News and Debate

Registered  Office; 1 Prime Parkway, Prime Enterprise Park, Derby DE1 3QB 
Press & Admin 35a Esplanade Road Scarborough North Yorkshire YO11 2AT
Help Line 0800 783 2980     Press & admin  01723 367251
email trf@roofie.org.uk  Web site http://www.roofie.com

1.0 What is Drug Related Sexual Assault?

Media attention has recently highlighted the use of drugs to incapacitate victims who are then raped or sexually assaulted. Dramatic programmes such as Brookside, Coronation Street and Holtby City, in addition to many documentary programmes, have highlighted the dangers but unfortunately have also created and fed some myths that are already commonly believed about this offence.

In the experience of the Roofie Foundation many police officers and investigators as well as rape crisis counsellors and other care related workers are often unaware of the facts involved concerning drug related sexual abuse. Unfortunately this lack of knowledge often has a negative effect on the investigation of reported incidents of this crime and the subsequent treatment and counselling of the victim. It also leads to victims being disbelieved by friends, workmates, employers, family members and other parties.

Click here to download the full article as a pdf file

Violence against women
Three million women across the UK experience rape, domestic violence, forced marriage, stalking, sexual exploitation and trafficking, female genital mutilation (FGM) or crimes in the name of honour each year. Individual women and girls count the cost in terms of cuts and bruises, broken bones, miscarriages, sexually transmitted diseases, death in extreme cases, long-term mental health problems, substance abuse and social exclusion. The cost to society is over £40 billion a year in England and Wales alone.

Gender-based violence is one of the most serious inequalities facing women and girls in the UK today and there are commonalities and connections between all forms of violence including: myths and stereotypes that serve to justify or excuse the abuse; the dynamics of power and control; high levels of under-reporting and extremely low conviction rates; the extent of repeat victimisation; long-term social, psychological and economic consequences for victims and the historic failure by the state to prevent violence.  Despite these connections, the response across the UK is fractured with separate policies on specific forms of violence in England, Wales and Northern Ireland where the focus is primarily on the criminal justice system, even though most victims do not ever report to the police. There has been no equivalent focus on supporting victims and there is no vision of actually preventing violence in the first place.

The vast majority of violence against women and girls is perpetrated by known men; family members, neighbours, friends or colleagues but it is also perpetrated by strangers. Women are more than twice as likely as men to be concerned about violent crime, with young women registering very high levels of worry. Violence denies women and girls the most fundamental of human rights: life, liberty, bodily integrity, freedom of movement and dignity of the person. It constrains women’s choices and behaviour since personal safety features strongly in routine decision-making: is it safe to travel or walk alone? to challenge a statement or decision? Women and girls are simply not able to occupy and use public space with the same freedom and ease as men and boys.  Interpersonal relationships are frequently marred by the threat and reality of abuse.

Women in prison
 Prison causes damage and disruption to the lives of vulnerable women, most of whom pose no risk to the public. Women have been and are marginalised within a criminal justice system designed by men for men. 
Prison is often a very expensive way of making vulnerable women’s life situations much worse. Women are often incarcerated miles from their homes and families – they lose their homes, their relationships with their children and their mental health in the process.

Better outcomes for women offenders means a reduced use of prison and an increased use of community alternatives. Prison does not work. The best way to cut women’s offending is to deal with its root causes. 

Baroness Corston’s report on women offenders is a major step forward. The report, published last year found that four out of five women in prison have a mental health problem, many are drug and alcohol dependent, around half report being victims of childhood abuse or domestic violence, a third sexually abused, and 20% have been in care.  Women recently released from custody are 36 times more likely to commit suicide than the general population. It found that the majority of women prisoners are non-violent, often have children, and may come from problem backgrounds.

The Together Women Project and women’s centre. The project provides a one stop shop for Salford women, providing one to one support from a key worker, a drop in, counselling, holistic therapies and a wide range of services focusing on the health and well being of women. The centre works with women who have offended or are at risk of offending and welcomes women who have or are currently experiencing domestic abuse, providing a women-only safe space for service users to receive support.

Co-ordinated Action Against Domestic Abuse (CAADA) is a national charity supporting a strong and effective multi-agency response to domestic violence.
CAADA's goal is to enable a range of agencies to work together effectively to improve the safety of high risk domestic violence victims and their children. To do this, CAADA provides training, quality assurance, insight and policy to support professionals and organisations involved in partnership work. The aim is for every victim and child to receive professional support from an Independent Domestic Violence Advisor (IDVA)*, for them to be properly supported by public and voluntary agencies alike and for perpetrators of abuse to be held accountable.

CAADA has four main areas of activity:
Multi-Agency Risk Assessment Conferences (MARACs) implementation: we have supported the implementation of over 200 domestic abuse MARACs across the whole of the UK. The MARAC is a victim-focused meeting, where information is shared on the highest risk cases of domestic abuse between criminal justice, health, child protection, housing practitioners, IDVAs as well as other specialists from the statutory and voluntary sectors. A safety plan for each victim is then created. Between April 2008 and April 2009, there were over 24,000 cases heard at MARAC, involving 34,000 children.

