Tory violence against women

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ency to bourgeois law while = no doubt success- ing housing shortage, and to rely on their own strength — to organise to learn WOMEN READERS will be pleased to know that self-defence, and to demand self-defence classes Labour MP Jack Ashley's mind was set at rest by Tory Lord Chancellor Hailsham this week. In the midst of the public furore over the 'hitch the laws and the Tories really can defend women. tion of the hundreds of thousands of married How can we measure the depression and isola- -They must insist the labour movement supports repudiating the view that 'contributory neglig- hike' rape judgment, Hailsham issued a statement hike' case itself shows — is not 'sex that has got The opposite is the case. Rape - as the 'hitch closures in industry and the cuts in the public sect- women workers driven out of the workforce by women's refuges and Rape Crisis Centres, and backs women's demands for changes in the rape that he will now deal with the matter 'in his own ence' should justify a lenient sentence, for rape. And Hailsham went further: he assured Ashley out of hand' , but a crime of brute violence and cases of rape is paralleled by a rise in violence ag- domination. The rise in the number of reported to the drudgery of domestic toil in the home? or - stripped of their economic independence, denied even unemployment benefit, and confined the plight of women so long as this Tory govern- But there is no prospect of an improvement of way', and stressed the seriousness of the detest- ainst women and children in the home. Both stem to a large extent from the social crisis to find, since they are 'hidden' by official statistics Even accurate numbers of such women are hard Against this toll of misery, psychological torture No, rather a Tory gc ernment moving belatedly So what is this? A Tory government coming which have brought bitter poverty and long-term unemployment to millions of men and women, unleashed by the Tories policies of recession ion endured by growing numbers of daughters Who can assess the scale of the toil and oppress- recourse: they must organise in the unions and in the Labour Party, and drive forward the struggle exploitation and oppression, women have only one to attempt to restore tue tarnished credentials of and from the continued dominance of the ideology forced to care in their own homes for sick and for action to defeat the Thatcher government and the judiciary - one of whose number was un- of the subordination and oppression of women, elderly relatives cast adrift by Tory cuts and by for socialist policies which can begin to lift the guarded enough to get caught with his prejudices reinforced by the institutions of the state and by capitalism's failure to provide adequate social Such policies would include immediate reversal private property of men. This same view is reflect- often reproduce the feudal idea of women as the the middle class, and has only in recent years ed in the thinking of the majority of workers and The capitalist class and its legal system still security and pensions; the Tory government is conditions; on social services, health, housing, both triggering additional frustration which fuels and education; on unemployment benefit, social By stepping up its attacks on jobs, wages, and down the symptoms while the disease continues of life for millions of women, who can seriously believe that the law can protect them? Would heavier sentences be anything but trying to beat With such state attacks part of the daily reality ments in health, education and housing as well as gramme of public works to provide vital improve- new jobs for both women and men; legislation to of the cuts in the public sector and a crash pro- give women the right to choose abortion; a dramfrom the women's movement and from socialists. come under a sustained and growing challenge violence and itself inflicting its own brand of viol- Judge Richards' notorious sentence is simply towards the socialisation of domestic tasks such ity of opportunity a reality for women; and steps atic extension of childcare facilities to make equalBut Judge Richards' pronouncement, if used as Who can gauge the deep psychological violence the tip of an iceberg of male prejudice in the judia precedent, would reduce women to substantially inflicted on countless thousands of young women cial system: prejudice which has meant that only as cooking and laundry which presently fall upon imagine the plea of 'contributory negligence' below the status of private property. Who can denied any prospect of a job that can utilise their talents and skills and enahle them to develop their one raped woman in 20 dares to go to the police to complain, and that sentences for this most savage The fight for policies such as these requires a successfully reducing the sentence for stealing an of crimes have been steadily falling even for the struggle within the labour movement against unlocked Rolls Royce or silverware from an Who can measure the oppression of young wom- small percentage of rapists found guilty. sexism at all levels and against the present leadMen driven today by unemployment to abandon Will the capitalist police and courts ever deal ership, which is committed to the values and preBy moving to oppose Richards' argument, their hopes of a career and seek refuge in early with rape from the point of view of identifying with judices of the capitalist system. Socialist Organiser therefore, Hailsham is restoring a certain consist marriage and child-rearing — at a time of a grow- the victim rather than the criminal? Women need urges women readers to join with us in this fight. able crime of rape' down in favour of women's rights?

showing. unlocked country mansion? LABOUR turncoats, together with SDP, Liberal and Tory councillors, committed the Greater London the mass media.

ence on millions of women.

independence as individuals? ing health services? of unemployment.

provision?

unchecked? soaring rents, and dwindlfor girls at school.

ment remains in office.

burden. women.

So how come Judge Richards, who was acting in the finest traditions of the judiciary, got such a bad press?

Of course, you expect it from the pinko Guardian and the Observer. They make a profession out of undermining the police and judiciary. But it comes to a pretty pass when the Sun, the Mail and the Star are gving lectures to judges on the punishment of rapists.

Yo-ho-ho on pages 3 and 5 and moralising on pages 1 Ine sun, for example, led one edition with the news that the 18 year old rape victim had married -or rather, rape girl is a bride!

This demonstrated that even someone who has been defiled can be brought back to the land of the virtuous through the courtesy of a "decent' man.

The victim shared this honour, and the front page, with Anna Ford, who overANTOR serve its own models.

The paper returns the attack under the headline 'An error, a smear, an insult' It began this piece by starting, Judge Bertrand Richards has not only insulted the women of Britain by his rape case judgment, he has also smeared every man.

"Out of step"

It also quotes another judge, Sir Melford Stevenson, aged 79, as backing up Judge Richards by saying, *Girls who hitch-hike in this way are seeking the excitement of danger. If she is a personable woman, isn't it so simple? It really doesn't need explanation."

But the Star quotes this judge only to conclude that he is out of step with the mainstream of the judiciary. Is this the general view of the legal profession? The Daily Star knows that it is not. Most legal authorities questioned say Judge Rich-

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