Refuge uncovers evidence of endemic financial abuse

Last year, we conducted a survey of our service users in which 89% of respondents told us that economic abuse was a common part of their experience of domestic violence. Financial abuse includes controlling techniques like taking all of a woman’s money, strictly limiting what she is allowed to spend, putting debt in her name and refusing her access to benefit entitlements. 41% of respondents identified this economic abuse as having a negative impact on their emotional health.

We are now calling on Government to recognise and address economic abuse within its work on equality, financial exclusion, child poverty and domestic violence, and to ensure that welfare benefits are fast-tracked for women who have experienced domestic violence. As part of this work, Refuge met with Harriet Harman QC MP, Minister for Women, in January to discuss policy developments in the domestic violence sector and to share with her our work on economic abuse.

As announced in our last newsletter, we have launched a financial guide containing practical
advice for women on how to prepare financially to leave an abusive partner, how to access safe
accommodation and how to take control of their finances in the long term. In doing so, it aims to
increase women’s awareness of the financial support available to them so that they can live their lives free from violence. ‘You can afford to leave’, funded by HBOS Foundation, is availableavailable from our website: www.refuge.org.uk.

(Cab Office) Harman: 4.5 million more Mums and Dads to benefit from new flexible working rights

From today (Monday 6th April 2009) an extra 4.5million parents of children aged 16 and under will be able to request flexible working from their employer. This is in addition to the six million parents and carers who already have the right.

New research shows half of working parents (51 per cent) say their relationship with their child would improve if they could work flexibly.

The survey, commissioned by the Government Equalities Office, shows that two-thirds of working parents state it would be helpful to work flexibly as their children get older. Half of parents of 11-16 year olds said that they would help with homework if they could find the time. More than half (53 per cent) feel their job prevents them spending the amount of time they would like with their children.

Talking to parents at Sainsburys in Dulwich, Harriet Harman, Minister for Women and Equality, said:

"Children don't stop needing their parents' time when they reach their sixth birthday. We have already built a strong foundation of support for families through the right for parents with children under six to request flexible work. But, as any parent knows, older children going through the teenage years need just as much support and guidance.

"Families are the framework of our lives and matter not just to individuals but to our communities, the economy, and society as a whole. Mothers often tear their hair out trying to balance earning a living with bringing up their children and need more flexibility at work. And fathers want to be able to play a bigger part in bringing up their children.

"This is why we have changed the law to extend flexible working rights to parents of older children. We will continue to work with business to ensure that families continue to have real choices about how they live their lives, at the same time as making the economy strong and competitive."

The survey shows that parents see the business benefits of flexible working, with three in five (59 per cent) saying it would improve staff morale, two in five (40 per cent) working mums believing flexible working would reduce absenteeism, and more than a quarter saying it would improve staff retention and attract talented staff. Recognised business benefits of flexible working also include increased productivity and recruitment savings.

However the 'fear factor' still needs to be tackled - the survey shows two thirds of parents were concerned about putting in a request to work flexibly, with a third (32 per cent) thinking it may mark them as uncommitted to their job, and nearly a quarter (23 per cent) concerned it may affect their promotion prospects.

Damion Queva, publisher of FQ (Fathers Quarterly) magazine and father of two, said: "As a dad it's so important to get as much time with the family as you can and that doesn't change as your children get older. As an employer running a small business, I find that allowing staff to work flexibly increases morale and enhances productivity. It also means I can hold on to my best people and not lose them just because they've become a parent. For me, flexible working is a win-win situation."

Fathers offer vital support to their children, not just homework, but on emotional matters such as bullying or avoiding bad behaviour. Requesting flexible working builds in father's ability to provide this support when their children need it most. Children with more closely involved dads develop better friendships, more empathy, and higher levels of educational achievement and self-esteem. And dads who are able to work flexibly and spend more time with their children are more likely to be happier, have a stronger family life, and consequently be more productive.

Flexible working by both parents can also allow the mother to return to the workplace and reduce the imbalance in the split of labour in the home. Nearly half (46 per cent) of working mums say that working flexibly would reduce stress for them, compared with 33 per cent of dads.