Professional training: CAADA runs a nationally accredited programme for IDVAs that covers all aspects of the knowledge and skills that are needed when working with high risk victims and partner agencies. The course runs over five months and involves 15 days of in room training and an equivalent amount of time to complete assessments. We have trained over 720 IDVAs to date.

Quality assurance: There is a great need for consistent standards in the field of domestic abuse service provision and CAADA has recently begun formal accreditation of both IDVA services and MARACs. Our Leading Lights programme gives formal recognition to safe practice among IDVA services. This is currently being rolled out following a successful pilot.

Data collection, analysis and evaluation: We believe that one of the key historic weaknesses of the domestic abuse sector was the lack of data in relation to safety outcomes. We are currently piloting a service that builds on our expertise in evaluation which will permit all IDVA projects and MARACs to measure their outcomes and the cost-benefit implications of these.

Salford Domestic Abuse Services (SDAS) have now combined  Independent Domestic Abuse Advocacy Service (IDAAS) and Outreach teams working in Salford with high risk victims of domestic abuse.  Every professional/agency in Salford carryout a risk assessment and cases are referred to this team.  Cases above 10 on the risk assessment are referred to the MARAC to develop a multi agency action plan.

Women are in a high state of anxiety and are severally traumatized by the physical, emotional and often sexual abuse they have received. The Women and their children need prompt help and support and sign posting to other agencies which they receive.

SDAS also run 2 refuges which support 14 families fleeing domestic abuse in Salford, helping them to cope with their experiences and when ready finding them suitable accommodation.

Contact with Fathers
Salford Family Court deal with orders e.g. Non-molestation Orders (no contact) and Occupation Orders (sole right to the property). Also parental rights and contact with absent parent.  Domestic abuse perpetrators use the court to obtain parental right and contact to continue the abuse and in extreme cases serious physical violence.

http://www.salford.gov.uk/crimereduction.htm
October 2009

Public bodies make important decisions that shape the quality of our lives and public services, and include organisations like the governing bodies of local hospitals, the Arts Council, advisory bodies or the Competition Commission. The About Time Public Leaders courses, sponsored by the Government Equalities Office, are designed to support the government’s aim to increase the diversity of public body board members and the pool of talented individuals ready to take up public appointments. Boards that have a diverse mix of people and talent make the best decisions.
Playing an active role in civic society through joining the board of a public body can be extremely rewarding, whether you want to expand your skills, are looking for a career development opportunity or simply want to make a positive difference in your community. Whatever your background and achievements so far, we are looking for people with a passion and commitment for making a contribution in public life and on our public boards.

To find out more and download application forms - visit: http://abouttime.commonpurpose.org.uk/public-leaders-courses/.
For more information about public appointments generally, or to find out about current vacancies, please visit: http://www.direct.gov.uk/publicappointments. You can now register to get email alerts with vacancies in your region or by areas of interest.

is a course for people who are actively seeking a national public appointment. Applicants may have already applied or been shortlisted for a public appointment, or be in senior positions in their organisation. The course presents an opportunity for potential candidates to develop their non-executive careers, gain a deeper understanding of how public boards work and the difference that public bodies can make.

About Time Public Leaders (Advanced) is a flexible, five-month course that addresses the needs of individuals, particularly those from under-represented groups, who have the aspiration and ability to get involved on public boards at a national level. Applicants for this programme should be committed to applying for a public appointment vacancy in the next 6-12 months.

When: February to June 2010 

Where: Events will take place both in London, and in other UK cities, and virtually. 

Course content: About Time Public Leaders Advanced participants will receive training and advice on presentation skills, public board applications processes, networking opportunities, Masterclasses, mentoring and shadowing. This self-directed curriculum is designed to provide participants with essential knowledge to develop successful applications for public board appointments, and to be effective in post.
Click here to apply for the Public Leaders (Advanced) course

 is designed for people with some experience of governance, gained through local boards, charity trusteeships, employment or professional bodies, or those who have demonstrable experience gained in other ways, and have a real commitment to hold more senior appointments, at a regional or national level.
The About Time Public Leaders course provides participants with transitional learning to help people with some experience of governance make the leap to holding regional, national or higher profile public appointments. We particularly welcome applications from those groups who are currently under-represented in public appointments. Applicants for this programme should be committed to applying for a public appointment vacancy in the next 12-18 months.

When: February to November 2010 

Where: Events will take place both in London, and in other UK cities, and virtually 

Course content: Participants will benefit from increased awareness and understanding of the scope of regional and national public appointment roles, application processes and opportunities through a programme of events, networking, mentoring and job shadowing. Elements of the programme will be tailored by participants through self-directed learning.

Click here to apply for the Public Leaders course

For further information contact:
Seema Malhotra 
Diversity in Public Appointments Project 
Government Equalities Office 
Eland House 9/H9 
Bressenden Place 
London 
SWIE 5DU 
07976 278 903
www.equalities.gov.uk