The V Word

Another heartwarming #walkingcoaching session this week with the lovely Jo Dawson, revisiting a small segment of her inspirational walk along Offa's Dyke last year. Jo's recent research has been about exploring the positive effects of being outdoors and adventure and how this can all build resilience, with a focus on female veterans and I'm really looking forward to see where she takes this next! I can't speak for Jo, but I certainly came away with loads of swirling thoughts and ideas for the next year and am grateful for the catch-up, the session and the inspiration. Pics: Tintern Abbey across a very high River Severn, wind-scraggled-hair me and the footbridge at Tintern that any Sex Education fan is likely to recognise. (yes, I know 'wind-scraggled' is not a word, but it should be). If you fancy a walk, get in touch. #coaching #outdoorscoaching #tinternabbey #monmouthshire #adventurecoaching

Time travel exsists… A fair few weeks ago I was sat on a course for work, in a male doninated environment. I was the only female on the course. My whole life I have been the only female on a job, operation or course. I post this experience only to raise a point not for sympathy whatsoever. Day 1 started and I put everything into it, but one guy I felt wasn’t happy. He was there to get a tick in a box, annoyed he had to be there and just didn’t want to do anything. Sat playing on Facebook or whatever he was doing. We all knew the content as it was a refresher. We all were also ex military so a lot in common.I chatted to the guy next to me at lunch and he was really nice and chatty as were the others. The next day, we continued the course and I felt a bit isolated. I was asked about something by the instructor on my past knowledge and Facebook guy, laughed and said he had never heard anything so ridiculous. I would class myself as extremely knowledgeable in the area of the course. I noticed the guys were starting to act like a pack, not pulling up people on their actions and comments. Instead of calling it out knowing it wasn’t worth it I retreated into myself, as I felt the instructor and others wouldn’t have backed me up. I felt vulnerable,unsupported just as I felt at times on my last tour in the military. I had one day left, I just needed to pass the course and then I would never see these people again. The last day was terrible. No one spoke to me at lunch, everyone was worshipping the young alpha male. These were men in their 40/50s adults. The instructor even joined in. I was treated unfairly in the assessment and publicly ridiculed for a minor mistake, which for some reason everyone watched. It was only when it got quite bad that one guy piped up and said this is a bit unfair as we had never been taught that technique. I knew it was happening and I knew I couldn’t stop it. This was the reason I signed off and left the military. I was transported back to my late twenties helpless my only control was get away. Only in barracks you had to continue to be there no escape at least not for 365 days once you have left the military after signing off. An that last year isn’t that easy. This course made me, a confident woman, recoil and feel worthless unappreciated and second class. I was appalled by it and how I had reacted. Yet I was intrigued how I was transported back to feeling exactly the same to moments in my last years of service. It’s incredible how the mind works, it’s incredible now the culture within the military is still similar to when I left, a females view being discounted and dismissed. It’s not something I post much on or talk about. I don’t play the victim, I signed up to the army and loved most of it. Little did I know time travel exists… with emotions taking you right back to experiences you would rather forget. This is why mental health services and awareness are so important and vital in today’s world.

The Taliban in Afghanistan has taken another significant step in the harmful oppression of women and girls. It was already the case that women are not allowed to receive medical attention from male medical professionals in large parts of the country. But at least women could receive medical help from female doctors and nurses, and could train in medicine, nursing and midwifery. This was the very last remaining educational option for girls to continue learning past the age of around 12. That's until this week, when it was announced that women can no longer study any of these subjects. Girls at med school have been now prevented from continuing their studies, and the Taliban has announced an immediate ban on women studying nursing and midwifery. Not only does it prevent women from education, careers and some semblance of financial independence, it also means that increasing numbers of women, as time goes on, simply won't be able to get proper medical help. It represents a complete lack of regard for women on so many levels. 'This new decree — banning women from nursing and midwifery training — will result in unnecessary pain, misery, sickness and death for the women forced to go without health care,' commented Sahar Fetrat of Human Rights Watch. Men are already banned from midwifery in Afghanistan, and the country is one of the most dangerous countries for women to give birth in. The UN declared in December 2023 that 12 women die each day for birth related reasons in the country, and that to ensure that women have adequate maternal care another 18,000 midwives are needed. Not allowing young women to train to make up this shortfall will surely increase the maternal mortality rate as well as cause harm and even death to many more infants during birth. This complete lack of regard for women's health and needs is appaling, and indicative of the general way that the leadership in Afghanistan view women. It also seems to be a very short-sighted strategy. If what they want is more sons and more men to fight and work, they won't achieve it without mothers and newborns getting the healthcare they need. For the women and girls of Afghanistan, their near total lack of rights, safety, access to education, opportunity and healthcare is a huge tragedy. Silent protests are being planned in various places around the UK this Saturday, you can find out more about where these are happening here: https://lnkd.in/eDSdF6Va What is happening in Afghanistan and in many conflict zones is the absolute worst end of the global crisis in violence against women and girls. What is driving all of this violence is the desire to control and dominate women, combined with seeing women and girls as inferior and disposable, objects to be owned, used and discarded. We have such a long way to go. Giving up the push for progress is not an option. #equality #vawg #16days