Sarah Jackson, CEO of Working Families said:

"It is great that parents of older children will have the opportunity to request flexible working. The conflict that often seems to exist between family and work is so unnecessary and counterproductive. I would particularly encourage men to consider working flexibly as that has the potential to create stronger families and go some way to addressing the inequalities that still exist in the home".

The right to request flexible working has been a success since it was introduced in 2003, helping many people to balance work and family life, and allowing businesses to benefit from improved morale, increased productivity, and reduced absence and staff turnover.

Last year an independent review by Sainsbury's Human Resources Director Imelda Walsh recommended that the right to request should be extended to parents of children aged 16 and under.

The survey showed that nearly half (45 per cent) of people who put in a request to work flexibly did not seek advice first. Direct.gov is one of the best resources, providing a one stop shop with information on flexible working and the law, plus advice on building a case and standard application forms: http://www.direct.gov.uk - click on 'employment' then 'parental leave and flexible working'.

For advice on particular circumstances, parents can call the Working Families free advice line on 0800 013 0313, email advice@workingfamilies.org.uk or download free fact sheets from http://www.workingfamilies.org.uk

The new law explained

* From 6 April 2009, all parents of children aged 16 and under will have the right to ask their employer for flexible working arrangements. Employees need to have worked for their employer for 26 weeks.

* A total of around 10 million people will now be entitled to request flexible working

* This new rule is an extension of the current right to request flexible working which applies to parents of children up to six, parents of disabled children up to 18, as well as carers of adults.

* Under the law employers must seriously consider all applications made, and only reject it if there is a good business reasons for doing so.

* This does not give employees the right to work flexibly - just the right to ask.

* Flexible working is any working pattern that is adapted for the benefit of the individual and that also suits their employer. Examples include: part-time, flexi-time, compressed hours, staggered hours, job sharing, and working from home.

A step by step guide on how to request flexible working:

* Fill in an application form. Your employer may provide one, there's a standard form available at http://www.direct.gov.uk, or all required information can be put in a letter or email.

* Your employer should then arrange a meeting with you within 28 days to discuss your application.

* Within 14 days, you should receive written notification of your employer's decision.

* If your request is accepted you will need to meet with your employer to agree the new working arrangements.

* If your request is rejected you may appeal in writing.

The Government is in open disagreement with the Bank of England

At Prime Minister’s Questions, William Hague repeatedly asked Harriet Harman whether Labour agreed with Mervyn King that Britain cannot afford another fiscal expansion.

William described the intervention from Mr. King, the Governor of the Bank of England, as “exceptional and extraordinary”, and stressed it was a “defining moment” in Labour’s handling of the recession.

He highlighted criticism of Labour’s plans for another fiscal stimulus from the CBI, the ITEM Club and the Chief Executive of the Audit Club, as well as from Mr. King.

And when Harriet Harman refused to confirm whether or not the Government agreed with the Governor of the Bank of England, William said:

“The nation will rightly conclude that this Government are in open disagreement with the Bank of England and are no longer in control either of the public finances or the policies of this country.”

Harriet Harman, Minister for Women and Equality, today announced £1.6million for Rape Crisis Centres and The Survivors Trust sexual violence charities across England and Wales.

The charities provide invaluable support and specialist services, such as counselling and advocacy, to women and men who have been raped or experienced sexual violence. Many victims were attacked years ago or when a child, but may not have previously spoken about or reported the crime.

Today's funding is on top of £1.1million announced last March. Not one Rape Crisis Centre1 has closed since then, and the fund has so far supported twenty rape centres.

The Government has prioritised tackling rape, supporting victims and prosecuting perpetrators: the number of rape convictions is 46 per cent higher today than in 1997, and around £11million has been invested in services for victims over the last five years. This includes 28 Sexual Assault Referral Centres (SARCs), which provide immediate medical care, counselling, and legal advice to victims all in one place from professionally trained staff. There is a commitment to have one in all police force areas across England and Wales by 2011.

