This Is Rape Culture

Absolutely disgusting -Men cleared as rape woman’s group sex fantasy revealed-(ht2 PennyRed) so if a woman has sexual fantasies that means she can’t be raped, which is what this seems to imply. That male prosecutor and judge think a woman having sexual fantasies destroys her credibility? Well we’re all in trouble then, but women far more than men because well- patriarchy. This is a really dangerous outcome for everyone who has sexual fantasies (erm all of us) and those who engage in anything other than the most vanilla -approved by conservative straight men in the legal profession- sex lives (and that doesn’t wash, ask a sex worker about their legal clientele). And if the argument is this the case would be impossible to win in the current legal system, well duh, there’s a big clue there about the failings and need for change in that legal system. But the quotes from the well paid legal men actually do not bear that out, they mostly boil down to -we don’t believe or respect her because she has fantasies- which is just repulsive and hateful, it seems to rest on a judgement and prescription of women that precludes them having a sexual existence of their own, not one pre-approved by men. This is a really offensive judgement and I hope the survivor has help to deal with it and help if she wishes to push for a proper trial in a court not run by misogynist scumbags.

Guantanamo Guard & Former Detainees Meet

I have put the Newsnight piece onto YouTube for a global audience, I think even Paxman was a little choked up by it. Humanity WIN, fascism FAIL!

Haiti Links

The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) donate here.

Or

SOA Watch is joining other Latin America and Caribbean Solidarity and human rights groups in raising funds for food and water, health and shelter relief for those affected by the earthquake and for community re-building efforts. To contribute to the Haiti earthquake relief, click here to donate online [Paypal], call us with your credit card information (202) 234 3440 or send a check or money order with “Haiti” in the memo field to SOA Watch, PO Box 4566, Washington, DC 20017

In the UK:
British Red Cross

Christian Aid

Oxfam

Save the Children

Plan International

CAFOD

Mercy Corps

Tearfund

CARE

Disasters Emergency Committee Haiti Earthquake Appeal

Partners in Health

In the US:
American Red Cross

Unicef USA

These organisations also have ways to donate:
International Red Cross

International Medical Corps

Medecins Sans Frontieres

World Food Programme

Concern Worldwide

ActionAid

Avaaz

V-Day’s Haiti Rescue Fund

Woolas- Childsnatcher

No one knows how many children have been snatched from their beds in this way in Britain in the past year. But the Immigration Minister Phil Woolas admitted in a letter to a concerned MP recently that more than 1,300 children were detained at three immigration removal centres in the UK during the 15 months between July 2008 and September 2009.

Some 889 children have been detained for more than 28 days in the past five years. In each of those cases an immigration minister or a judge had to sign a new authorisation every four weeks for their continued detention. The UK now has one of the worst records in Europe for detaining children.

MORE