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Winners 2009
Individual Award: Sandra McNeill
From the mid-1970s Sandra has been involved in ground-breaking campaigns and direct action, often initiated by Sandra herself. She has raised the profile of all the causes she takes up, through writing and speaking, inspired others to action, and worked tirelessly, not just for women as a whole, but also individual women.
Sandra McNeill was a founder member of Justice for Women and is still an active member after 19 years. For example she has spent weekends visiting imprisoned women accused of murdering their violent male partners. Other notable successes include the change in law to make rape in marriage a crime; her directorship of the high-profile Leeds Zero Tolerance campaign, and training of thousands of front-line health staff; and recently, her persuading Rotherham Council to give benefits to women with no recourse to public funds who leave, or wish to leave, their violent husband/partner. Sandra’s commitment is no flash-in-the-pan; it’s her lifetime work, and she more than deserves the Emma Humphreys prize.
Group Award: OBJECT
The need to tackle gender stereotyping and the objectification of women in the media is required by Article 5 of the UN Committee for the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW). OBJECT is a human rights organisation which challenges the sexual objectification of women in the media and popular culture.
Established in 2003 in response to an ever-accelerating sexist culture of objectification, OBJECT works to create a vision of a society free of sexism, in which women are represented in their full diversity. In campaigning against the sexual objectification of women, OBJECT seeks to enable all women to be able to enjoy their human rights.
OBJECT's websiteSpecial Award: Fiona Mactaggart MP
Fiona is the Labour MP for Slough. She is Chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Prostitution and the Global Sex Trade and co-Chair of the Parliamentary Labour Party Women’s Committee. She also runs a mentoring scheme for Labour women who want to stand for Parliament. Fiona has campaigned for the human rights of women and other marginalised groups throughout her career but has been nominated for her ground-breaking work in relation to prostitution where she has spearheaded the campaign that aims to make those who purchase sexual services of controlled/exploited women criminally responsible for the harm that they cause.
Other Nominees 2009
Individuals
Patricia Byrne - Patricia is Artistic Director of Sole Purpose Productions, a professional theatre company based at the Playhouse in Derry/Londonderry, Northern Ireland. Patricia has written three pieces for the company – Don’t Say A Word, Snow White - The Remix, See No Evil. Don’t Say A Word, is a one woman performance by Patricia about domestic violence. Patricia has formed many partnerships with Women’s Aid, Probation Services, Police Service Domestic Violence Units, Health and Social Services and Local Councils. Patricia sees these partnerships as a part of the core of raising awareness in working class and deprived communities. This approach has informed her writing and also allowed for panel discussions after performances of Don’t Say A Word, where the issues raised by the play are addressed by Women’s Aid, Domestic Violence Officers and Probation Services.
Laurie Ann Matthew - For the past 30 Years, Laurie has campaigned on behalf of women and children who have experienced abuse and violence, and created and delivered services for them. She has devoted herself to ending violence and abuse and works tirelessly, often in the face of extreme opposition, to provide services that women and children want and need. She has raised funds and set up organisations offering services to young survivors, asylum seekers and survivors of ritual abuse, written books and campaigned publicly to raise awareness.
Jennifer McDermott - Jennifer’s 19 year old daughter Cassie was murdered in 2001 by her ex-boyfriend. He was acquitted at trial; however in 2009 he was retried under the new double jeopardy law for Cassie’s case as well as the attempted murder of another young girl. He pled guilty and is now serving 2 life sentences. During the intervening years, Jennifer never gave up and campaigned constantly for justice. She set up a charity, the Cassandra Learning Centre (CLC), in memory of her daughter and the landmark trial paves the way for justice to be served in future cases. The CLC aims to educate young people about the dangers and realities of domestic violence. It also aims to work with parents who may be worried about their children’s relationships. Jennifer is an inspiration and her courage and determination to achieve justice are to be commended.
Kirsty Mellor - As a survivor of Sexual Violence and Domestic Abuse Kirsty has channelled much of her healing into driving campaigns in the Portsmouth area. She initiated and directed a petition regarding the inadequate sentencing of perpetrators of domestic abuse and sexual violence in courts, which resulted in an invite by her local MP to present the petition at 10 Downing Street to Gordon Brown.
Chloe Moss - Chloë wrote This Wide Night for Clean Break - a brilliant and moving portrayal of two women trying to start again following release from prison. Chloë demonstrated a phenomenal ability to bring difficult and important issues to the fore in an engaging and subtle way which left audiences in no doubt about the experience of women offenders. Specifically, violence against women is evident through the brutality one of the characters experiences working as a prostitute. Chloë has demonstrated a commitment to using her artistic skills to bring about meaningful social change for vulnerable women.
Kim Young - Since Kim’s statement and realisation she is a survivor of an horrific violent relationship, her desire and motivation has been solely in the development/implementation of a strategy to aid and advise fellow victims on their own personal long, stressful and often traumatic journeys toward survival, this is Kim’s goal to have this strategy implemented throughout all aspects of our society from the workplace to education. Since surviving the abusive relationship Kim has excelled both at work and in her private life, developing the skills through continuing education toward her goal of professional councillor, in order to more effectively support fellow victims, Kim has now been published in her book “Sour Face” she recounts vivid details of life with an abuser, The book published by Mental Health charity Chipmunka.
Organisations
Paws for Kids - Paws for Kids was started by a group of women who recognised that there is a gap in the provision of services to women and their families who were escaping from violent homes. While refuges could accommodate women and their children, they could not take in any pets belonging to the family. Animals had to be either left behind to suffer at the hands of the violent man, given away to someone else or even put down. Often women remain in a violent relationship rather than have to abandon their pets to a violent fate or give them away permanently. Paws for Kids fostering service offers some peace of mind for women and their children, knowing their pets are safe while they await re-housing from a refuge.
Trust - Trust is a highly regarded faith based organisation that supports women who are involved in prostitution to exit from damaging behaviour patterns and to realise their own potential through a diverse catalogue of interventions advice and advocacy.