One woman murdered every month is the tip of the iceberg
DJ in a spin after his Dancing on Ice victory
EVERY nine minutes. That’s how often a report of domestic abuse is reported to police.
Between 2009 and 2019, 112 women were killed in Scotland by their partner or ex-partner – that’s nearly one woman every month – and we should regard those figures as the tip of the iceberg.
Police Scotland have admitted that dealing with incidents of domestic abuse is the biggest demand on their time and that situation will have got much worse during lockdown.
Victims have literally no way to escape the abuse, unless she is a key worker, and I also detect that the violence being used against women has become more extreme, with more recorded incidences of mutilations, dismemberment and beheadings.
I rarely encountered a beheading incident at the beginning of my career – such incidents were regarded as something which was exceptional and unusual, with the perpetrator more than likely to have an underlying personality disorder.
Today it is more commonplace to read that the victim had been beheaded and it doesn’t appear to cause the widespread revulsion that it once did. It’s almost as if this type of extreme violence has become acceptable and, of course, more widely, beheading can be viewed as an expression of group identity – such as with Isis, but that’s not what is going on here.
We know that to attack the face is to attempt to destroy the individuality of the victim, as the face is the public expression of the self – of the victim’s individuality, of their being human and so just like you and me. If you cut the victim’s head off completely it is surely the ultimate form of humiliation, as much as this must allow for the male aggressor the ultimate release of pent-up destructive, misogynistic fantasies – of their extreme hatred for women. I also detect that extreme hatred in the now common defence used by some men that they killed their girlfriend, partner or wife during what they describe as “sex games that went wrong”, as if they were merely re-enacting scenes from Fifty Shades of Grey and which plays on a more widespread, and depressing cultural acceptance that sex is about power, rather than love. And that idea gets us
Cutting the victim’s head off must allow the male aggressor a release of pent-up mysogynist fantasies
back to misogyny. Misogyny is much more than chauvinism or sexism, which are related to the qualities or attitudes of an individual, and concerns the structural bases of our society and culture which treat women as inferior to men, and which seeks to punish those women who refuse to accept that power imbalance.
Seen in this structural way, it also allows us to understand why violence against women has reached epidemic proportions because, most obviously, access to higher education and work opportunities are now much more equal than they have been in previous generations, and that access is now also enshrined in law.
That makes some men very uncomfortable and rather than look to address their own shortcomings they seek instead to blame – and then punish – women more generally, and the women in their life more specifically.
Criminologically we call the killing of a woman by their husband an “uxoricide”, but I would rather just call the violence against women that we are currently seeing an outrage of truly epic proportions.
A SCOTS veteran is walking from Drumchapel to Buckingham Palace in aid of fellow ex-army heroes fighting the “hidden wounds of war”. Billy MacLeod was awarded an MBE after setting up charity, Veterans in Action in 2008 to help retired soldiers deal with post traumatic stress disorder. He aims to start the 395-mile walk on March 20 and finish by July to raise cash for VIA. Billy, who is from Drumchapel, told the Record: “I’m proud to be from there and wanted to honour that through this challenge. It’ll be tough but well worth it.” ● Donate at https://veteransinaction. enthuse.com/cf/the-drum-to-buck-house
RADIO DJ Sonny Jay fought back tears as he was announced the winner of Dancing on Ice last night, saying: “This is mental.”
The Capital Radio presenter, 27, and partner Angela Egan – a former Amazon worker from Greenock on her debut season in the show – received the most viewer votes, beating ex-Corrie star Faye Brookes, 33, and Matt Evers.
In third place was former athlete Colin Jackson, 54, and partner Klabera Komini, who had perfect scores for both of their dances but forfeited their chance to skate to Bolero.
After finishing his version of the routine made famous by Jayne Torvill and Christopher Dean, Sonny was asked by host Phillip Schofield how he felt. “Genuinely, I’ve just completed life,” he said.
Jayne said: “For someone who couldn’t skate a few months ago, that was fantastic. Seeing him improve week after week is just a joy.”
Co-host Holly Willoughby said last night’s final, following a series blighted by injuries and withdrawals because of Covid, was “the closest we’ve had”.
The bookies had Faye, who skated as a child, as the favourite to win the final, which was brought forward by a week owing to a lack of contestants.
Judges Ashley Banjo, John Barrowman and ex-Olympic champs Jayne and Chris were hugely impressed with Sonny’s progress.
They said he had brought “fun and personality” to the contest.
“I’ve fallen in love with skating,” he said ahead of his win. “I’m going to miss it. I’ll remember this experience forever.”
Faye was gracious in defeat, saying: “It couldn’t have gone to a better guy.”
A MAN who slept rough for five days in a bid to highlight homelessness has paid tribute to those who came to his aid.
We told last month how Cam Cooney braved sub-zero temperatures in Glasgow with only a sleeping bag and a camera in a bid to help those living in extreme poverty during the pandemic.
The 26-year-old told anyone who asked that he had nowhere to go but refused any charity which would take away from those who needed it.
Now he has dedicated a short film he made to five people who transformed his experience by offering him food, warmth and kindness. He said: “Thank you to these random strangers who noticed me while I was sleeping on the streets and, out of the kindness of their own hearts, treated me like a human being. The world is a better place with you.”
Cam, who is originally from Australia and runs a meditation business in Glasgow, came up with his plan after being shocked by the homelessness he saw here.
He experienced the dark side of life on the streets when he was kicked while he slept and had food stolen from him.
But while taking shelter in a derelict building in Cowcaddens, he met kindhearted couple Susan Hughes and Jack
Berry, mum and daughter Angie and Natasha Smith and their neighbour Andy Cook, who all offered help when he needed it most.
After finishing his sleepout Cam thanked those who had helped him.
Angie, 58, said: “He told me he had been doing it for charity and gave me a wee card and gift. I’m so proud of what he’s done.”
Susan, 24, said: “What he’s done will help people realise that this is a real issue. It was an emotional whirlwind when he told us the truth.
“We’ll be friends forever. We feel like our paths were meant to cross.”
Cam raised more than £1500 for homeless charity Steps to Hope, which has shared the video of his experience.