News from our community - August 2024

Thrivin’ Together

Save the Date! Thursday 7 November 2024 12:00 to 1:30pm 

Women & Gambling Webinar and Community Report Launch

 

In 2023 thrivin’ together held a number of focus groups with women with lived experience of gambling. Topics included relationships, barriers to support, finances, health and helped us identify themes and actions to help thrivin’ shape support and activities moving forwards. Thanks to a grant from ROSA and support from the Community Fund we will be hosting a webinar on what came out of those groups and what actions we’ve taken. Put the date in your diary and register your details to allow us to send on a link nearer the time. 

www.thrivintogether.org.uk

[email protected]

Southall Black Sisters

Demands for the Prime Minister to tackle the root causes of far-right riots 
Led by Southall Black Sisters, 65 third sector organisations in the violence against women 
and girls, anti-racist and migrants’ rights sectors have signed a list of 12 demands
addressed to the Prime Minister to respond to the far-right riots following the murderous 
violence in Southport. Through the list of demands, the organisations urge Sir Keir 
Starmer’s government to tackle the root causes of far-right riots and to implement urgent 
safeguarding measures to protect Black, minoritised and migrant communities under 
threat. Demands include ending the hostile environment, addressing institutional racism 
within policing, rejecting the alarmist rhetoric around immigration, and referring sitting 
MPs who make racist comments to the parliamentary Standards Committee. The list of 
demands follows the joint statement of resistance coordinated by Southall Black Sisters 
signed up to by over 60 signatories.
On Tuesday, 20th August, the leaders of Southall Black Sisters, Women for Refugee 
Women, Latin American Women’s Rights Service, Safety4Sisters and Imkaan handed in the 
list of 12 demands on behalf of the 65 signatories to 10 Downing Street. The hand in was 
covered by Channel 4 News for their 7pm broadcast on 20th August with Selma Taha, 
Executive Director, Southall Black Sisters, providing a comment. 

The KingsCross3 highlight institutional racism in the criminal justice system and demand 
answers for the racist charges pursued against them - in conversation with Channel 4 
News
Selma Taha, Danae Thomas and Divina Riggon - the KingsCross3 - met with Symeon Brown, 
Correspondent, Channel 4 News to discuss the impact of the racist charges pursued 
against them by the Crown Prosecution Service following a vicious physical and verbal 
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racist attack on them while on the London Underground. Highlighting the institutional 
racism in the criminal justice system, the KingsCross3 demanded justice for the ordeal 
they’ve had to endure, beginning with an apology from the Met police, British Transport 
Police and the Crown Prosecution Service and answers for why the charges were brought 
in the first place. The feature is part of a Channel 4 News series on the criminalisation of 
Black and Brown activists and can be watched online.
The interview follows our latest statement on the case dated 10th July, the first day of trial 
and on which all the racist charges against the KingsCross3 were finally dropped. The 
KingsCross3 are continuing to call for justice for themselves through a change.org petition
and are also raising awareness about the need for wider institutional reform beginning 
with an acceptance of the findings of the Casey Report from the top-down by the Met 
police and improved data transparency across criminal justice outcomes along protected 
characteristics to identify disproportionality. You can contribute to the campaign by 
signing the petition, contributing to our crowdfunder, and amplifying our asks on social 
media.

Selma Taha, Executive Director, Southall Black Sisters speaks to the Morning Star about 
Met police failings
Selma Taha, Executive Director, Southall Black Sisters spoke to the Morning Star about Met 
police failings including on violence against women and girls for a story around findings of 
Met failures across almost all work areas by a damning report published by the police 
inspectorate. Focusing on the institutional culture of misogyny and racism within the Met 
police as found thirty years ago by the Macpherson Report following the murder of 
Stephen Lawence and a year ago by the Casey Report, Selma spoke of the disproportionate 
impact of police failures on Black, minoritised and migrant women. In particular, Selma 
highlighted the “rampant disbelief in Black, minoritised and migrant women’s accounts of 
the horrific abuse they endure, a reproduction of racist tropes in policing responses and a 
failure to institute safe reporting mechanisms to encourage victim-survivors with the least 
state protections to come forward” as manifestations of the institutional culture within 
the Met.

Empower, Not Oppress: Public Meeting on Institutional Racism within the Criminal 
Justice System, 18th September (Wed), 6.30pm onwards, Conway Hall
Southall Black Sisters are organising a public meeting on Wed, 18th September, 6.30pm 
onwards at Conway Hall to raise awareness about Black women’s experiences of 
institutional racism in the criminal justice system and the duality of over-policing and 
under-protection they are subjected to.
The public meeting follows on from the case against Selma Taha, Danae Thomas and Divina 
Riggon - the KingsCross3 - exposing the depth of the issue of Black women being 
disbelieved and criminalised when they resist abuse. There is an urgent need to demand 
accountability from the criminal justice system, in the KingsCross3’s case as also in 
response to the historically persistent pattern of disparate criminal justice outcomes for 
Black, minoritised and migrant communities. This public meeting is intended to be a 
collective call to action.
Speakers include Bell Ribeiro-Addy MP (Labour MP for Clapham and Brixton Hill), Andy 
George (President, National Black Police Association), Selma Taha (Executive Director, 
Southall Black Sisters), Rajiv Menon KC (Joint Head, Garden Court Chambers), Sarah Ricca 
(Partner, Deighton Pierce Glynn), Symeon Brown (Correspondent, Channel 4 News) and 
Melissa Sigodo (Community Reporter, Daily Mirror). Join us from 6.30pm onwards for a 
7pm meeting start, with a reception to follow. Register on Eventbrite. For more 
information on the KingsCross3’s case, read our latest statement.

