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Latest items for United Kingdom

Dec. 13, 2024, 10:24 p.m.
Countries: United Kingdom
Variables: PW-LAW-1

"Ministers have ruled that men in polygamous marriages can receive state handouts for each wife, including additional income support, even though bigamy is illegal in the UK. A review of benefit rules for such marriages concluded in December that allowing husbands to claim for their additional wives remained the 'best possible' option. The decision will chiefly benefit Muslim men, as Islamic law allows them to have up to four wives. Multi-marriages are recognised by the Government – provided the weddings took place in countries where the practice is legal" (para 1-2). "While a married man cannot obtain a spouse visa to bring a second wife into Britain, some multiple partners...more
Dec. 13, 2024, 10:24 p.m.
Countries: United Kingdom
Variables: PW-DATA-1

"There are an estimated 1,000 polygamous marriages in the UK, meaning there could be up to 5,000 people involved" (para 11).
Dec. 13, 2024, 3:56 p.m.
Countries: United Kingdom
Variables: EWCMS-LAW-1

"An army diversity drive to enlist more women into front-line fighting units has backfired after only 10 female recruits started infantry or Royal Armoured Corps basic training last year. The figures have led to the effort being branded a 'very costly, damaging and futile exercise in political correctness' by a defence chief" (para 1-2). "Former Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson announced in 2018 all front-line roles would be open to women - including positions in the special forces, Royal Marines, infantry and tank units" (para 8). "Current Defence Secretary Grant Shapps launched his own offensive to enlist more women into armed forces last month, as he sought to tackle a recruitment...more
Dec. 13, 2024, 3:56 p.m.
Countries: United Kingdom
Variables: EWCMS-DATA-2

"In October 2022, the Navy was forced to launch a probe into allegations of rape threats and sexual assault on Britain's nuclear submarines, while two Red Arrows pilots were sacked after evidence of a 'toxic culture' emerged that same year. In December, young female members of the scandal-hit Red Arrows spoke out and revealed how they were warned by male colleagues they could become a 'notch on a crew member's bedpost' of some of their more predatory comrades. Colonel Philip Ingram, a former officer in British military intelligence, said scandals like these were putting women off joining, with targets for the RAC and infantry remaining 'totally unachievable' while the sexual...more
Dec. 13, 2024, 3:56 p.m.
Countries: United Kingdom
Variables: EWCMS-DATA-1

"Just 15 female soldiers completed basic training for either infantry or tank units between January and September 2023, a freedom of information request has revealed. While almost half of those who began the training since 2019 failed to complete the course. The data also showed that fewer than five trained female soldiers transferred into either the armoured corps or the infantry from other Army units, while no female recruits have passed Royal Marines training, the Ministry of Defence (MoD) said. In all, 85 women have joined the infantry while 45 entered the Royal Armoured Corps (RAC) in five years, MoD figures claimed. It means that out of the 24,000 tank...more
Dec. 12, 2024, 9:39 p.m.
Countries: United Kingdom
Variables: PRN-PRACTICE-1

"The pupils and their teacher have started a petition to ban sexualised school uniforms from being sold online as raunchy fancy dress outfits - and also for them to no longer be featured in pornographic films" (para 29).
Dec. 12, 2024, 9:39 p.m.
Countries: United Kingdom
Variables: IIP-PRACTICE-2

"The documentary notes UN Women UK statistics from March 2021 which revealed 71% of women of all ages in the UK had experienced some form of sexual harassment in a public space" (para 20). "As Ellie sits down with the pupils in their classroom, she asks: 'How many of you have experienced sexual harassment in some way?' The girls look a little unsure, before a vast majority raise their hands to signal that they have been sexually harassed in the past. A statistic is shown which reveals over half of girls have experienced public sexual harassment while they were wearing their school uniforms" (para 30-32). "Another aspect of harassment Ellie...more
Dec. 12, 2024, 9:39 p.m.
Countries: United Kingdom
Variables: LRW-DATA-1, IIP-PRACTICE-1

