorded during a countywide three-week police operation.

4 March 2008 in Domestic Violence, Eastern, Women's Group

New figures from the police’s Christmas campaign reveal 276 of the 721 incidents recorded across the whole force took place in Peterborough.
Police officers in the city also arrested 58 people as part of the campaign against domestic violence, which also took place over new year and saw specialist patrol cars operating in each of the [...]

Domestic violence: culture change needed in Suffolk

4 March 2008 in Domestic Violence, Eastern, Women's Group

Suffolk needs a culture change in how it approaches the issue of domestic violence in the wake of the murder of tragic tot Luigi Askew, a charity worker said today.
The four-week-old baby’s death and abuse against his young mother was a reminder of the dangers women faced from abusive partners, according to Ipswich Women’s Aid.
The [...]

Mothers are to be given new powers to check whether people who have access to their children have convictions for paedophile offences.

20 February 2008 in Eastern, Midlands West, North East, Rape and Sexual Assault, South East

* Jacqui Smith, the Home Secretary, said women would be able to ask police whether potential boyfriends had child sex convictions.
* The proposal is being hailed as a move towards “Megan’s Law”, which allows for the disclosure of sex offenders’ names in the United States.
* The scheme will be run on a trial basis this [...]

Sex trafficking victims rescued (Bedfordshire)

8 February 2008 in Eastern, Prostitution, Trafficking

Three victims of the sex trafficking trade have been rescued from brothels in Bedfordshire during a series of police raids over the last three weeks.
Officers raided five houses in Luton and one in Bedford in a covert operation code-named Pentameter 2, targeting sex trafficking in the UK. Six brothels were closed in the raids, [...]