'DELIGHTED' police have announced the scaling down of their hunt for the Yorkshire Ripper. Their message to women is clear-- you can relax now, good coppering, has saved the day again.
The Yorkshire, Ripper, whoever he is, is a crazed and merciless in dividual. But violence and attacks against women are by no means always the work of such people.
The National Council for ~ Civil Liberties estimates that some 47 per cent of all rapes are committed by people known to the victim, and only 2 percent of rapists are clinically sick Women cannot rely on the forces of law and order to protect them; We live in asociety which condones and perpetuates violent acts agamst Films such as Dressed to Kill depicting violence against women,page pinups the popular press, ¡and the ponce turning a blind eye widespread battering alle encourage sexual violence.
Despite recent SPECIAL OFFER for new readers - 10 issues for just E11 6-month subscription E6.50, 12-monthe t12.50 Abroad: 12 months (12.50 or £18 airmoll, Multi-reader institutions: Trico those rates Name Address I enclose a donation for the Fighting Fund of get t Cheques, POs and Money Orders should be made payable to Socialist Challenge', Complete and return Challenge, PQ Box 50, London NI 2XP Registered as a Nowspaper with the Post Office reforms protceting rape victims from having to reveal their sexual history court, the police _often insist: on, knowing such information. In 1978 women reported 1,243 rapes and only 309 men were conRecent - court cases have aso 1 ustratee the nypocrisy of the law: the Maw sisters: victed of murdering their brutal and violent father while a man was found not guilty or murdering his wife because she nagged him!.
The only suggestion Yorkshire police could make to- women week was to avoid goug out at night. scream loudly if attack ed. And when women take elementary towards self-defence it is the police who move in against them.
Last week, for exam Die. Caroline Farnejad was: sentenced to zone month in jail, suspended for a year for having a pepper and red dye spray this form to: Socialist in her handbag. That's police defence for you arresting women defending themselves Now that the police have, finally cha mana wait one ere de Abuse Carefully arranging his court appearance for Tate alternoon to allow the largest crowd to hurl abuse, the police and the convicted suspect and thus saved themselves any more embarassment.
So much for British justice and innocence till proven guilty.
Already the Hang tem' brigade is out in force Hang the man and then it be The campaign to bring Already the 'hang am' brigade is out in force not protect women.
ings together the police the ories Whitehouse and the Na tonal Front at all those who are most emphatie that a woman's place is in the family, and who attack all moves towards establishing women's equality, Capital: punishment is no solution to violence against women. It has never deterred murderer or violent criminals. It is always used, by the right hanging br-s wing to strengthen the END Women should fight for their right to organise and state and the police, an to intimidate all thos who threaten the status backs yours trade like women, gays, and Violence against women is not just the work of a few madmen It's built into capitalist society where women are still seen as second class citizens and the property of their menfolk Symbolic of this attitude is the fact that it is still Innocent until proved guilty? the Night demo above legally possible for a man to rape his wife, his own ‹property:
laws cannot and will not The police and the protect women. The press hysteria will only make the position for Worse. Women achieved more to have nspire other women with confidence "and s 10 highlight the causes of sexual violence than these reactionary forces Photo: Angela Phillips (IFL)
est as on reclaim Women should fight for the right to themselves The demos by •Women against 'Violence against Women in pro test at sexist films, the Reclaim ethe Night demos by women up and down the country, and the resolution on ¿sexual violence pass ed by this year's Scot tish Women's TUC all show the way forward
----- pull-quotes -----
AN THE noli