Posts tagged brighton
Events: Rise National Violence Against Women Conference 2011
Professional by Experience: Survivor Perspectives on Preventing Violence against Women
The first annual Rise Conference is taking place in Brighton on Thursday November 17th 2011.
Join survivors, activists and specialist service providers to explore effective approaches to preventing violence against women and supporting survivors of domestic and sexual violence, forced marriage, FGM, prostitution and sexual exploitation.
This violence against women national conference examines pioneering best practice that delivers innovative, cost effective and outcome driven solutions to prevent violence against women, support survivors and challenge perpetrators.
It provides you with the opportunity to hear how to create effective intervention from evidence based approaches developed by those who know what works.
Speakers will include:
Chair: Dr Aisha Gill
Activist in violence against women prevention & Senior Lecturer in Criminology
Caroline Lucas MP
Leader of the Green Party and MP for Brighton Pavilion
Professor Liz Kelly
Activist and researcher in violence against women prevention and Co-Chair, End Violence Against Women Coalition
Constance McCullagh
Feminist writer and activist in prevention of violence against women
Bernie O-Roarke
Activist in violence against women prevention and Irish Traveller Outreach Worker, Solas Anois
Fiona Broadfoot
Founder of EXIT and campaigner on the issues of sexual exploitation
Hannana Siddiqui
Activist in violence against women prevention and Joint Co-ordinator, Southall Black Sisters
Rita Buhanda
Campaigner to advance the rights of African women and girls, FORWARD
Davina James-Hanman
Activist in violence against women prevention and Director, AVA Project
Philippa Chapman
Co-ordinator of SEEDS (Services Educating and Empowering Domestic abuse Survivors)
Shelley Stoops
Sexual Violence Advocate, Armistead Street Project, Liverpool
Shannon Harvey
Coordinator, Stella Project to address problematic substance use, domestic and sexual violence
Neil Blacklock
Development director, Respect, the UK association for perpetrator programmes
Nicola Sharp
Activist in violence against women prevention
Medina Johnson and Annie Howell
Implementation Leads for IRIS (Identification and Referral to Improve Safety)
Morgan Frackrell
Chief Executive, Cardiff Women’s Aid
For further information or to register, see the Rise site.
Making a date…
An interesting day. A different day (and more of it later).
The big news, however, is that today i made my way south to Brighton, where i met my likely future surgeon (Mr Thomas).
We talked things thru, established some ground rules and so on…and we set a date.
Provisional, of course, because the big obstacle remains my hair – or lack thereof. Electrolysis beckons!
However, all being well, the electrolysis expert agreeing with the medical bods that i don’t need to remove LOADS of hair, then we do have a provisional date.
July 4 for admission: July 5 for the surgery itself.
Suddenly everything is in perspective. We have a timetable and even if it slips, there is something to work toward. A goal. Yes, at last, a date!
A bit more detail tomorrow.
jane
xx
Funny you should mention it…
Well, you didn’t, really. But reality is starting to break through. The operation, last week, collided ever so slightly in my psyche with the one that i am now starting to think about next year.
Lying there after the anaesthetic, drifting back up towards consciousness, aware that some surgeon had been chopping around between my legs. There had been the inevitable jokes beforehand: if you cut a bit too much, i won’t sue. But now, serious….
I think until recently the operation, the big one, the gender re-assignment one…has hovered at the edges as theoretical possibility. No more. But with every week it solidifies a little more.
First advice i had was go to Thailand. World class surgeons. Significantly lower cost than the UK. What could be better? Or Canada? Ah, but the pound is too weak: you’d pay a fortune.
Medical advice from someone who is now long post-op: there is a technical difference to the Thai surgical technique which – i won’t go into the gory details – may leave one with slightly less “depth” down there, and possibly a far longer need to dilate.
Oh, yes: i’ve learnt that one. Even post-op i will need to dilate every so often, else disaster is quite capable of striking. On the other hand, Thai surgeons, reputedly, seem more interested in preserving some sexual function post-op.
So there are pros and cons to Thailand. Another friend now chips in with: “riots and after-care”. Yep. Heard that too. Maybe not ideal to have major surgery in a country prone to armed insurrection – and where i would need to hire post-op nursing separately? What if? What if they turned out to be awful?
Which starts to point me back to the UK, and two names begin to be repeated by those who know: Tim Terry at Leicester; Phil Thomas over at Brighton. Some say one, some say t’other.
And mustn’t forget: must, must, MUST get sensitive areas electrolysed at least six months before the op.
No. Nothing is final yet…but options are defining and narrowing. Anyone else who knows, who has experienced, or faced the same choices, please feel free to pitch in.
jane
xx