Ms Harman said:

"Rape is one of the most devastating offences. This fund is important to safeguard the local organisations who support women who have been the victims of rape."

On top of the funding, the Government is working closely with Rape Crisis England and Wales and The Survivors Trust to help them secure long term funding for their members - for example from charitable trusts, donations, Local Authorities, as well as central Govt sources such as grants and the Victims Fund. A series of workshops are being held to bring together local bodies and charities, research is being conducted, and a cross-Government working group has been established to help achieve this.

Home Secretary, Jacqui Smith said:

"Rape is an appalling crime and I am determined to ensure that every victim has immediate access to the services and support they need. I want more victims to feel confident to come forward and report these crimes so that we can bring the perpetrators to justice. This special fund will support the important work of organisations supporting victims of sexual violence, which provide essential support and advice to victims.

"We also recognise the need to do more to prevent these crimes from happening in the first place, which is why we recently launched the largest cross government consultation on ending violence against women and girls - asking the public what more we can do to prevent and challenge the attitudes that condone it. I urge both men and women to feed in their views."

Health Minister Ann Keen said:

"The Department of Health is committed to ensuring that victims of sexual assault continue to receive the necessary support and specialist services to help them overcome these traumatic experiences. That is why we are contributing significantly to today's investment for charities.

"Sexual assault can have devastating and long term consequences on the health and wellbeing of victims and charity run services such as Rape Crisis Centres play a vital role in helping those who have experienced any form of sexual violence, to come to terms with their experiences."

Fay Maxted, CEO of The Survivors Trust, said:

"The Survivors Trust works to ensure that there is equality in the provision of public funding for all agencies supporting victims of rape and sexual abuse. We are extremely pleased that Harriet Harman has announced this fund for The Survivors Trust and Rape Crisis member groups."

Christina Diamondopoulis, Wycombe Rape Crisis Centre, member of Rape Crisis (England & Wales):

"Our centre, which had developed a wide range of services and training, was hanging by a thread until we received the emergency funding. We had been reduced to providing a helpline service only, and that was due to close down too. The funding enabled us to reinstate a worker, as well as deliver volunteer training, counselling, and other support services."

The £1.6 million Special Fund is a cross-Government initiative involving the Government Equalities Office, Department of Health, and Home Office.

Justice Minister Maria Eagle also today announced a new £3.7 million Government grant for the UK-based POPPY Project which helps victims of human trafficking, many of whom are sexually exploited.

Witches of Leftwick are Two Down, One Up.

Two of the three "Witches of Leftwick" who stood so united and confident last year as a defiant shield for Gordon Brown during his comic handling of the election that never was, appear to be victims of a bit of reverse voodoo.

Jacqui Smith's Home Office policies are being absolutely slated in the press, from nanny state to extremist expulsions. She's also about to be scrutinised by the standards commissioner about the dodgy goings on with her commons expenses. She'll presumably have to explain why she resembles a New York city mobster in Havana at about the time Castro deposed Batista, trying to get as much cash from his casino out of the country as he can before the rebels move in and put a stop to it.

Poor old Tessa Jowell is breaking the law by employing "local" Eastern Europeans to build the Olympic Stadium in Stratford and paying them under the National minimum wage. Everyone's moaning (except the French of course who are presently scoffing) about the cost and the financial legacy of the Olympics in light of the unexpected recession/depression. Her husband has just been sentenced to four and a half years in jail in Italy for corruption, which it should be noted also involved the Prime Minister of Italy (who is somehow exempt from trial on this issue).

The third witch, Harriet Harman, however appears to be keeping a bit of a low profile at the moment...or is she? She is conspicuous by her squeaky cleanliness. No rows over expenses, no lies about torture, no crooks in her family.... I can't even really remember the last time I saw her on the news. However, scratch the surface and it seems as though she's been a bit busy. There are in fact, it seems ripples of leadership aspirations coming from 'Arri's camp. It has been alleged that her office leaked the information about PM Brown going to work for Merkel as an international banking watchdog (It occurs to me that Brown in light of his inability to watch and regulate the UK banking system would actually be the worst choice one could possibly make...but that's a different story). She appears to be trying to upstage the G20 in April and is in fact hosting an International Woman's Conference on the same day (wonder if Hillary will be there!). She has also disrupted cabinet meetings with rants against "bonus culture" in the banks in a cynical attempt to garner support from traditional lefties.

