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A conspiracy of silence:child sexual abuse and cultural complicity in Britain’s Pakistani diaspora
No full textThis paper explores the systemic silencing of child sexual abuse (CSA) within British Pakistani communities, situating these dynamics at the intersection of colonial legacies, diasporic migration, and contemporary cultural and geopolitical pressures. It examines the limitations of official statistics and the pervasive underreporting of intra-community abuse, showing how entrenched social, familial, and cultural structures hinder disclosure and perpetuate cycles of denial. Drawing on postcolonial theory, intersectionality, migration, and gender studies, the analysis demonstrates how colonialism distorted interpretations of Islam and how the instrumentalization of communal ‘honour’ (izzat) sustains environments that protect perpetrators while silencing survivors. Importantly, the paper resists deflecting internal accountability onto colonial trauma or Islamophobia, emphasising that authenticjustice requires confronting abuse and challenging the patriarchal norms that enable harm. The paper further conceptualises silence as a form of knowledge production, showing how patterns of denial, moral gatekeeping, and erasure shape what is acknowledged about abuse within families and communities. It advocates for survivor-centred, decolonial approaches to justice and healing, emphasising the reclamation of narratives to serve victims rather than feed prejudices. By foregrounding critical self-reflection, accountability, and transformative cultural reckoning, the paper argues that only when Pakistani communities confront internal harms can they engage in effective collective action to dismantle broader injustices such as racism, Islamophobia, and social inequalities
Implementing a recovery capital model into therapeutic courts:case study and lessons learned
Get PDFRecovery capital is a strengths-based and multi-level model for examining the process and outputs of recovery and desistance. Recovery capital posits that the more positive resources one accrues, the better the chances of recovery. Oftentimes growth of one’s recovery capital must be initiated through identifying programs in the community to create supportive scaffolding: this may be especially true for individuals involved in the justice system who may experience additional barriers to accessing programming. This manuscript presents the results of a pilot evaluation of the REC-CAP, a recovery-capital oriented system of measurement, planning, and engagement in two drug treatment courts. We include a description of the implementation process and results from surveys and focus groups with the court staff. Results suggests that the trainings were useful and that court staff meaningfully engaged with the REC-CAP system. Court staff felt the REC-CAP provided important information about court clients’ strengths and barriers and suggested next steps for staff to take to guide their clients. Future work should explore how the REC-CAP score profile may change with client progress through the court phases as well as how to incorporate more system level supports for a REC-CAP orientation among probation officers and other court staff
Desistance habitus:strategically using experience in action
Get PDFThis article builds on the concept of Street and Carceral Habitus and Capital and introduces the forward-thinking concept of Desistance Capital. This takes place through an auto ethnographical embodied experience of navigating both persistent criminality and the revolving door of incarceration. The auto-ethnographical analysis is posited within Bourdieu’s conceptual frameworks of Habitus, Capital, Field, and Doxa. It is argued through lived experience that these constructs provide an innovative approach to explore how legitimacy is obtained as capital within the relational dynamic between those involved in the criminal justice system and professionals who have been exposed to similar lived experiences of crime and punishment. This method of analysis is lacking within the limited criminological investigation that has taken place on peer mentors. The conclusion is that both street and carceral experiences can generate legitimacy and credibility as Desistance Capital by professionals with both street and carceral habitus
Practical work in a post-covid era
No full textIn 2023, we had the third Science Education Tracker, which surveys young people’s views and experiences of science education in England and their attitudes towards science and career aspirations in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.The findings of this survey are quite concerning. Between 2016 and 2023, there has been a marked reduction in young people’s access to more interactive forms of practical science, with these trends most accentuated between 2019 and 2023. While we know experience of hands-on practical work is key to learning and motivating students in science, most students in 2023 encountered practical work via videos. The survey also showed that, between 2019 and 2023, young people were less interested in science and computing with this decline in interest being more pronounced among younger cohortJoin in with this panel session chaired by David Montagu from the Royal Society, to hear the perspectives of experts with a wealth of experience in science education, on the decline of practical work post-covid and ideas of how we might address this in our schools and colleges
