We Don’t Know How Many Black Women Face Domestic Abuse. That’s About To Change
Thanks to funding from Black Lives Matter UK, our charity can finally research the full extent of abuse against Black women and girls, writes Sistah Space CEO Ngozi Fulani.
In 2014, Valerie Forde approached the police for help after her ex-partner threatened to burn her down her house – with Valerie and their 23-month-old daughter, RJ, inside. Police recorded the call as a “threat to property”, and no safeguarding procedures were put in place.
Weeks later, Valerie and RJ were murdered.
A review that followed outlined a number of flaws in the reporting. Changes were recommended but on International Women’s Day – and as we approach the seventh anniversary of Valerie and RJ’s death this month – we must wonder what changes have actually been made.
Insensitive use of language by some campaigners is playing into the hands of extremists, argues
Christopher Coppock, while
A Black Lives Matter protest in London in July, 2020. Photograph: Hollie Adams/Getty Images
A Black Lives Matter protest in London in July, 2020. Photograph: Hollie Adams/Getty Images
Letters
Wed 24 Feb 2021 13.32 EST
Last modified on Wed 24 Feb 2021 14.37 EST
Nesrine Malik is right that “a culture war rages, featuring daily assaults on a cast of characters and organisations broadly associated with racial justice, migrant rights or attempts to reappraise Britain’s account of its colonial history” (The culture war isn’t harmless rhetoric, it’s having a chilling effect on equality, 22 February). But because she is on the right side of history, she apparently fails to see that the choice of words that the Black Lives Matter movement uses to frame its funding requirement, ie “to improve black people’s lives in a racist society”, actually leav
Dr Adam Elliott-Cooper on the problem with police reform
Following the death of George Floyd, police forces like Greater Manchester Police and London s Metropolitan Police have suggested reforms, but are they the way forward?
REIMAGINING SAFETY: Adam has written a book on black Resistance to British policing
The Voice spoke with Dr Adam Elliot-Cooper, who is also part of Black Lives Matter UK about why he thinks popular police reform ideas are not what our community needs, and why he passionately believes in defunding the police.
Do we need more black police?
Some reformers think hiring police officers from diverse backgrounds will solve the regular problems that black communities in Britain have with the police force.
BLM supported Sistah Space s calls for a new premises last summer
- Credit: Andy Commons
A Hackney domestic violence charity is one of several organisations to receive funding from the anti-racism group Black Lives Matter UK (BLMUK).
BLMUK has announced it will give £600,000 worth of funding to grassroots groups, such as Sistah Space, which are working to support Black communities.
The money makes up 50 per cent of what was raised via a GoFundMe last summer and will be distributed in two rounds.
Founder and chief executive of Sistah Space, Ngozi Fulani, thanked BLMUK and said on Twitter: This is a historical happening.