Apparently all this activity is beginning to upset those around her a bit, presumably people like Milliband, Old Father Brown himself (of course), Balls, Darling and others. I wonder however if she's the only one in the New Labour camp that is actually thinking about the future and survival of the party opposed to self. Whilst others in the government it seems have given up on producing new ideas and initiatives let alone even trying to implement current policy; whilst others seem to be squirreling away as much cash and perks as possible and asking their mates around the world for a job...'Arri looks at face value at least to be standing up for traditional Labour ideals and values and past the confines of her offshore bank accounts.

I always assumed that she was as shallow as the rest of her piers. She may be, but unlike her piers, she seems to have maintained at least some political integrity even if her rosettes are the wrong colour. I always thought that a woman leader of the labour party and possibly country made more sense than a woman leader of the Conservatives for some reason.

Hubble Bubble, Beware the Witches of Leftwick

I just wanted to wish Boris congratulations on his victory for Mayor of London. I hope he can turn his energy and excitement into something really positive as far as London is concerned.

After years of near hatred, I have to say that I was also a little sad to see Ken Livingstone go (but not a lot). He actually seemed to take it quite well. I had visions of him attacking Gordon Brown, the labour party and the public in the same way as we have seen him attack the London assembly over the years, but he was magnanimous in defeat. I nearly got angry when I was listening to LBC and a listener suggested that he should now look to run for leadership of the labour party and then to become PM. "God, no!!!" I thought to myself before I remembered that half of LBC's listeners are as raving mad and delusional as the people they support, this poor lady being one of them.


I have also been amused over the last couple of days by the Labour hierarchy telling us that the results mean it is time for them to listen and that what we need is strong leadership through hard times or in other words, as a public we don't actually know what we want and the government has to do what they want to do anyway whilst doing it with a sympathetic look on their faces and ruffled brow.


I also think that I have spotted something very interesting as a result of the labour defeat this week. Brown had his big guns out. If you like his rottweilers of war. A trio no less who flew the red standard and charged into battle for the leader....and the interesting thing is that they were all women. I think the chaps in the cabinet were around and about but the main muscle on all of the political commentary shows I was watching on TV were the ladies. Harriet, Tessa and Jacqui were all unfazed and almost maniacal in their belief in what they were trying to say (previous paragraph) and stand for.

They actually did a very good job of taking much of the flack that was flying about and I have to say that if I were married to either of them, the last thing I would be worried about would be whether they would support me in times of trouble. These are the type of women that successful men are made of. They also showed a strength and determination I associate with another lady politician of not too long ago. Yes...the great ginger one, the Iron Lady herself, old Mrs T. Imagine three Margaret Thatchers. It is an absolutely terrifying prospect but the possibility has been brewing in the labour party for years and under our very noses.

Look (as Tony Blair would say), forget about the chaps for New Labour. I mean, seriously, who have they got? The Two Camp Millibands or Ed Balls (John Prescott II). These three women singularly could eat any of the aforementioned for breakfast whilst reciting tracts from the Odyssey in reverse, standing on their heads and gargling Champagne. If they were to unite like Gordon and Tony did, they could be great and when Gordon falls they could inherit the earth (of the UK at least). There is an outside chance that they will all shave their heads, start wearing flowery mini dresses and chanting hippy love songs round the halls of Westminster, however it is more likely that they will be fundamental and vital to the future success of their party. I don't necessarily think that they would plot Gordon's demise themselves because they seem to be too loyal for that, but when he goes, I think that rivals from within and outside new labour will all need to start watching what what these three women will do even if they are unwise enough to be ignoring them today.