Equality and Diversity in the news

A women-only fellowship at Oxford University has been opened to men for the first time since it started in the 1930’s. The administrators at Oxford said that the fellowship has breached equality law.

The Joanna Randall-MacIver Junior Research fellowship was set up for women studying Fine Arts, Music or Literature and is funded by the estate of David Randall-MacIver, who set up the fellowship in her name after her death in 1932.

David Randall-MacIver stipulated that the fellowship should only be awarded to female academics. A spokesperson for Oxford stated that the terms for a number of historically-created trusts have been changed so that they are no longer gender-specific. The Randall-MacIver fellowship is the most recent example.

Recipients of the fellowship have spoken about the decision to open it to men, one has said “I do think it’s a rather regrettable consequence of a well-intended law that this opportunity for women should be removed.” And another stated it’s nice to have one or two things that are women only.

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/education/2019/01/11/oxford-ends-women-only-fellowship-university-rules-breaches/

 

The Prevent Strategy and Channel

Nigel Bromage, who mentors people as part of the Prevent Programme and runs a counter-extreme charity, has seen a change in the background of people seeking help in the last 6 months. He states that far-right is not a working-class movement anymore and groups are capitalising on public fears over terrorism, grooming gangs and Brexit.

One group, Generation Identity, limits its membership largely to 18 – 30-year-olds and its marketing tactics are specifically aimed at universities. The members are careful to maintain their image of an attractive and open youth movement, telling attendees at a London Protest to be “well-groomed”

One member of the Small Steps charity singled out Tommy Robinson as a key influencer through his Facebook following and said that he has almost single-handedly rebranded the far right from the antisemitism of older groups.

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/far-right-tommy-robinson-brexit-working-class-terror-islam-extremism-edl-football-lads-alliance-a8701956.html

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A neuroimaging study on a radicalised population has shown that exclusion is a leading factor in creating jihadists. Previous belief was that other variables like poverty, religious conservatism and psychosis were dominant drivers of jihadism.

Surveys identified 535 young Muslim men in Barcelona, of those identified 38 who had “expressed a willingness to engage in or facilitate violence associated with jihadist causes” agreed to have their brain scanned. The men were tested while playing a virtual ball toss game with three other players who abruptly stopped throwing the ball to them. And then later scans showed that the impact of being excluded meant that when issue was brought up that the men did not previously consider to be inviolable became much more important and were deemed worth fighting for.

https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2019/jan/06/social-exclusion-radicalisation-brain-scans

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Remember those all-important contact numbers:

Anti-Terrorism Hotline: 0800 789 321

Crime Stoppers: 0800 555 111

And above all, be vigilant! If in doubt report anything suspicious to 101 or 999.

Safeguarding

An investigation into Green Party recommends that they review their safeguarding policies. The report has found that the party did not fully investigate the background of David Challenor. Challenor was charged with sex offences in November 2016 and worked for his daughter at the 2017 general election. After being charged, Challenor continued to work for his daughter and acted as her agent at local elections in May 2018.

In August 2018, Challenor was found guilty of 20 offences, including the rape of a 10-year-old girl.

The report said that the nature of the charges raised issues about whether other children or vulnerable adults were at risk. On November 5th Challenors’ daughter sent a message to two members of the Green Party referring to the charges, but she did not ask them to take action nor did she mention that her father was a party member. The report found that the pair closed the matter off and should have followed up more.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-coventry-warwickshire-46838540

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It is recorded that professionals are still failing to report FGM to the police. A key concern is that there is a lack of awareness and knowledge not only about FGM, but also the mandatory duty to report it to the police under the Serious Crime Act 2015.

There are several countries that still practice FGM and families from communities that practice may chose to take their child back to this community to perform FGM, the most common time for this is during the summer as they believe it gives the young girl time to heal before going back to school. If you are suspicious of a young girl being taken on an extended holiday you should follow your organisations safeguarding procedure.

Angie Marriott, from The Training Hub, states “FGM education in local authorities must include addressing and overcoming cultural barriers, how to spot the of potential signs of FGM”. Familiarising yourself with the signs is extremely important in preventing FGM.

https://www.localgov.co.uk/Tackling-the-abuse-of-Female-Genital-Mutilation-FGM/46696

https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/female-genital-mutilation-fgm/

 

Health and Safety

 Last year the Institute for Apprenticeships introduced a scheme to combat the risk of workplace injuries. 600,000 workplace injuries were reported in 2016/17 and these can lead to a decrease in productivity and staff moral as staff may have to take on more tasks to cover for someone that is off for recovery.

The Safety, Health and Environment Technician Apprenticeship is a level 3 course that covers a large range of skills including:

  • Presenting and engaging an audience
  • Identifying hazards
  • Maintaining records
  • Implementing Safety, Health and Environmental Managing Systems

https://smallbusiness.co.uk/health-and-safety-apprenticeship-2546348/

https://www.instituteforapprenticeships.org/apprenticeship-standards/safety-health-and-environment-technician/

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The family of a 34-year-old man that died at Mountbatten Centre in Portsmouth are still waiting for an explanation of his death three years later.

The court heard that the Health and Safety Executive is still investigating how the man was electrocuted.

Friends of Mr Xhediku stated that he had a heart of gold and the day that he died he saved a young boys life. A group were playing football when Mr Xhediku kicked a ball over a fence, they stated that normally the young boys goes to collect the ball but, on this day, Xhediku chose to go and collect it. As he climbed the fence to retrieve the ball, he touched part of the floodlight and was declared dead on Sunday evening at Queen Alexandra Hospital.

https://www.portsmouth.co.uk/our-region/portsmouth/family-gather-for-pre-inquest-hearing-into-portsmouth-taxi-driver-s-football-pitch-electrocution-1-8769342

https://www.portsmouth.co.uk/news/portsmouth-taxi-driver-electrocuted-on-artificial-football-pitch-saved-life-of-13-year-old-ball-boy-1-7172737

 

 

 

 

 

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Enter part three here…

 

Featured Topic – Radicalisation and Substance Abuse

A study has shown that paying more attention to substance abuse could prevent or even predict radicalisation. The study investigated 6 incidents, which included the murder of Fusilier Lee Rigby and the Westminster Bridge attack by Khalid Masood.

According to the study the attackers had a history of violence due to substance abuse and turned to radicalism s a form of “self-help”. It also concluded that from a population of 52 lone-actor terrorists at least 75% had a history of chronic substance abuse.

Preventing members of a Muslim community from seeking out Islamic Fundamentalism could be as simple as introducing a 12-step recovery program. These programs are based on the work of Bill Wilson and Bob Smith who established Alcoholics Anonymous in 1935 following the end of the American Prohibition. The original 12-step model was based on their belief that alcoholism was more than just a physical issue and that treatment also needed to address the mind and the spirit.

12-step therapy rests on the six fundamentals and these can be implemented for any addiction:

  • Admitting one’s inability to control addictive or compulsive behaviour
  • Recognition of a ‘higher power’ that can provide the strength to overcome
  • Examining the past to recognise errors and mistakes
  • Making amends for past errors and mistakes
  • Learning and accepting a new code of behaviour that will govern life
  • Helping others also undergoing recovery from addictive or compulsive behaviour.

https://www.hampshirechronicle.co.uk/news/national/17351437.paying-attention-to-substance-abuse-could-prevent-terror-attacks-study-finds/

https://www.ukat.co.uk/12-step-therapy/