Considering young fatherhood:women and equalities committee inquiry on equality at work, paternity and shared parental leave
No full textWhen considering shared parental leave and ways to incentivise equal sharing of childcare between parents, it is vital to include the views of those from diverse circumstances, including people who are frequently marginalised in society, such as young fathers. Men who enter parenthood at a young age (aged 25 or under) often come from more vulnerable or disadvantaged backgrounds, are more likely to face economic, social and health challenges, and may lack informal or professional support in comparison to young mothers, and also to fathers who are older. As such, young fathers’ needs as working parents can differ remarkedly in comparison to others. Furthermore, young fathers are invisible to national statistics, since data is not routinely collected on them. As a result, they are largely ignored by policymakers and receive little practical support compared to young mothers. This can further exacerbate inequalities. Understanding the views of young fathers can therefore offer a unique and different perspective on paternity/parent leave schemes which needs to be inclusive and equitable towards the youngest men
Ringing the alarm:the tinnitus care crisis
No full textIn November 2024, Tinnitus UK conducted a ground-breaking investigation into tinnitus care provided by Hearing Healthcare Practitioners (HHPs) within the private sector and the National Health Service (NHS) across the United Kingdom. This research builds on issues highlighted in the February 2024 ‘Revealing the Struggle for Silence’ report, shedding light on critical challenges and opportunities for improvement in tinnitus care. The study also delved into the education and training of HHPs at UK universities, with nearly 6% of the HHP workforce contributing their insights. Key findings from the research include: 1.Long delays in NHS tinnitus care:NHS clinicians reported waiting times of up to 12 months for psychology, talking therapies, CBT referrals or hearing aid assistance and three years for ENT appointments. 2.Extended NHS wait times for therapies:NHS patients face waits from three months to over a year for referrals to talking therapies and Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), leaving many without timely intervention.3.Low priority for tinnitus in private clinics:36% of private audiology professionals say tinnitus care is a low priority for them, with only 12% indicating that their employers view it as essential.4.Concerns over deviations from NICE Guidelines: Audiologist-led CBT for tinnitus is increasing, raising concerns about industry standards, and practices diverging from established NICE recommendations. 5.Significant gaps in university-level education:None of the surveyed UK university audiology departments offer tinnitus-specific clinical mentoring, competency logbooks, or work placements, leaving future practitioners underprepared.Despite these challenges, the research reveals a unanimous desire among HHPs across the public and private sectors, as well as in academia, to enhance their knowledge and skills so that they can provide better support for tinnitus patients
From selfies to self-knowledge:the mediating roles of self-reflection and self-rumination on the relationship between self-presentation on Instagram and sexual identity clarity amongst sexual minority youth
No full textWhilst initial evidence suggests that self-presentation on social media can promote sexual identity development amongst sexual minority youth, few studies have explored the psychological mechanisms underlying these effects. As self-presentation necessities introspection, this study explored whether self-reflection and self-rumination mediate the relationship between amount of self-presentation on Instagram and sexual identity clarity. We also tested whether belonging to a supportive Instagram network moderated our hypothesized model. Longitudinal survey data were collected from 724 sexual minority youth in the United States, Czech Republic, and Poland (M age = 18.54, SD =1.63), and were analysed using a multigroup mediation model. For sexual minority youth in less supportive Instagram networks, self-rumination negatively mediated the relationship between self-presentation on Instagram and sexual identity clarity. In contrast, for sexual minority youth in more supportive Instagram networks, amount of self-presentation on Instagram had a positive direct relationship with sexual identity clarity. Results demonstrate that online support plays an important role in shaping the identity implications of self-presentation on social media. In doing so, findings can inform interventions that seek to foster adaptive social media use amongst sexual minority youth