"YouGov research carried out for Channel 4 which revealed 1 in 4 women in the UK have been followed at some point during a night out, while 1 in 4 have been sexually assaulted or raped on a night out" (para 19).
Dec. 12, 2024, 1:52 p.m.
Countries: United Kingdom
Variables: PRN-PRACTICE-1

"In terms of paid pornographic content, 22% of British men say they have paid for a porn magazine, 13% for porn video on VCR/DVD, 8% for pornographic content from a company (e.g. a porn website) and 6% for such content from an individual creator like an OnlyFans model. That covers only paid-for pornographic content; fully 78% of men admit to having ever watched pornography, with 51% saying they currently watch it. (Among women, 50% say they have ever seen it but only 14% that they currently watch it)" (para 17-18). "While many people are happy to watch porn, they are much more reluctant to date those they see on screen,...more
Dec. 12, 2024, 1:52 p.m.
Countries: United Kingdom
Variables: IRP-PRACTICE-1

"A new YouGov study looks at current public opinion on the legality of sex work, who Britons consider to be a sex worker, and attitudes towards sex work and sex workers themselves. The results show that the public do think that sex work should be legal, but are split on whether it should be considered ‘real work’. Most Britons believe that sex work is stigmatised in the UK – but that it shouldn’t be. Despite this, large numbers of people say they would not be willing to friends with a sex worker. There is also a key gender divide on attitudes to sex work, with men typically having more permissive...more
Dec. 12, 2024, 1:52 p.m.
Countries: United Kingdom
Variables: IRP-LAW-1

"Currently sex work is legal in Britain (excluding Northern Ireland), although there are caveats" (para 5). "[T]he law prohibits street solicitation – i.e. offering sexual services while in a public location" (para 6). "It is also illegal in Britain to serve as a sex worker employer – this would generally fall under the category of pimping and/or brothel-keeping" (para 7).
Dec. 12, 2024, 1:52 p.m.
Countries: United Kingdom
Variables: IRP-DATA-2

"Unsurprisingly, men are far more likely than women to have paid a sex worker for a service (only 0-2% of women say so across the categories we asked about). The results find one in eleven British men (9%) admitting to ever having paid for sex. More still have paid to receive a striptease or lapdance (15%)" (para 15-16).
Dec. 12, 2024, midnight
Countries: United Kingdom
Variables: ERBG-PRACTICE-1

"A quarter of those who had experienced sexual harassment said it happened at their place of work" (para 10).
Dec. 12, 2024, midnight
Countries: United Kingdom
Variables: IIP-PRACTICE-2

"Nearly a quarter of women aged 16-24 have suffered sexual harassment over the past year, figures show" (para 1). "Overall one in 10 people aged 16 or over experienced at least one form of harassment in the previous 12 months, according to results from the Crime Survey for England and Wales. Females were more likely to have had an experience that made them feel 'upset, distressed, or threatened' - by 13 per cent to 7 per cent for men. Three quarters of victims were harassed in person, while a fifth suffered online. But the numbers surged even higher among younger age groups, with 20 per cent of 16-19 year-olds and...more
Dec. 6, 2024, 10:34 a.m.
Countries: United Kingdom
Variables: MARR-PRACTICE-1

"Official statistics on marriages involving under 18s can only capture legally-binding ceremonies. However, child marriage may involve informal services, which are not legally recognised but where youngsters are forced to live with an adult and act as their spouse. In 2021, the government’s Forced Marriage Unit (FMU) reported intervening in 337 cases relating to forced marriage, female genital mutilation or both. Almost all (316) were solely about forced marriage. Of these 337 cases, 118 involved victims aged under 18, including 75 aged 15 or under. The FMU says cases involving younger children may not involve imminent marriages, but can often involve a youngster being promised for a future marriage. They...more
Dec. 6, 2024, 10:34 a.m.
Countries: United Kingdom
Variables: MARR-LAW-2

"[S]ame-sex marriages… were not legal until 2020" (para 17).
Dec. 6, 2024, 10:34 a.m.
Countries: United Kingdom
Variables: INFIB-DATA-2