National Council of Women 

Tuesday 24th September - 12.30 to 2.00pm Online
 
'Environmenstural' - Reducing plastics in period products
 
Join the National Council of Women Great Britain in conjunction with the Women’s Environmental Network for a free on-line talk.  Helen Lynn, WEN’s Campaign Manager for their project Environmenstural, will inspire us with details of their work driving for a reduction of plastic use in period products.  Learn about sustainable alternatives and how you can make a positive impact on the environment.  Don’t miss out on this important conversation!
Helen will be accompanied by special guests.  A member of Soroptimists International Great Britain and Northern Ireland will talk about their period pants project; and NCW’s Sheila Petersen will tell us about the project she co-founded to create cotton reuseable period products for women and girls in developing countries.

Josei.co.uk 

At the Women's financial Literacy and Empowerment Hub, our mission is to create a movement to inspire and support women on their journey towards financial independence and holistic empowerment well-being whilst closing the gender inequity gap in financial literacy with self confidence, awareness and knowledge. We believe that financial empowerment is a crucial aspect of overall wellness and empowerment, and we are dedicated to providing resources, education and a supportive community to help women achieve their financial goals and lead fulfilinng empowered high value lives. 

Josei.co.uk blog post linked below

10 Essential Ways Every Woman can become High Value (josei.co.uk)

Tambu Ayis Support Service 

EmpowerHer Workshop: Starting September 2024 
 
We are pleased to announce the upcoming EmpowerHer Workshop, starting on Friday, 27th September 2024. This 10-week program will take place every Friday from 11:00 am to 1:00 pm at Charterhouse Road/Amhurst Road Community Centre, 57 Charterhouse Road, Hackney, E8 2RE.
 
Our EmpowerHer Workshop is designed to support African and Caribbean women who have experienced gender-based violence, trauma, or domestic abuse. The sessions include:
 
1. Embracing Self-Care
2. Stress Management and Resilience
3. Healthy Relationships and Boundaries
4. Nutrition and Physical Health
5. Cultural Empowerment and Identity
6. Mind-Body Connection
7. Financial Well-being
8. Building Supportive Networks
9. Coping with Trauma and Healing
10. Personal Growth and Goal Setting
 
To ensure that each participant receives the support they need, registration is required prior to the start of the workshops. This will allow us to assess your specific wants and needs from the program.
 
Please register early to secure your spot. For more details and to register, visit our website or contact us directly. We look forward to embarking on this journey of empowerment and healing with you.

Survivors’ Network

Change The Culture training dates are now live 

  • An Introduction to Supporting Survivors of Sexual Violence. - Fri, 27 Sep 2024 09:30 – 13:00 This course is intended to offer an introductory understanding of sexual violence and its impacts and provides a good foundation for further learning. You can sign up HERE.
  • “Pre-trial” Therapy Conditions - Fri, 4 Oct 2024 10:00 – 16:00 Ideal for therapists or practitioners whose clients are likely to be involved in the criminal justice system to upskill in this careful area of work. You can sign up HERE.
  • Self-care in Trauma Exposed Roles - Fri, 11 Oct 2024 09:30 – 13:00 This training is for anyone wanting to learn how those in helping roles might face experiences such as burnout or vicarious trauma and considers ways to mitigate and manage the impact of stress using self-care strategies.  You can sign up HERE.
  • Responding to First Disclosures - Tue, 15 Oct 2024 09:30 – 13:00Ideal for people working directly with the public, who may at some point be the person that a survivor of sexual assault first talks to about their assault or abuse. You can sign up HERE.
  • Supporting Survivors: Understanding the Criminal Justice Process - Tue, 22 Oct 2024 09:30 – 13:00The course is for anyone wanting to learn more about the way in which the systems in place respond to survivors of rape and sexual assault, and how these crimes may be dealt with. You can sign up HERE.

We have also launched a Substack for our blogs and opinion pieces - If you are on the platform, give us a follow! Survivors' Network | Survivors Network | Substack

Advance 

Throughout June and July, Advance hosted our inaugural Lunch & Learn series of events to engage and empower local communities in addressing issues facing women. This year, our sessions focussed on the relationship between domestic abuse and women’s contact with the criminal justice system. In 2023, at least 7 in 10 of the women supported by Advance’s Criminal Justice services disclosed that they were survivors of abuse, and we suspect the actual figure to be higher. Our community-based events were held within our women’s centres and local venues across London and the South-east, reaching local leaders, change-makers and organisations to deepen the understanding of women’s experiences of abuse and trauma, and the impact on their offending. 
Sign up to our newsletter to hear about future events.
 
If you would like to join Advance in supporting women and girls to live safe, just and equal lives, then visit Work with us - Advance Charity to see our career opportunities.

Refugee Women

At Women for Refugee Women, we support women who have fled persecution including rape, gender-based violence, domestic violence, forced marriage, female-genital cutting, sexual violence, torture and trafficking to rebuild their lives on their own terms.
 
Our vision is a world where women no longer need to seek asylum because they are safe from persecution and have equal power and access to opportunities.

Follow the link below to read a news piece featuring refugee women from our network

“Is anywhere in the world safe?”: Asylum seeking women on far-right riots | The Lead

You My Sister

Recovery after Domestic Abuse - Taking Referrals Now
You My Sister is taking referrals now to support the mental health of women in London who have experienced domestic abuse.
 
 
Client Referrals
If you would like to refer a client, please download this form
Women can also self refer by contacting us direct at [email protected] 
Read more about our programme here
Or email us at [email protected] 
 
 
Our Impact
Our high impact support takes the form of short courses, run in small online groups of peers with trainers with lived experience – helping women process what happened to them and reclaim their lives.
Services across the UK already routinely refer clients to us to support women while waiting up to 18 months for formal therapies.
 

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