Thanks to Disability News Service for highlighting a domestic abuse-related blunder by DWP staff, after the claimant went from a joint claim to a single person claim. This is in a DWP list of serious cases in 2023-4 which they investigated internally because their actions or failings may have affected a claimant who suffered serious harm, died, or attempted suicide. We say in the article: . . . it was “frightening” but unsurprising “that UC staff were so careless as to reveal information to a domestic abuser, and some kind of harm resulted. “We don’t … Read more
Our quote from The Big Issue (19 June): “Labour and Tory alike pledge billions more for military spending and nuclear submarines, but don’t prioritise funding for independent living and support for mothers and children to keep families together in the community.” Our full comment was, “. . . Instead there is massive spending to businesses in the privatised children’s home industry. “The Tories and Labour both plan huge welfare cuts and harsher work conditions for benefit, which hit women harder. Labour claim: ‘for women especially, work is freedom’, but those of us who are caring for … Read more
Meeting in Parliament Monday 11 December, 3-5pm Grimond Room, Portcullis House, SW1A 2JH (allow extra time for security check) Westminster tube The Disabled Mothers’ Rights Campaign (DMRC) / WinVisible and other disability rights organisations are speaking at this meeting by the Alliance for Inclusive Education, Disabled People Against Cuts and Reclaiming Our Futures Alliance. The End Torture campaign came out of the Hesley Group scandal in Doncaster, where the council was paying £250,000 per young person for residential “special school” placements where they were systematically abused. DMRC and the Support Not Separation coalition, which we … Read more
Reclaim the Night Brighton is marching tonight. 6pm Friday 10th November 2023, meeting at Brighton rail station. Protesting against street harassment & rape culture. Trans & sex worker inclusive. Our support message: Hello from WinVisible, women with visible & invisible disabilities – we are with you in spirit at Reclaim the Night Brighton, and taking part on social media. As grassroots, multi-racial immigrant and UK-born women together, some of us lgbtqi+, we know that disabled women, and those of us of colour, frequently encounter assault and abuse in the street. Many women tell of being … Read more
19 July 2023 from RMT Press Office Rail union, RMT has written a joint letter to Transport Focus and London Travelwatch opposing ticket office closure plans. Alongside the Equality Trust, End Violence Against Women, Disability Rights UK, DPAC, Greater Manchester Coalition of Disabled People, Inclusion London, National Pensioners Convention, WinVisible and Transport for All, the letter states: We are writing to you to object to the proposed closure of nearly 1000 ticket offices at Avanti West Coast, C2C, Chiltern, East Midlands Railway, Greater Anglia, GTR (Great Northern, Thameslink and Southern), Great Western Railway, LNER, Southeastern, … Read more
Shared from the Canary 1 March 2023 — part one of three reports by Steve Topple — thank you! A protest just highlighted how adoption is the state-sanctioned, forcible removal of children from marginalised women This is the first in a three-part series looking at adoption in the UK, focusing on marginalised mothers and caregivers. The state’s adoption of children has effectively become an industry in recent years. However, not all mothers and caregivers are subject to social services taking their children from them. This is because the state is disproportionately targeting women the system marginalises … Read more
Sue Ferguson and Ruth Knox Women protesters against Arms Fair in Liverpool are innocent Drop the charges now! WinVisible (women with visible and invisible disabilities) and Payday men’s network (Refusing to Kill) send our heartfelt support to Sue Ferguson and Ruth Knox, who are up in court tomorrow, Friday 1 April, following a paint spraying incident against the Arms Fair in Liverpool last year — part of protests that had wide support, see video. We are with you in spirit, and with supporters, who are gathering outside with banners and inside the court: Friday 1 … Read more
On Saturday 29 January, WinVisible took part in Waltham Forest Reclaim the Night, organised by Waltham Forest Women’s Network. At the rally in Walthamstow Town Square, Ariane Sacco from WinVisible spoke against violence against disabled women and girls. Here is her speech on video: Women and children marched from Leyton and Walthamstow to Walthamstow Town Square. We all chanted, “Safe streets — now!” Video clip of the march here.