Women's Rights Network - WRN

ANNOUNCEMENT
It’s with heavy hearts that WRN announce the death of one of our own, the truly fabulous Claire Loneragan.

Claire was a fundamental part of WRN since its inception and had been key to the growth and the success of our organisation. She is irreplaceable as a WRNer and as a Director. Most importantly though, as a dear friend. We will miss her immensely.

We know that all our WRN members will feel her loss deeply, not least her ‘home’ group of Somerset and Dorset.
We send our sincere heartfelt sympathies to her husband Dave, her children, her wider family, and her many friends.

Claire had been ill for some time but maintained her typical good humour, courage (and not a small amount of ice cream) throughout.

When we have needed wisdom, hard work and application, Claire had provided these in abundance. Her hand was in everything that we did. And we all endeavoured to ‘Be More Claire’ as a result.

But more importantly than that, she was always our dear friend.

Goodbye Claire.
We love you so much xx

Women and girls are being put at risk of sexual crimes every time they try on clothes in high street retailers that only provide mixed-sex changing rooms.

🚩 Allowing males access to women and girls in a state of undress is a safeguarding failure. The majority of high street stores have now moved to mixed-sex changing rooms. Stores that do have separate women’s and men’s changing rooms often allow males into the women’s facilities. 🚩

Every single one of the sex crimes listed in this thread could have been prevented if high street retailers recognised that they have a duty of care to look after their customers.

First, a woman trying on a bikini in M&S… 1/8

WRN's Heather discusses convicted rapist Russell Brand with @Jacob_Rees_Mogg on @GBNEWS, drawing comparisons between the enablement and celebration of his behaviour with that of other media 'personalities'.
Not so much 'hiding in plain sight' as 'boasting about it in plain sight'.

A great discussion that also covered the horrific Pelicot case and drug assisted rape. What do we need to be teaching our boys and young men to prevent more of this taking place?

“I feel there should be stronger safeguarding in hospitals for vulnerable patients, particularly around being left alone during intimate care, changing or examinations, and stronger rules around chaperones”.

We agree. How appalling that this woman, already a victim of crime, was targeted by this predatory nurse while at her most vulnerable in hospital.

There are men who will abuse their position of authority and take advantage of any apparent vulnerability to sexually assault women. We wish this woman well, and are pleased this dangerous man has been caught and jailed.

dailymail.com/news/article-1…

Russell Brand has been sentenced to 10 years and six months for rape and sexual assault.

The judge’s sentencing remarks make for queasy listening. Among the more graphic details, he described Brand as a “sexual predator” with “staggering arrogance”, whose fame and entourage enabled his behaviour.

This was a man whose public persona, treatment of women and open sexual objectification were openly, raucously played for the crowd. He was idolised, celebrated and given platform after platform. His behaviour was seen as edgy and rebellious.

This is far from the first time a celebrity has been elevated to untouchable status, only for the extent of their abuse to emerge many years later.

Brand is finally being held accountable. But what about the culture that made him a star, and the other men it continues to protect?

The women who reported Brand showed extraordinary courage. We owe them more than a conviction. We owe them a serious reckoning with the culture that allowed this to happen.