Liz Kelly
London Metropolitan University, CWASU, Faculty Member
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This study, commissioned by the European Parliament Policy Department for Citizens’ Rights and Constitutional Affairs upon request by the FEMM Committee, examined research on the effectiveness of self-defence and its place in policies at... more
This study, commissioned by the European Parliament Policy Department for Citizens’ Rights and Constitutional Affairs upon request by the FEMM Committee, examined research on the effectiveness of self-defence and its place in policies at EU and Member State levels. It concludes that there is a growing evidence base that feminist self-defence can be effective in preventing violence. Whilst references to self-defence are present in the EU and Council of Europe policy documents, they are not substantial and yet to be developed into a coherent approach. Self-defence should be considered a promising practice and be better promoted and supported. More space should be made for it in policy, financing and research.
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t hiara and g ill, 2010). we celebrate and draw on this richness, while simultaneously seeking to extend our knowledge: both in terms of the minority communities addressed and the forms of violence covered. to an exten t we have... more
t hiara and g ill, 2010). we celebrate and draw on this richness, while simultaneously seeking to extend our knowledge: both in terms of the minority communities addressed and the forms of violence covered. to an exten t we have succeeded, but there remain substantial gaps which future research and volumes will need to fill. In particular, childhood and adult sexual violence and sexual exploitation in minority women’s lives and the specificities of many communities remain in the shadows. t he focus of the book is minority women living in the u K, but not only do the issues explored traverse geographic borders, a number of authors make explicit links to the wider contexts and communities which form part of minority women’s lives. a ll of the editors have worked for nearly three decades or more across activism, specialised violence against women (
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Contents: Moving in the shadows: Introduction, Liz Kelly Part I Perspectives: At the intersection: Black and minority ethnic women and the criminal justice system, Sharon Smee Multi-faithism and the gender question: implications of... more
Contents: Moving in the shadows: Introduction, Liz Kelly Part I Perspectives: At the intersection: Black and minority ethnic women and the criminal justice system, Sharon Smee Multi-faithism and the gender question: implications of government policy on the struggle for equality and rights for minority women in the UK, Pragna Patel Violent intersections: re-visiting the traffic in women and girls, Jackie Turner Sexuality and South Asian women: a taboo?, Shaminder Takhar. Part II Forms and Contexts of Violence: Two steps forward, one step back: the fight against female genital mutilation in the UK, Makeba Roach and Comfort Momoh a "Ita (TM)s all about stopping you from getting on with your lifea (TM): post-separation violence in the lives of Asian and African-Caribbean women, Ravi K. Thiara Criminal gangs, male-dominated services and the women and girls who fall through the gaps, Carlene Firmin Possession or oppression: witchcraft and spirit possession accusations as a form of ritual abuse of children and women, Emelie Secker and Yasmin Rehman Lost for words: difficulties naming and disclosing sexual violence in Hindi, Swati Pande a "True honoura (TM): domestic violence, forced marriage and honour crimes in the UK, Hannana Siddiqui a "It begins with Sistera (TM): polygyny and Muslims in Britain, Yasmin Rehman. Part III Interventions and Responses: Finding a voice - African and Caribbean heritage women help seeking, Ava Kanyeredzi Women seeking asylum - failed twice over, Debora Singer Working trans-culturally with domestically violent men, Phil Price Challenging domestic abuse in the Arabic speaking community: the experience of Al-Aman, Mohamed Abdalla Ballela A fuss about nothing? Delivering services to Black and minority ethnic survivors of gender violence - the role of the specialist Black and minority ethnic womena (TM)s sector, Marai Larasi Index.
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The increased global concern about trafficking in women has resulted in many publications and conferences, but limited action. Debate currently excludes some of the most critical questions, such as the impacts and meanings of being... more
The increased global concern about trafficking in women has resulted in many publications and conferences, but limited action. Debate currently excludes some of the most critical questions, such as the impacts and meanings of being sexually exploited for women and why sex industries across continents are increasingly populated by women from other countries. Recent research on the scale and mechanisms of trafficking to the UK is presented, along with recommendations for more effective responses.
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Whilst crisis interventions for women and children experiencing domestic violence are well developed, little is known about the process of rebuilding lives, including what longer term support needs might be. Women’s organisations have... more
Whilst crisis interventions for women and children experiencing domestic violence are well developed, little is known about the process of rebuilding lives, including what longer term support needs might be. Women’s organisations have lacked the resources to follow up service users. The Research Grants Programme run by the Big Lottery provided an exciting opportunity to do just that. Working in partnership with the Child and Woman Abuse Studies Unit (CWASU) at London Metropolitan University, Solace Women’s Aid successfully applied for funds that enabled us to track 100 women and their children over a three year period (2011-2014). Women were recruited into the study after exiting a range of domestic violence services provided by Solace and, through four waves of interviews, we followed their onward journeys. The overarching aims of the project were to identify: • What factors support long term settlement, how do they interrelate and at what points in the process are they particularl...
