Do Something! UK Action

Find out about some of the many UK campaigns that SERICC organises and supports:

International Women's Day - Join me on the Bridge 2012

International Women's Day - www.internationalwomensday.com - is fast approaching, which means it's time for Join me on the Bridge 2012.

60 Second Introduction to Join Me on the Bridge:

Join me on the Bridge started in 2010 when the country directors of Women for Women's programmes in Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo joined together on the bridge connecting their two countries, showing that they could build bridges of peace and hope for the future. Thousands of women all over the world echoed this action and in 2011, 75,000 people joined the campaign. There were 464 events in 70 countries and on six continents.

Join me on the Bridge is in its third year now and this year promises to be its biggest year yet. The event is on 8 March and begins on the Millennium Bridge at 10:30. For more information and for a complete run down of the days events please visit: joinmeonthebridge.org

Challenging 'sex object culture'

Following the Bailey Review on the Commercialisation and Sexualisation of Childhood earlier this year, the Coalition announced plans to tackle this problem including:

• an opt-in to block internet porn for new customers of TalkTalk, BT, Sky, Virgin and a child protection app for smartphones;
• the new ParentPort website - www.parentport.org.uk - for parents to complain about products, ads or services;
• guidelines restricting outdoor ads with sexual images near schools, and a voluntary ban on ads near schools for lap-dancing clubs.

Facebook is currently supporting this initiative... the same Facebook that is refusing to take down pages promoting rape. Please follow this link to sign a petition demanding Facebook remove pages that promote sexual violence.

There are several campaigns regarding the sexualisation of women and girls in the media. To watch a short video please visit: vimeo.com/28066212.

To find out about other UK campaigns and to get involved go to: www.object.org.uk.

Justice for Jane campaign

Jane was murdered by her ex-partner as she was going to testify in Court on Nine counts of rape and sexual assault.

Her family are trying to get a change to the Bail Act whereby decisions by Judges may be challenged when the Defendant is violent. It is the belief that if the judge had not granted bail Jane would be alive today.

For more information go to: www.justiceforjane.co.uk

You can sign the online petition at: www.justiceforjane.co.uk/petition.html

This Is Abuse - abuse in relationships

Relationship abuse can happen to anyone. It involves more than physical violence, it can be when someone puts you down, threatens you or forces you to do something you don't want to. Find out more about how to spot the signs, have your say on the issue and seek help on the This Is Abuse website.

Visit: thisisabuse.direct.gov.uk

'Stop Rape' poster campaign

Rape Crisis Scotland has adapted an apt and popular revision of the traditional approach to rape prevention in a new poster and postcard campaign. It is hoped this will help to highlight the unhelpfulness of the most common approach to rape campaigns, which tend to focus on the steps women could and should take to protect ourselves from rape.

It is time to start asking the question: why aren't prevention campaigns targetted at the perpetrators and potential perpetrators of rape?

You can download download high resolution PDFs of the poster and postcards: www.rapecrisisscotland.org.uk

NotEver.co.uk

Not Ever is a campaign tackling the prevalence of victim blaming and the suggestion that women desire and incite sexual violence. No woman asks to be raped - ever.

Question: When is a skirt more than a skirt?

Answer: If it's short enough - or sheer enough - or shiny enough - a skirt can also be a signal and incitement to rape, according to a significant minority of people in this country. In the context of sexual violence, aspects of women's appearance are frequently cited as indications that they were "asking for it".
This sounds ridiculous - because it is.

A culture of woman-blaming persists, as many independent sources show. The changes that need to take place are not in our fitting rooms but in the mindsets of those who continue to hold prejudicial attitudes and cling to the notion that women should abide by some "appropriate" code of behaviour - or be held responsible for "the consequences".

For more information, visit: notever.co.uk

Rape. Sexual assault. Let's STOP blaming the victim.

This campaign asks us all to challenge the endemic culture of victim blame. Stop blaming the victim for rape and sexual assault committed against her. Stop handing the rapist - the assailant - excuses that serve to make his behaviour more socially acceptable. Rape is a crime in every sense of the word - emotional, physical, psychological and legal; the most intimate violation imaginable. No woman is ever 'asking for it'.

Rape. Sexual assault. There is NO excuse. Let's stop blaming the victim.

For more information, visit: www.stopblame.org

Campaigns & Fundraising - Rape Crisis Scotland

Rape Crisis Scotland believes in taking action to change attitudes and to improve services for those who have been raped or sexually assaulted.

You can take action too by supporting their campaigns, making a donation or volunteering.

For more information, visit www.rapecrisisscotland.org.uk/campaigns

Million Women Rise

The Million Women Rise Coalition is a diverse group of individual women and women representatives from the Voluntary and Community Sector who are united by our outrage at the continued daily, hourly, minute-by-minute individual and institutionalised male violence enacted against women worldwide.

The Coalition believse that every woman and child has a right to live free from violence and that ongoing violence devastates not only the lives of the individuals directly affected but also the communities of which they are part. We have come together to organise a national demonstration against violence against women.

The Coalition has no formal or informal links to any particular or specific feminist or political networks. The Coalition is not partisan and brings together women who want to highlight the continuation of all forms of violence against women and demand that steps are taken to put an end to this.

For more information, visit: www.millionwomenrise.com

Truth About Rape

Truth About Rape is a a group of women who are committed to making a difference to how society understands rape. The group comes from many backgrounds and has a diversity of different skills and energies. Most are juggling some combination of domestic responsibilities, work, studies, activism - and often much more - meeting in small groups, working hard on the issues, and taking time to be friends to each other.

For more information visit: www.truthaboutrape.co.uk

I-AM-AN-ACTIVIST

"I Am An Activist"

Anita Roddick said, "This is no dress rehearsal. You've got one life, so just lead it and try and be remarkable."

Visit www.iamanactivist.org and www.anitaroddick.com to find out about campaigns you can get involved with.

White Ribbon Campaign

The White Ribbon Campaign UK is the UK branch of the global campaign to ensure men take more responsibility for reducing the level of violence against women.

For more information, visit: www.whiteribboncampaign.co.uk

Take Back The Tech!

"Take Back The Tech!" is initiated and organised by the Association for Progressive Communications, Women's Networking Support Programme (APC WNSP).

They are a global network of women who support women networking for social change and women's empowerment, through the use of information and communication technologies (ICTs).

They promote gender equality in the design, development, implementation, access to and use of ICTs, and in the policy decisions and frameworks that regulate them.

For campaign information, visit: www.takebackthetech.net

Lesbian Gay Bisexual Trans (LGBT) History Month

Celebrate LGBT History month. February of each year has been set aside in the UK to mark and celebrate the lives and achievements of Lesbian, Gay Bisexual and Trans people. LGBT History Month is an opportunity for everyone to learn more about the histories of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people in Britain and Northern Ireland.

Until recently, most LGBT people preferred to avoid attention. Many still do. Even today, the penalties for those who refuse to conceal themselves, or fail to do so, can be severe. They can range from ostracism and victimisation to assault and even murder.

For more information, visit: www.lgbthistorymonth.org.uk