Latest news with #WordsMatter
ITV News
6 days ago
- ITV News
Why Gloucestershire Police will no longer be using terms like 'revenge porn'
Police in Gloucestershire say they're no longer using terms like 'revenge porn' and 'groping', in an effort to reduce victim blaming and misogyny. The force said it hopes to improve how male violence towards women and girls is communicated to the public. It's hoped the new Words Matter reporting guidelines will place responsibility on perpetrators and improve accuracy by naming the crime that has been committed. ' A problem of epidemic proportions' According to ONS statistics: One in four women has been raped or sexually assaulted since the age of 16 Six in seven rapes against women are carried out by someone they know 71,227 rapes were recorded by police in England and Wales in 2024 Charges had been brought in just 2.7% of these cases by the end of the year In 2021, Ofsted found that 9 in 10 girls and young women in schools say sexist name-calling and being sent unwanted images of a sexual nature happens to them or other girls their age. Police and Crime Commissioner for Gloucestershire Chris Nelson said: "When it comes to crimes like domestic abuse, sexual assaults and many others, it is a statistical fact that men are the main perpetrators and women the main victims. "Anyone can be abused, but the misogynistic abuse women and girls face every day has become normalised in our society. It is a problem of epidemic proportions." What changes can you expect to see? Gloucestershire Police's Violence Against Women and Girls lead, Detective Chief Superintendent Kerry Patterson, said that the new guidelines will initiate "subtle but powerful changes in the right direction". They include advice on using active language which makes it clear that the perpetrator is responsible for their actions. She explained: "Stating that a man raped a woman, rather than a woman was raped by a man, clearly puts the responsibility on the perpetrator, and goes towards ending victim blaming language in our communication with both the public and press." PCC Chris Nelson added: "Women are not 'groped' in clubs, men are sexually assaulting them. Women are not 'playing hard to get', men are raping them." The guidelines instruct to avoid euphemisms which can downplay the severity of the crime. For example, using the term "revenge porn" to describe image-based abuse implies the person affected acted in ways that necessitate revenge. Similarly, describing the rape or sexual abuse of a child with phrases like "man had sex with a 14-year-old" implies the child was able to consent. What difference will this make? Work on the Words Matter guidelines began in August 2022, and the founder of the Hollie Gazzard Trust, Nick Gazzard, was on the initial panel to advise on the project. The trust was created after 20-year-old Hollie Gazzard was murdered by an ex-partner in 2014. A spokesperson from the trust explained that "plain and clear language" was essential in showing that decisions to commit crimes against women and girls are made by the perpetrators alone. They said: "It's about recognising that the harm that can be done to a victim or surviver or their family is immense if you're not being as factual as possible." They added: "Hopefully, the media will take the lead from the way the police communication team deliver that information. "Some of these worrying attitudes that the police are referring to are really hard to change but you have to start somewhere." Temporary Chief Constable Maggie Blyth, of Gloucestershire Police and the National Police Chiefs' Council lead for Violence Against Women and Girls, said: "If the use of inappropriate language around women and girls continues, then there will not only be a decrease in trust and confidence, but more worryingly a further rise to the already increasing culture of misogyny being learnt across fast-moving platforms, especially among younger people. "And if this is allowed to continue these views and opinions may manifest into more serious threats." Co-founder and Managing Director of This Ends Now, Sydney-Anne McAllister said: "With a focus on women's safety rather than holding perpetrators to account, male violence against women and girls is generally reported on in a victim blaming and misogynistic way. "More often than not, reports also downplay the seriousness of crimes and fail to acknowledge that male violence against women and girls is a systemic issue. "We believe that when would-be perpetrators know their actions will no longer be excused through language and power structures, they will stop abusing women and girls. By changing how these crimes are communicated, we can hold perpetrators to account. The Words Matter guidelines are believed to be the first of their kind in UK police communications. You can contact their Wiltshire support line on 01225 775276 or their Devon support centre on 0345 155 1074. Other resources available include:
Yahoo
30-04-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
How 'high warmth' parenting works as shouting found to damage children's brains
The Easter holidays are over for another year, and many parents may be breathing a sigh of relief at no longer having to juggle work and childcare. School breaks can be a pressure cooker for family tensions, and it's not uncommon for parents to resort to shouting when children act out and misbehave. But while raising your voice might feel effective in the moment, new research suggests it could have lasting effects on children's wellbeing. Brain scans from University College London reveal that regular exposure to shouting can 'reshape' developing brains, increasing the risk of poor mental health later in life. These findings were recently presented to MPs in Westminster by a panel of child development experts, in an event organised by the charity Words Matter. The researchers warned that children subjected to verbal aggression may also struggle to experience joy and build healthy friendships, especially if they're shouted