Rape and murder in Kolkata – mass protests against state-sanctioned sexist violence
Protests have spread across West Bengal following the rape and murder of a trainee doctor. This report gives context of systemic violence against women in India.
The SWP apology is too little, too late
The rs21 steering group argues that the SWP’s apology for the way it handled its 2013 crisis is inadequate
#IWD2023: women fight across the globe
On International Women’s Day, rs21 members share 13 inspiring examples of women fighting for liberation and against capitalism and state repression.
Revolutionary Reflections | Sexual violence, feminism and socialist organising
Discussion: how should socialists organise to stop sexual violence in our organisations?
This is no time to stay silent
The Depp v Heard trial has unleashed a torrent of misogyny that feminists cannot ignore.
We Will Not Be Divided – Statement from Sisters Uncut
Sisters Uncut’s statement against police and state violence and the Police Crime Sentencing and Courts Bill 2021, originally published on 23 March 2021. rs21 signed the statement alongside groups including Black Lives Matter UK, Jewish Solidarity Action and Docs Not Cops.
A criminal record: 10 times Bristol police abused local people
Bristol’s police force – presented by the media as the victims of a ‘mob’ – are among the most violent, racist and abusive parts of Britain’s police state.
What happened at Clapham Common
An eyewitness account of a powerful event marred by shocking and gratuitous acts of violence by the Metropolitan Police.
We can’t rely on the police to protect women
In the aftermath of Sarah Everard’s murder, politicians immediately called for heavier policing. But more police will not end violence against women.
IWD 2021: Five feminist fights for the year ahead
Reproductive justice, sexual violence and harassment, justice at work: on International Women’s Day, we look at key feminist fights for the year to come.
Review | Tomorrow Sex Will Be Good Again
Kate Bradley reviews a highly readable intervention into recent debates amongst feminists
Review: Epstein: Filthy rich
Kate Bradley reviews a documentary series focusing on giving a voice to the survivors of Jeffrey Epstein.
Grief and anger in Hong Kong
Following the death of student Chow Tsz Lok, the protests are intensifying, but the need to link up with the mainland is pressing.
On the dissolution of the ISO
The US-based International Socialist Organization (ISO) has recently voted to dissolve itself. The rs21 Steering Group has collectively compiled the following piece in response.
Rape culture and the neoliberal university
Warwick University’s response to sexism, racism and rape culture on campus has been appalling but sadly predictable, writes Warwick graduate Rachel Jones.
Report on A Day Without Men 2018
A Day Without Men featured sessions on fascism and sexual violence, migration and the care industry, and workplace organising.
Care, consent and coercion under capitalism
Alan Sears, a socialist activist based in Toronto, spoke to Hazel Croft about sexuality, sexual coercion and consent, and the possibilities for sexual liberation today.
Some reflections on #MeToo
While #MeToo has seen countless people speak out about sexual violence and harassment, it has also revealed difficulties in building the means of confronting them.
What is Transgender Day of Remembrance, and why does it matter?
Charlie Powell and Taisie Tsikas write on the significance of Transgender Day of Remembrance in the ongoing struggle against the oppression of transgender people.
“Ni Una Menos” – No Woman Left Behind
Suzie Wylie writing from Argentina discusses the Ni Una Menos movement On 8 October, 16-year-old Lucia Pérez was drugged, brutally raped, tortured and killed by 3 men in the Argentinian seaside city of Mar del Plata. Her heart stopped as a result of the pain she endured during the brutal attack. The men cleaned and dressed […]
Ched Evans and rape
Hazel Croft responds to the disgraceful final verdict in the Ched Evans case, which cleared the footballer of all charges of rape I am still feeling angry and nauseated by the response to the Ched Evans verdict. There is the vile abuse on twitter and other social media, which I can’t bring myself to look […]
On consent
Siân Ruddick, an independent sexual violence advocate, unpicks how revolutionaries should understand the politics of consent. In this article perpetrators are referred to as male and survivors as female. This is most common, but in no way seeks to deny that women can be perpetrators of sexual violence, that men can be survivors, or deny […]
David Widgery: “Why do Lovers Break Each Other’s Hearts”
For Valentine’s Day we are reposting an article about love and sex under capitalism, by the activist and journalist David Widgery (1947-1992). Written in 1972, this piece was first published by Oxford Left Review in the October 2013 issue. Sexual love is the movement that breaks the rules; an uprising of the senses that abolishes propriety. Time alters. […]
Sexual and domestic violence after austerity: it’s bigger than Roosh V
Kat Burdon-Manley argues Roosh V the unsavoury face of a much bigger problem with structural and institutional racism and sexism Bang, Day Bang, 30 Bangs, Bang Poland, Bang Iceland, Bang Estonia, Bang Lithuania, Don’t Bang Denmark, and Bang Ukraine are just some of the titles of Roosh V’s books, and pretty much sum up his character […]
Sexism is not an imported product
Dozens of women were sexually harassed on New Year’s Eve in Germany. But rather than connecting the events to everyday sexist violence in Germany, the political and media establishments have focused on the nationalities of the alleged perpetrators argue Silke Stöckle and Marion Wegscheider. Originally published in German by marx21, translated into English by Kate Davison. […]
The secret life of the NHS – new rs21 magazine out on Saturday
The January 2016 issue of the rs21 magazine will be out on Saturday. Order your copy or subscribe here. Below, Rob Owen gives an overview of the new edition. Issue includes: The secret life of the NHS, the life of a junior doctor, by Sophie Walton Joe Sabatini and Tabitha Spence looking at climate politics from […]
Feminism from above and below
Estelle Cooch surveys the new feminist movements. This article first appeared in the Spring 2015 Issue of rs21 magazine. 2014 was a year of watersheds and contradictions. The global movement against rape and sexual violence seemed to gain its first major victories. In the UK a series of celebrity abusers faced prison and the horrific […]
Gang abuse in Oxford
Nancy Lindisfarne and Jonathan Neale argue we need to prevent racists from exploiting the suffering of victims of abuse but we also need to go on the offensive against the cover-ups. The article includes distressing descriptions of sexual abuse. It was originally posted on their Sexism Class Violence website. Last year seven men from Oxford were […]
“Hope in the stubborn instances of resistance” – Assessing the current state of the women’s movement in India
Tithi Bhattacharya recently caught up with Kavita Krishnan on the prospects for the women’s movement in India today and questions of strategy TB: December 2014 marked two years since India erupted in mass protests against gender violence that inspired us globally. Where do you assess that battle for women’s rights to be at this two-year […]
ISIS, sexual violence and killing gay men
Nancy Lindisfarne and Jonathan Neale look at the evidence for widespread rape and homophobic attacks in Syria and Iraq. This post was originally published on their Sexism Class Violence website. There are now many press and internet reports of rape by the Islamic State (ISIS). There are also reports of ISIS killing gays. These reports […]