"In 2021, the government’s Forced Marriage Unit (FMU) reported intervening in 337 cases relating to forced marriage, female genital mutilation or both. Almost all (316) were solely about forced marriage. Of these 337 cases, 118 involved victims aged under 18, including 75 aged 15 or under" (para 19).
Dec. 6, 2024, 10:34 a.m.
Countries: United Kingdom
Variables: AOM-LAW-1

"Child marriage will be banned in England and Wales after a new law raising the minimum legal age to 18 came into effect today (27 February). The new rules will mean that 16 and 17 year olds will no longer be able to get married with their parents’ consent, as previously allowed. The move is designed to better protect children from forced marriages. Campaigners have hailed the law change – which will now make it an offence to arrange for under-18s to be married in any circumstances, regardless of whether any force was used – as a “huge leap forward”. The law covers both legally-recognised and informal “traditional” ceremonies. Anyone...more
Dec. 6, 2024, 10:34 a.m.
Countries: United Kingdom
Variables: AOM-DATA-2

"The prevalence of child marriage has declined dramatically throughout the 20th and 21st centuries – but while rare, analysis of official data shows hundreds of children aged under 18 are still married in legally-binding ceremonies every year across the UK" (para 4). "Data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) shows 139 people aged 16 and 17 entered legally-binding opposite-sex marriages in 2019, the latest year with available data. They were among 1,608 teenagers (under 20s) who got married that year. The ONS does not publish data on same-sex child marriages or on civil partnerships. However the figures do show that eight males and 31 females aged under 20 entered...more
Dec. 6, 2024, 10:24 a.m.
Countries: United Kingdom
Variables: NGOFW-DATA-1

"Chief executive at the charity Victim Support, Diana Fawcett said 'This huge rise in recorded sexual offences comes as the percentage of cases seeing justice has plummeted to an abysmal new low. 'Charges for rape and sexual offences have been falling sharply for the past six years – the system is in crisis. We are on a path to destroying victims faith in the criminal justice system altogether. 'Police and the CPS have a duty to survivors who have experienced life-changing trauma – they must do better and start delivering justice'" (para 18-20). "'There are currently 14,000 survivors on waiting lists for Rape Crisis services, showing the urgent need for...more
Dec. 6, 2024, 10:24 a.m.
Countries: United Kingdom
Variables: LRW-PRACTICE-2

"The ONS urged 'caution' when interpreting the data on sexual offences, which could be affected by a 'number of factors'. This includes improvements in how police record crime as well as victims being more willing to come forward and report incidents in light of high-profile cases and campaigns" (para 8-9). "Meghan Elkin, from the ONS, said: 'While police-recorded sexual offences are the highest annual figures recorded for England and Wales, the crime survey shows no significant change in prevalence. 'The police figures are influenced by a number of factors including willingness to report. And for forces where data is available, we see that 22 per cent of all sexual offences...more
Dec. 6, 2024, 10:24 a.m.
Countries: United Kingdom
Variables: LRW-PRACTICE-1

"Chief executive at the charity Victim Support, Diana Fawcett said 'This huge rise in recorded sexual offences comes as the percentage of cases seeing justice has plummeted to an abysmal new low. 'Charges for rape and sexual offences have been falling sharply for the past six years – the system is in crisis. We are on a path to destroying victims faith in the criminal justice system altogether. 'Police and the CPS have a duty to survivors who have experienced life-changing trauma – they must do better and start delivering justice'" (para 18-21). "We also know that a rise in reports does not equate to more survivors receiving justice. 'Statistics...more
Dec. 6, 2024, 10:24 a.m.
Countries: United Kingdom
Variables: LRW-DATA-1

"The number of police-recorded sexual offences in England and Wales has hit a record high. There were 199,021 sex crimes logged by forces in the year to September 2022. This is up 22 per cent compared to the year ending March 2020 (163,244), prior to the coronavirus pandemic, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS). The figures, published on Thursday, also show the overall number of crimes recorded by England and Wales police forces exceeded pre-pandemic levels. They sky-rocketed to reach 6.6 million in the 12 months to September. This was 10 per cent higher than the year to March 2020 when 6.1 million offences were recorded. The ONS...more
Dec. 6, 2024, 10:24 a.m.
Countries: United Kingdom
Variables: DTCP-PRACTICE-1

