WOMEN'S SAFETY: THROUGH THE YEARS

TRIGGER WARNING: MENTIONS OF RAPE, MURDER, DRUGS AND ABUSE

Violence against women is nothing new, in fact it has been prevalent in our world since over 4,000 years ago where the 'Hammurabi Code of Babylon' states that if a married woman was raped she would face the same consequences as the offender. This would entail both being bound and thrown into the river.  There are also records of 2,000 years ago when Roman law granted a husband life and death authority over his wife, including murder and abuse. Records stretch all the way back to Despite rape being seen as criminal since ancient times, justice was rarely brought to attention due to social stigma. 

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It was not until the 1860s in the UK when laws were made meaning that men could no longer use force to control their wives and children and instead they were imprisoned if the beatings were deemed 'too severe' only. Therefore, in the mid-19th century, there was no conception of the term “domestic abuse”. Almost comically, a City of London bylaw in 1895 made it illegal for a husband to hit his wife between the hours of 10pm and 7am, only due to how the noise was keeping neighbours awake. Laws were still made (for the most part) by, and for, men, disregarding the key concept of the safety of women, making a mockery of it completely.

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In 1948, the UN adopted the 'Universal Declaration of Human Rights' which is viewed as the most basic international foundation for tackling violence against women. Setting out how 'Men and women of full age, without any limitation due to race, nationality or religion, have the right to marry and to found a family. They are entitled to equal rights as to marriage, during marriage and at its dissolution', 'All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood.', 'Everyone is entitled to all the rights and freedoms set forth in this Declaration, without distinction of any kind, such as race, colour, sex, language, religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth or other status'. Yet, rape wasn't legally defined until 1956 in 'the Sexual Offences Act' providing specific criteria as impersonation, legal age and drugs. However, this was far from perfect and was revised and replaced by the second edition of this act in 2003. 

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In the 1970s, many foundations providing a voice to women nationwide were formed such as Women's Aid in 1974 and Rights of Women in 1975. Women's Aid campaigned for further refreshed laws and policies protecting victims of any kind of abuse, while Rights of Women offered legal advice to women, showing them how to use the law to seek their own justice. Women's Aid founded the first National Helpline for Domestic Abuse in 1987, providing much needed support for abused women. 

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Even in this day and age, equality is lacking, despite many sexual offences against women being illegal, it most definitely doesn't mean they don't still happen. Studies by UN Women UK in March 2021, show that 97% of women within the UK between the ages of  18-24 have been sexually harassed, with only 4% reporting those situations and the rest refraining because of the belief that it would not change anything. Only 1.7% of reported rapes are prosecuted in England, a shockingly low number which is a drop from previous years despite increased numbers of reported cases. Tragic cases, like Sarah Everard, inspired us to curate an emblem for the safety of women. To begin forming a community for victims to feel comfortable confiding in for support. We also wish to provide resources, such as petitions and help pages via our website to make as much of a difference in such a pressing issue that impacts us all every waking moment. From your support in buying our product, we wish to be working alongside organisations to be apart of this movement. Our branding pays homage to the British Women's Suffragettes Movement. In modern day, there is no symbol for the unity of women against abuse and for the safety of women. We wish to bridge that gap in society with our necklace, worn close to the heart.