at on a regular basis. In the UK, shouting is a common behaviour in many households, with two in five children experiencing verbal abuse, and over half of kids exposed to it weekly. Shouting can range from raised voices to more extreme scolding, threatening and insulting from parents. The World Health Organization classifies the latter as emotional abuse, categorising it as a key form of violence against young people. Experts have previously warned that regular shouting can have long-term effects on kids, increasing the risk of anxiety, depression, eating disorders, sleep problems, addiction and self-harm. Studies have even suggested that verbal abuse may be as damaging as physical or sexual abuse, with one 2023 research paper linking shouting at with a greater risk of self-harm, drug use and imprisonment later in life. If you're a parent, you'll probably familiar with this scenario: your child ignores your last warning not to misbehave, and the next thing you know, you're yelling at the top of your voice. But parenting coach Olivia Edwards says that disciplining kids in this way rarely works, as it models shouting as a conflict-resolution strategy, and can often escalate small issues into full blown family rows. "When parents shout, it's usually because they've been triggered into a fight-or-flight state," she notes. "For many, this response is learned from their own childhood experiences, which can lead to default reactions when children misbehave. "We often revert to what we experienced growing up - how our parents reacted when we misbehaved," she reveals. "That's why the gentle parenting movement is so important, as it encourages us to parent differently from how we were raised, requiring us to rewire old habits." Edwards says the first step is for parents is to build awareness, recognising when shouting is happening. From here, they can try the following tips to get back on track with calm and effective communication: Between school runs, homework, cooking and bedtimes routines, parents rarely get the time to rest and reset their nervous system - the body's ability to maintain balance and adapt to stress. In this state, small frictions can easily tip parents into losing their cool. "We all have triggers, but on the flip side, there are glimmers too - habits or hobbies that can take us out of a fight and flight response and into a relaxed rest and digest state," Edwards note. Glimmers could be anything from going for a walk in nature, stepping outside for a few restorative breaths or listening to calming music - any activity and ritual that helps you feel calm and in control. Shouting might feel like the right thing to do in the moment, but it rarely achieves the right result. 'When a parent's old wounds are triggered, they tend to go into a state of needing to shout to gain control. Or they look at punishments, such as threats or removal of privileges," says Edwards. "But we want to avoid using both of these tactics," she warns, "because it's not really teaching children the value in feeling and moving past their emotions." Rather than shouting, Edwards encourages what she calls a 'high warmth' parenting style. "Many parents think gentle parenting means being lenient, but children actually need clear limits," she explains. "Their nervous systems feel safer when they know where the boundaries are, and that you're confident in holding them as their parent." The goal is to be consistent, but also compassionate. "When a child tests a limit, it's important to hold it while offering understanding," says Edwards. For example, you might say there won't be ice cream at the park today because they've already had sugary treats. "If they get upset, that's okay," she says. "It's normal for children to have big emotions. and we don't want to shut those down with shouting." Instead, parents should stay calm and confident. "You can say, 'I know you're disappointed,' while still sticking to the decision." After setting the boundary and validating their feelings, Edwards advises against getting drawn into negotiation with kids. "Sometimes it helps to gently redirect their energy, shifting the focus to something else to move past the tantrum," she says. "It's fine to distract or move on, but only after you've acknowledged how they feel, because that's how they build emotional resilience over time." While calming practices can take the edge off a particularly testing day, parents who find themselves blowing up regularly may need therapy to tackle unhealed wounds, so they can show up for their children without easily getting upset. "If the root causes of those triggers are inherent feelings like, 'my child isn't listening to me,' 'that felt really disrespectful,' or 'my voice isn't being heard,' a qualified therapist or coach can help you understand the root cause of these emotions," says Edwards. No parent is perfect, and Edwards says it's important to recognise when things didn't go as planned. "For example, you might feel annoyed after shouting, but if you say, 'I'm sorry I shouted, but if you'd just listened…' the apology isn't valid, because it's still blaming the child. An effective repair means owning your mistake genuinely and not passing the blame," she says. "Instead, you might say, 'I'm really sorry I shouted at you earlier. I was angry, and it's okay for me to feel angry, but it's not okay that I let that anger come out as shouting.' "It's important to frame it this way so that the child understands anger is a natural emotion, but it's how we handle it that counts." She adds that it's helpful to check in with children's feelings after shouting, as even if the comments weren't aimed directly at them, it can still be unsettling for them to witness. Read more on parenting: How much sleep do teenagers actually need? An expert explains (Yahoo Life UK, 6-min read) What being the youngest, oldest or middle child could mean for your personality (Yahoo Life UK, 4-min read) My 4-year-old son was too anxious to go to school for a year (Yahoo Life UK, 5-min read)