"[E]very police force in England was warned to root out sex offenders and to check staff have not 'slipped through the net' after Metropolitan Police's David Carrick rape scandal. Carrick, 48, who was known to colleagues as 'B***ard Dave', admitted to 80 sexual offences, including 48 rapes, while serving with the force between 2003 and 2020. He kidnapped, raped and murdered Sarah Everard while she walked home from a friend's house in Clapham in March 2020. The National Police Chiefs' Council is set to ask all forces to check their officers against national police databases to help identify anyone who has 'slipped through the net' before vetting standards were toughened"...more
Dec. 6, 2024, 10:03 a.m.
Countries: United Kingdom
Variables: AOM-LAW-1

"The legal age for marriage today rises from 16 to 18. Under legislation passed last year but coming into force today, 16 and 17-year-olds can no longer wed or enter a civil partnership in England or Wales. Until now they were able to do this as long as there was parental consent. The change, under the Marriage and Civil Partnership (Minimum Age) Act, is to better protect children from forced marriage. It means it is now a crime to exploit vulnerable children by arranging for them to marry under any circumstances, whether or not force was used. The law will also cover non-legally binding 'traditional' ceremonies which would still be...more
Dec. 6, 2024, 10:03 a.m.
Countries: United Kingdom
Variables: AOM-DATA-2

"'Last year, the national Honour Based Abuse helpline supported 64 cases of child marriage, representing only a small picture of a much bigger problem" (para 9). "The Government's forced marriage unit provided advice or support in 118 cases involving victims aged under 18 in 2021. The Ministry of Justice said the statistics showed forced marriage is more likely to impact girls than boys, with 2018 figures for England and Wales showing that 28 boys married under the age of 18 compared with 119 girls" (para 11-12).
Dec. 4, 2024, 4:37 p.m.
Countries: United Kingdom
Variables: LRW-PRACTICE-1, DV-PRACTICE-1

"'Fewer than seven per cent of domestic abuse crimes got as far as a charge in 2022 and only around one per cent of reported crimes of rape resulted in a charge' [Ruth Davison, chief executive of the charity refuge]" (par. 10).
Dec. 4, 2024, 4:37 p.m.
Countries: United Kingdom
Variables: SEGI-PRACTICE-2

"However, the charity refuge attacked the plan, with chief executive Ruth Davison, saying: 'Domestic abuse does not happen because a person takes drugs, it is an active decision a perpetrator makes to abuse and is rooted in power and control. Refuge is concerned that this new initiative announced today to drug test those arrested for offences linked to violence against women and girls (VAWG) and domestic abuse distracts from, and further deprioritises this issue'" (par. 7-8).
Dec. 4, 2024, 4:37 p.m.
Countries: United Kingdom
Variables: DV-LAW-2

"'Instead of using police resources to drug test all offenders of VAWG related crimes, the government should instead place its focus on tackling these serious crimes against women and girls and focus on urgently improving outcomes for survivors' [Ruth Davison, chief executive of charity refuge]" (par.9). This suggests that more could be done in regards to policies protecting victims of domestic violence (IME - CODER COMMENT).
Dec. 4, 2024, 4:37 p.m.
Countries: United Kingdom
Variables: DV-LAW-1

"Domestic abusers and men who attack women and girls will be forced to undergo drugs tests under an expansion of police powers. . .Under current rules, officers can test people for opiates like heroin, cocaine and crack if they have been for a specific list of crimes, with extra clearance required for a wider test. But under the action plan unveiled by Rishi Sunak this morning, the powers would be widened in terms of crimes and substances, to include Class A substances like ecstasy and methamphetamine, and Class B drugs like cannabis and ketamine" (par. 1, 3-4). "Home Secretary Suella Braverman told the Commons this afternoon: 'Under our new plan,...more