challenging institutional disbelief around domestic & sexual violence and abuse
I wish to share a tiny moral victory with you that has been inspired by you. I saw the biscuits shown in this image, and as you can see, it has the word ‘slut’ where a heart usually appears (on respectful Jammy Dodgers by, for example, made by Burton’s Biscuits). I tweeted the company involved, more »
I recently read Kate Atkinson’s Life After Life and loved it. I loved it almost as much as I hated it. I loved it for the characters, the narrative, the way she has used her words. I hated it because I cried for two straight days after reading it and it took me to a more »
How come a woman can be raped, beaten, humiliated, branded, tormented, stalked and harassed by evil and when they finally confide in someone and begin to trust they are betrayed and shamed? Their darkest most intrusive shames are told to everyone, so everyone knows what she is, what she suffered? How is that fair? She’s more »
[Added by Admin – we have heavily redact this piece in agreement with the original poster due to it containing information that could be used to identify individuals] I have agonised over whether to add to this. I really do understand the need for campaigning & activism. For decades I tied to get [redacted] police more »
“I know it wasn’t my fault,” I told my counsellor last summer. “It was his; he was the one who did it… At least it was only me he got.” This was my reaction to being raped a second time. At least it was only me. I couldn’t quite understand why she was so upset more »
Last year I went out with a friend of mine and have lived to regret it so much I find it hard to live. Before this he and I were as close as siblings, our families have known each other for years, my great-grandfather and his great-grandfather were best friends, etc. Because of this we more »
I couldn’t think of a polite title for this piece, so angry am I at the attitude of West Midlands Police regarding the voicemail inadvertently left on a victim’s mobile phone following her reporting an incident of domestic abuse. In case you missed it, two West Midlands Police officers left a voicemail describing a woman more »
I was sexually assaulted by an uncle age 4. I didn’t understand what had happened and when injuries to my vaginal area became apparent, I learned to keep quiet. My mother became angry which further silenced me as I didn’t understand what I had done. At the age of 22 I broke down and the more »
There seems to be this myth roaming around that we are readily believed when we tell someone we’re raped. I’m called a liar, I’m heavily questioned, I’m asked what I did wrong, and I’m shamed. Someone invades my body again, and again, and again, and all I can think of are the responses from my more »
My husband, the father of my daughter, chased my daughter down our driveway in his truck. He nudged her with the truck. I lived in DV along with my children for 19 years. Had called the police and had him arrested several times. I had tried before to leave with the help of the local more »