My radical reflection, ‘who taught you to hate yourself?’ Malik El Shabazz
No full textThis autoethnographic account explores my experiences navigating identity, race, and academia through the lens of Critical Race Theory (CRT), radicalism, and social justice activism. Reflecting on my childhood in a predominantly white environment, I examine the internalised struggles of dual heritage identity and the systemic forces that perpetuate exclusion. Influenced by Malik El Shabazz’s (aka Malcolm X) teachings, I became committed to education, activism, and decolonisation. My academic journey, from social work to higher education, has reinforced my awareness of structural racism within the academy, a ‘white fortress’ that continues to marginalise minority voices. Using CRT, I analyse racial disparities in student outcomes, the underrepresentation of minority faculty, and the persistence of bias in institutional structures. I offer a potential way forward through co-creation with students, advocating for systemic change, fostering inclusive educational spaces that empower marginalised voices and challenge white supremacy. This article highlights co-creation working in unity with students as a form of activist scholarship, driven by CRT’s tenets of resistance, intersectionality, and storytelling. While CRT asserts the permanence of racism, I argue for transformative change within existing structures wherever possible, using regulatory frameworks and institutional incentives to advance racial equity within the premises of interest convergence. Ultimately, this work underscores the moral imperative for academia to dismantle systemic racism and foster a truly inclusive educational environment
“A Fear of the Unknown”:understanding the perceptions of transcranial Electrical Stimulation (tES)
No full textTranscranial electrical stimulation (tES) are popular techniques for modulating behaviour within research and clinical settings. However, individuals are apprehensive around undergoing tES, with clear misconceptions around safety and efficacy. This work aimed to capture perceptions of tES and identify drivers and barriers to undergoing stimulation through a mixed-methods approach. Participants completed an online survey (n = 145) and follow-up semi-structured interviews (n = 7) to explore knowledge of tES, perceptions of safety, expectations of effects, and willingness to undergo stimulation. Change in safety and comfort scores were measured following increasing levels of information (basic overview, safety standards, ethical practice, photos of tES testing). Qualitative data were analysed using thematic analysis and quantitative data through descriptive and logistic regression analyses. Participants were uncomfortable with the idea of “messing” with the brain and therefore reluctant to undergo procedures. Apprehension and fear around tES were evident, particularly were deemed to have low efficacy. tES was viewed as safer (χ 2 (3) = 40.842, p < 0.001, W = 0.094) and individuals were more comfortable with the prospect of receiving stimulation (χ 2 (3) = 49.587, p < 0.001, W = 0.114) as they were provided with more information. Participant misconceptions around tES must be addressed to support larger-scale and appropriate recruitment. Provision of clear, explicit, and independent information is important for building trust and demonstrating need of the techniques.</p
Racism as systemic, endemic, and pernicious:some reflections on an anti-racist, critical pedagogic intervention in higher education
No full textRacism is deeply embedded within higher education. Racism in higher education is, after all, a microcosm of the racist systems and structures that constitute wider society. Indicators of racism in higher education, including the awarding gap between white and BAME students, suggest that little progress has been made in the removal of racism from UK universities since the first comprehensive studies into the awarding gap were conducted. In what follows, we reflect upon an anti-racist educational workshop and intervention that were developed to begin to address, directly, the systemic, endemic, and pernicious nature of racism in higher education. In addressing racism, a balance must be struck between challenging and engaging higher education staff, while at the same time, avoiding alienating the audience. We suggest that it is the structural and systematic nature of racism that should be emphasised by anti-racist educators, along with the wider social, political, historical, and economic basis that perpetuates racism. Our reflections are informed by Critical Race Theory, Critical Pedagogy, Marxism, Critical Theory, and the Black Radical tradition. In this conceptual piece, we argue that only by gaining a wider understanding of racism in its broader socio-political context can educators begin to tackle racism within HE