Vera Baird DBE KC

Chair Criminal Cases Review Commission. Member Women’s Justice Bd.
Ex Victims’ Commissioner, Solicitor Gen & PCC. Fellow St Hilda’s Oxford. Writer. Labour Party

Tag: Violence Against Women and Girls

  • Emily Wilding Davison’s Birthday

    Emily Wilding Davison

    Emily Wilding Davison

    Emily Wilding Davison was born on 11th Oct 1872, she was one of the most famous suffragettes – she defied the odds many times, she stood up for what she believed in, even when women could not gain a degree from Oxford University, her result exam result was a first class honours.

    Emily believed in the rights of women, Victorian society wasn’t the best place for articulate, clever women – in fact any women – to progress. The fact that all woman were denied the right to vote drove her on. Emily had a battle on her hands to convince those in power – especially when the monarch (Queen Victoria) did not believe that women should involve themselves in politics, which was ironic when you think she had regular audiences with the Prime Minister, was informed about crucial and critical matters of state and she oversaw Britain’s great empire.

    Emily was angered by discrimination and the fact that women were not treated equal to men. She has rightly taken her place in history. She spoke up for women, she wanted to bring about change and she paid the ultimate price following injuries she sustained at the 1913 derby.

    Moving on just over hundred years since her death, women still have many challenges – which I am sure Emily would be at the forefront of championing. She would be a strong campaigner for women’s rights, she would want us all – men and women to unite to tackle violence against women and girls. I hope that she would be proud that it was our region that established the first regional violence against women and girls strategy, in partnership with my PCC colleagues, Barry Coppinger and Ron Hogg.

    The strategy sets out how we will provide support to those who suffer domestic and sexual abuse, we have better trained officers and superb after care and we will do everything we can to bring perpetrators before the courts. As we mark Emily’s birthday, I am confident that she would be on our side, she would be a strong advocate of ending violence against women and girls.

    As we say thank you to Emily for her commitment to getting women the vote, lets join together to end violence against women and girls now, so future generations don’t have to fight a battle that should be consigned to history.

  • “Loose Women” TV Programme debate – Judy Finnigan

    The comments of broadcaster Judy Finnigan in her debut on the TV programme ‘Loose Women’ in relation to a high profile rape case involving a footballer have been criticised by Vera Baird.

    The former Richard and Judy star was commenting on the case of footballer Ched Evans who was jailed for five years in 2012 for raping a 19-year-old woman.

    The player is preparing to be released from prison and the broadcaster was discussing if he should be allowed to rejoin his club.

    Ms Finnigan said he had served his time, the rape was not violent and his victim had had far too much to drink.

    The Northumbria Police and Crime Commissioner, a lifelong campaigner against violence against women and girls, said: “He raped her – that is a serious injury and undermines some people for life.

    “Ms Finnigan seems to have already forgotten the testimony of the teenage victims of Rolf Harris and others who have said in detail in their victim impact statements how their lives had been ruined.

    “No bodily injury has little relevance, it doesn’t have to do physical damage to be rape and it is the essence of violence to force himself upon her.”

    The Commissioner said she had no view about whether they should take Evans back into football, but added: “He has to work somewhere but it probably shouldn’t be in such a public role since it looks like he’s being given a platform for approval.”

    She also questioned what being drunk had to do with anything, saying: “What has this got to do with this if he forced himself upon her.

    “If you get drunk and someone steals your wallet does this mean it’s any less of a theft than if you were sober.”

    Judy Finnigan’s comments on the popular ITV show were publicly condemned by many who took to social media to voice their opinion.