> >Clare Short - A number of feminist groups are responding to the Sun
> >newspaper's hate campaign against Clare Short.
> >
> >http://media.guardian.co.uk/presspublishing/story/0,7495,1122906,00.html
> >
> >She had expressed her regrets that her 1980s Bill to ban 'page 3' failed
> >and has since faced tabloid abuse. We are pleased to note that the
> >'Soar-away' Sun's sales continue to plummet despite all this!!
> >
> >Why not send her a message of support via
> >
> >shortc@...
> >
> >
> >
> >Burton's Hit-a- Women Toy - The campaign group 'Object'
> >(http://www.object.org.uk) have informed of this disgusting 'toy' for
> >'men':
> >
> >
> >'Hit me, I squeal with pleasure'. A dartboard in the shape of a woman,
> >breasts as targets, is now available in Burton's menswear stores.
> >
> >Raise your concerns with your MP. Copy the message below, go to
> >http://www.faxyourmp.com
> >
> >and follow instructions to have it sent direct to your MP
> >
> >Patricia Hewitt (minister for women)
> >hewittph@...
> >
> >
> >Burton's
> >
> >customer.service@...
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >Model letter
> >I am extremely concerned that Burton's menswear store is stocking a 'hit
a
> >woman' dart board game. The torso of a woman, breasts as targets who
> >squeals with pleasure when hit.
> >
> >This game is totally unacceptable, especially given that violence against
> >women is endemic in our society. 1 in 4 women suffer domestic violence; a
> >conservative estimate suggests 1 in 10 women are raped; 40-50% are
sexually
> >harassed at work; one estimate suggests 70% of young women are harassed
in
> >the streets.
> >
> >Indeed, this game makes a mockery of all government efforts to make
> >violence against women be seen as a serious offence.
> >
> >It perfectly exemplifies why legislation for gender hate crimes (akin to
> >race hate crimes) is urgently needed and why corporate social
> >responsibility (including that for the media) has to be introduced.
> >
> >Given that no such protection exist, I would like to know what can be
done
> >to challenge the sale of this toy and prevent sim ilar games from being
> >produced and sold in this country in future? I do not believe in
> >'censorship' except where circumstances warrant it. This is one of them.
I
> >am quite sure there would be immediate action against a game which
> >portrayed a black man as a dart target, coaxing violence in similarly
> >racist jargon.
> >
> >
> >Petition for Women in Iraq - please sign, send and forward to:
> >
> >The Rt. Hon. Tony Blair MP
> >
> >The Prime Minster
> >
> >10 Downing Street
> >
> >London SW1A 2AA
> >
> >Dear Tony Blair
> >
> >Hundreds of Iraqi women, amongst them a woman minister, were on the
streets
> >of Baghdad this week, protesting against the decision by 11 votes to 25
> >(not a majority) of the Iraqi Governing Council (IGC) to repeal all the
> >secular achievements that Iraqi women have achieved in the last fifty
years
> >in one stroke. The old civil laws will be abandoned. Instead, marriage,
> >divorce, custody, and child support, inheritance and all other aspects of
> >family law will be dealt with by Islamic Sharia courts each according to
> >his/her sect, thus leaving women at the mercy of Mullahs and biased male
> >judges. It will be introduced in the new Iraq family law known as
personal
> >status law.
> >
> >This is a giant leap backwards.
> >
> >The Women's International League for Peace and Freedom (UK) support the
> >protest by Iraqi women's organisations inside and outside Iraq concerning
> >this decision.
> >
> >I ask that you, believing in the "universality and inalienability of
> >women's rights" support the women of Iraq in their plea for equality,
> >freedom, justice and protection from violence which they will be deprived
> >of should Iraq, like Iran, impose a strict and discriminatory
> >interpretation of Islamic Law. Please use you influence to prevent this
> >retrograde step.
> >
> >To be free of Saddam Hussein is not enough. Human Rights are also
Women's'
> >Rights. What is the UK Government's position? Where is its ethical
foreign
> >policy if it remains silent now? This was not a democratic vote and the
IGC
> >was not freely elected but appointed by the Coalition. It is not a
> >legitimate representative of the Iraqi people and is not therefore
> >qualified or authorised by the Iraqi people to take any decisions that
are
> >going to affect the future of Iraq.
> >
> >I look forward to receiving your reply.
> >
> >Yours sincerely
> >
> >Insert name & address.
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >Truth About Rape
> >c/o CER
> >The Pankhurst Centre
> >Department 5
> >60-62 Nelson Street
> >Manchester M13 9WP
> >www.truthaboutrape.co.uk