without any opposition.
A young woman on a train | should bedone. 1o Paddington was savagely tracks. She is still lying in a West London hospital.
With cases like this reported in the press virtually every day. it is not surpnsing that the issues of rape and violence against women will be a major discussion at the Women's Liberation Conference this year.
It is generally accepted that Violence against women Increasing. In the contest of an acute social crisis when forms of violence are on the SINTEC Many women have seen the need for a seventh demand for the womens" movement on the question of rape and violence against women. Most women are agreed on the need for such demand. But different approaches for action have been suggested in the wide-ranging discussion about what IF YOU HAVE BEEN RAPED OR SENUALLY ASSALI TED How can the Kape Crisis Centre help you?
The Rape Crisis Centre Is willing to talk to any woman who has heen sexually assaulied or raped, abour anything. ar ans time of the day or night. Our free contidential. We can give you:
emergency an-going ahoto: ANGELA PHILLIPS (FL support.
informalid ahout FD clinics, doctors and medical information about police. court and legal procedures. — we can accompany you to a clinic. police station or count. If you need senscone to talk to, or medical or legal help, phone the Rape, Crisis Centre on 01-340 6145.
WOMEN Against Rape's Lasting Harm A WOMAN in Shepherd's Bush, London, was held prisoner overnight by a violent rapist. When she ran into a betting shop the following morning screaming for help, her cries were ignored and the man was able to drag her out of the shop and rape her again One response has been that a large number of sympathise I BE THE BENCHECTER for rapists. There are problems with this approach, Above all, as socialists, we do not wish to be associated with that seem to lend credibility to the bourgeois courts as the way solving the crime, whether the criminals be rapists, "muggers' beaters.
This is not only because we understand the origin of these crimes in class society. certainly not thar we think, because they are largely by working people, that they are somchow more foreivable than crintes DEMAND P AN ENS ТО КАГЕ and AND TO committed by the bosses or the stale.
In many ways they are less forgivable. In so far as they are crimes committed within the working class, they split and divide that class and hinder the development working class women bourgeoisic. calls for Of course, we should not accept 100 media's biased reporting. The popular press loves to exploit the racist and sexist fears of the Getan di threatening "our" women, and so routinely problem of every case involving blacks.
or wife The main reason we cannot call on the courts to solve these crimes is defence of the status que, they I is themselves racist: The courts committed actually class kind of crimes.
implement the law they generally do so in a ticis! sexist and anti working manner thai divide us from cach other still more rescarch that has bees done In practical into the penal system in otber areas of suggest that longer sentences do not tend to act as deterrents from crimes of violence.
However judges and magistrates make blalantly sexist judge ments to ne office, as with MeKinnon after his racist demandine that a woman's sexual history should not be brought up as evidence in rape cases, the emphasis is different than in calling for sentences.
Here the airn is to expose the rea bias of the couris against 'objectivity"
MODICT MEANS TREMESSEE they choose to go to law. this -CONICA. usefully look at other areas of the lane thar needs changing. not hecanse we see a solution to rape and violence lying in such changes but to expose their offensaveness WAR describes the - the psychological difficult stands at the crous ways that OSSED OLEN they of a smiled Other movement De recognised in law:
unthinkingly the movement the ghetto country.
sensationalises because in their are sexist and should will seck to prevent these and when they white vigilante will they class WOUNDS Violence.
In any case.
law tends to situation the in calling for who perhaps the most removed froc women themseives. judgement, to male violenoe.
higher when they And to defend that most errined to even In kick them Can schools that part traiting towards defend ADINCLI Dans solutions 'against our will', which would take into account the numManens y forced into sexual liaisons pressure feel unable to refuse. suggestions (66"%%) demanding that the possibility 508(8341)
In the United Stares, a Isome (56%)
towards vigilante tactics developed among fem- (8246) inists, and some women have suggested that they would like Force (8546) to see similar activities in this (715)
While emphasising thal it i fundamentally important that women icarm sell defence and in local areas, where kerh CUTLE SLASHHE ARE demand it, women -THIS groups protect theinselves → it is vital that women to do not allow themseives to be lined up with who altack blacks on the basis that 'muggers', and i utterly counterproductive for women to find themseives in jail for crimes of this is more likely to rouse further attacks on women than areborate the discussions that followed the workshop at th in January it was felt that way to approach the problem is from the point of view of and bow capable they are of responding Most women are not able to The three handle thereives adequately. because they are not trained to movement?
through physical education or by lighting in the alternative playground is canarca. nen attack women, often depend upon the fact these aims?
women are discuss on the shins.
We must insist that giris in receive same physical education as boys and of their physical should he geared teaching thenn theniselves. Local directly written, without being over emotional. However. problem is that it does not offer Tor and financial cach other. men. Should organise for their sen chai women and it details thre concern for women evidenood by the courts -rape financial suggest the pamphlet does that all violence women can be their lack of ignore the complexity of the situation. is even worse than the kind of Violence economism which says that the problem of women's liberation lies in equal pay or SUMULLE DID YOU KNOW HE SON ARE RAPED IT IS LIKELY You will know your attacker He will live in the same area as You will he raped in his or your He will have planned the rape He will use some degree of He will we healing or choking and violence: in advertising and the media, where a fiew of women as the passive objects fosters attitades that lead to violence and rape; the violent and often change.
Ladywood Girls School, Freeth Street, Ladywood main areas How do we oppress cach other within the women's Existing campaigns forms of organisation and How do we come together to organise to achieve It is hoped that women will stay in the same groups to all these areas Registration - fee: Ог Cheques (crossed) and P.O's only no cash, payable to National Women's Liberation Conference 1978. Send to Women's Centre, 76 Brighton Road, Balsall Heath, Birmingham B12 Please try and register in advance enclosing SAE.
It overlooks the ideological oppression of women and the many ways in which women men are taught to view MISLEADING It is one thing to say - that gaLl independence BuT 115 Bute another maintain that they will be free from ail the oppression that they suffer by a few pounds in their pockets, And it is particu larly misleading to imply that this will free women from the that thes meet everywhere in their daily lives.
The violence of men's atritudes I gave it to ber last nighr", the violence on the adequale care, counselling and help lot women who have beer raped, through ceatres run by control. Finally, there is a need for an all-out assault on the myths that are current about rape; such as that rape is dee lo mens sudden and uncontrollable urges, or the result of provocason on taeDare Most rapes are planned and most take place ar One of the great gains of the women's movement has been that by fostering a sense of sisterhood and shared expericnos, many warnen have gained the confidence lo speak out against the violence that haunts the whole of their live Through developing this and building on it we can gain the strength to force society to of discussion will be:
- their effectiveness and activity, during the conference.
£1.50 for claimants. street and at bone, in the attirude to themselves Women will not be given their liberation by hand outs from the State. They will have to right and wit that liberation Tor themselves Women organising togetbe can gain the individual and collective strength to ensure that their demands do not go 'unanswered, their ORD homes and in society as whole. The pamphlet begins by demonstrating this clearly, but scents to back down at the end Women At W.A.R.. price 50p plus 10p p&p is arailable from:
Falling Wall Press Lid, 79 Kd, Möntpelier, Hristol.