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There is a strong tradition of qualitative research documenting the experiences of survivors of domestic abuse. The in-depth nature of this data and the context in which it is collected contrasts with data collected by police officers... more
There is a strong tradition of qualitative research documenting the experiences of survivors of domestic abuse. The in-depth nature of this data and the context in which it is collected contrasts with data collected by police officers largely for the purposes of recording and investigating crime. We argue that crime codes are an incomplete representation of ‘harm’ and escalation in domestic abuse. We also suggest harm indexes and severity scores that combine crime codes and sentencing data are an inadequate and potentially misleading representation of victim-survivors’ lived experiences and wider harms suffered. We caution against the use of harm index data to prioritize intervention in cases of domestic abuse and to assess police performance and the impact of interventions. We argue for a wider range of available data to be utilized in the measurement of harm and for measurement frameworks to be informed by foundational qualitative research in this field.
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The purpose of this study is to contribute to the identification and understanding of what it means to be ‘taking into account the gender perspective, to strengthen the prevention of this crime and protection of the victims thereof’, as... more
The purpose of this study is to contribute to the identification and understanding of what it means to be ‘taking into account the gender perspective, to strengthen the prevention of this crime and protection of the victims thereof’, as required in Article 1 of European Union (EU) Directive 2011/36/EU on Preventing and Combating Trafficking in Human Beings and Protecting its Victims in the context of the EU Strategy (COM(2012) 286 final) Towards the Eradication of Trafficking in Human Beings. The study contributes to Priority E Action 2 of the Strategy, which states that ‘the Commission will develop knowledge on the gender dimensions of human trafficking, including the gender consequences of the various forms of trafficking and potential differences in the vulnerability of men and women to victimisation and its impact on them.’ Its specific objectives and tasks are to address: the ‘gender dimension of vulnerability, recruitment, and victimisation’; ‘gender issues related to traffick...
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Research Interests: Criminology and Timeline
The Department of Health publication, Commissioning services for women and children who have experienced violence or abuse – a guide for health commissioners, clearly acknowledges that ‘victims of violence or abuse tend to use health... more
The Department of Health publication, Commissioning services for women and children who have experienced violence or abuse – a guide for health commissioners, clearly acknowledges that ‘victims of violence or abuse tend to use health services more than average’ and that this is ‘despite often finding it hard to access services’ (Golding and Duggal, 2011: 22). The guidance goes on to state that it is precisely because of this that ‘it is in the NHS interest to identify these women and children, provide opportunities for them to disclose, and provide services [..] to help them improve their physical and mental health’ (ibid). The policy that has been implemented to support this process is known as ‘routine enquiry’ (RE). Since 2003 it has been Department of Health policy that all adult service users should be asked about experiences of violence and abuse in mental health assessments. However, asking about experiences of abuse and violence is not enough. To be effective the policy of r...
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This report looks at attrition in Scotland. Attrition – the process by which the majority of reported rape cases fail to reach trial – has become a critical research and policy issue. In virtually all countries where major studies have... more
This report looks at attrition in Scotland. Attrition – the process by which the majority of reported rape cases fail to reach trial – has become a critical research and policy issue. In virtually all countries where major studies have been published, substantial increases in reporting have not been matched by rises in prosecutions, resulting in a falling conviction rate. Whilst this pattern has been documented in two previous Daphne projects (Regan & Kelly, 2003), it was not universal across Europe. This report forms part of a wider project funded by the EU Commission which is analysing the similarities and differences in attrition processes across 11 countries with varying judicial systems and socio-legal cultures; it is the first study to do this.
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There is currently a network of 45 Rape Crisis Centres (RCCs) providing specialist services primarily to women and girls, but also to men and boys, who have experienced rape, childhood sexual abuse (CSA) and/or other forms of sexual... more
There is currently a network of 45 Rape Crisis Centres (RCCs) providing specialist services primarily to women and girls, but also to men and boys, who have experienced rape, childhood sexual abuse (CSA) and/or other forms of sexual violence. RCCs offer a wide range of practical and emotional support for survivors, supporters and professionals through telephone helplines, face-to-face counselling and support, group work, advocacy, outreach, prevention work and training for external agencies. Since the late 1970s, RCCs have provided services to women and girls in a woman-centred environment, working from a feminist perspective and within a framework of empowerment (Women’s Resource Centre & Rape Crisis England and Wales, 2008). A core aim of the national Rape Crisis network, Rape Crisis England and Wales (RCEW), is to raise awareness of the realities and impacts of sexual violence (RCEW & RCS, 2012), including the often overlooked needs of adult survivors of CSA. The Hidden Depths pr...
Research Interests: Psychology and Dewey
In 2006 the Department of Health introduced routine enquiry about peoples’ experience of violence and abuse as part of adult mental health assessments. This was in response to evidence that such experience was a significant aspect of the... more
In 2006 the Department of Health introduced routine enquiry about peoples’ experience of violence and abuse as part of adult mental health assessments. This was in response to evidence that such experience was a significant aspect of the histories and difficulties of many service users. This research extends the evidence base by showing how mental illness is linked with experience of abuse and violence. It is based on a representative community-based sample rather than a patient population and examines experiences of both women and men across the life course.
