Parents are wrongly being arrested and having their children taken into care due to the stigma around female genital mutilation (FGM), members of the UK Somali community have told the Victoria Derbyshire programme. They say figures suggesting tens of thousands of girls are at risk in the UK are inaccurate.

"Social services with the police came to the house, removed our children and arrested my wife. We didn't know what the allegations were - nobody said anything, nobody asked us anything, it was just really a shock," said Yusef - not his real name.

The Women’s Voluntary and Community Sector (WVCS) grew out of the Women’s Liberation Movement (WLM) which will be celebrating its 50th anniversary in 2020. The contribution of the WVCS in advancing women’s rights is largely undocumented.  Many of the women who were involved in setting up women’s organisations and campaigning for change are now in their late 50s and 60s. Their struggles and achievements have remained largely invisible. 

Cris McCurley and Victoria Richardson of Ben Hoare Bell attended the launch event of FLOWS - Finding legal options for Women survivors on Friday. Flows provides support and legal assistance to women domestic abuse survivors. The organisation is delivered by the Family Team of RCJ advice in partnership with Rights of Woman. 
 

Nearly 70 percent of young women aged 18-24 call themselves feminist and say that sexism is a major problem in the UK, according to new research by Young Women’s Trust.

The annual poll also revealed one in 10 young women took part in a protest or other form of activism in the last year, indicating a rise in civil and political protesting among those who feel ignored by decision makers.

Today is the beginning of Self Care Week, an opportunity to raise awareness of the importance of looking after your self, both physically and mentally. Liz Inchley, an occupational therapy student at Pause in Birmingham, shares her top tips for looking after your own emotional well-being.