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The long-term consequences of violence and abuse can only be addressed if appropriate services for survivors are available. Many such services are located within the voluntary sector, and the fact that they are oversubscribed indicates a... more
The long-term consequences of violence and abuse can only be addressed if appropriate services for survivors are available. Many such services are located within the voluntary sector, and the fact that they are oversubscribed indicates a high level of demand, but there is limited robust evidence as to whether, how and why they work. Third sector organisations need to demonstrate their effectiveness, particularly in the context of competitive commissioning (Harlock, 2013). However, cuts to already under-resourced services in the violence against women and girls (VAWG) sector have made it difficult for many, especially smaller services, to develop meaningful measurement frameworks or to fully engage in commissioning processes (Callanan et al., 2012; Women’s Aid & Imkaan, 2014). The lack of standardised sector-specific outcome measures also means that services may be required to conduct multiple monitoring exercises for a variety of different funding streams, with none fully reflecting...
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A quarter of the population have experience of violence and abuse in their lives. Such experiences are major and under-acknowledged factors shaping people’s mental health and service needs. Public services are required to respond to both... more
A quarter of the population have experience of violence and abuse in their lives. Such experiences are major and under-acknowledged factors shaping people’s mental health and service needs. Public services are required to respond to both the needs of people with mental health problems, and those who have experienced abuse and violence. Our research highlights the strong links between the two – and the necessity for services to address these links if they are to respond effectively to clients’ needs.
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There are high prevalence rates of violent and abusive experience in both the childhoods and adult lives of mental health service users. Histories of childhood sexual and physical abuse amongst women service users are particularly well... more
There are high prevalence rates of violent and abusive experience in both the childhoods and adult lives of mental health service users. Histories of childhood sexual and physical abuse amongst women service users are particularly well documented. Although many of the samples in studies are small, figures of over 50% are not unusual (Palmer et al, 1992; Bryer et al, 1987; Walker and James, 1992; Wurr and Partridge, 1996). In secure settings this figure is even higher (Bland et al, 1999). Studies of severe domestic violence among psychiatric in-patients report lifetime prevalence ranging from 30% to 60% (Golding, 1999; Howard et al. 2010). The REVA study, on which this briefing is based, has also found that people who suffer violence and abuse are much more likely to have a mental disorder, self-harm or attempt suicide than those with little or no experience of this kind (Scott et al, 2013). Given the prevalence of experiences of abuse among users of adult mental health services it i...
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extent of, and responses to, trafficking in women for sexual exploitation in the UK
Funded by the European Commission Daphne II Programme to combat violence against children, young people and women 2Introduction Attrition – the process by which reported rape cases fail to reach trial – has become a critical research and... more
Funded by the European Commission Daphne II Programme to combat violence against children, young people and women 2Introduction Attrition – the process by which reported rape cases fail to reach trial – has become a critical research and policy issue. In virtually all countries where major studies have been published, substantial increases in reporting have not been matched by rises in prosecutions, resulting in a falling conviction rate. Whilst this pattern has been documented in two previous Daphne projects (Regan & Kelly, 2003), it was not universal across Europe. The central research question for the current study was to analyse the similarities and differences in attrition processes across 11 countries with varying judicial systems and socio-legal cultures; in this sense it is unique. Methodology The research design combined two strands: the first updated time series national level data on reporting, prosecution and conviction for 33 European countries for the years 2001-2007. ...
Daphne II Programme to combat violence against children, young people and women
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This report addresses four objectives: 1. To conduct a comprehensive review of European Commission (EC) funded anti-trafficking projects so as to enhance coordination, avoid duplication and provide a solid basis for coherent,... more
This report addresses four objectives: 1. To conduct a comprehensive review of European Commission (EC) funded anti-trafficking projects so as to enhance coordination, avoid duplication and provide a solid basis for coherent, cost-effective and strategic planning, including potentially for the further development of anti-trafficking policies at EU level, thereby supporting the dual aims of enhanced coordination and cooperation among key actors and policy coherence. 2. To map and analyse the distribution of EC-funded anti-trafficking projects according to their scope of intervention, geographic areas of intervention, fields, actors, target beneficiaries, funding level, types of output, policy recommendations and other relevant aspects. 3. To identify and assess the common, unique or complementary contribution of the impact and results of these funded projects to the objectives of the EU anti-trafficking strategy, including whether their contribution has yet been taken into account. 4...
Research Interests: Business, Public Administration, Political Science, European Commission, Hn, and 3 moreCommission, Jn, and Hm
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Background There are high prevalence rates of violent and abusive experience in both the childhoods and adult lives of mental health service users. Histories of childhood sexual and physical abuse amongst women service users are... more
Background There are high prevalence rates of violent and abusive experience in both the childhoods and adult lives of mental health service users. Histories of childhood sexual and physical abuse amongst women service users are particularly well documented. The ‘Responding effectively to violence and abuse’ (REVA) study, on which this presentation is based, has also found that people who suffer violence and abuse are much more likely to have a mental disorder, self-harm or attempt suicide than those with little or no experience of this kind (Scott et al, 2013). Yet disclosing experiences …