Abortion in America, Stamping out sexual harassment in the workplace, Talking to young people about drugs
Woman's Hour
BBC
4.1 • 3K Ratings
🗓️ 8 June 2021
⏱️ 58 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
Last month the US Supreme Court agreed to consider a major challenge to reproductive rights, saying it will look at the state of Mississippi’s bid to enforce a ban on almost all abortions after the 15th week of pregnancy. Two days later the Republican governor of Texas, Greg Abbott, signed into law a six-week abortion ban. Why are attempts to reduce women’s access to these services being made? Last week one young Texan woman decided to use her platform at her high school graduation to give a speech on the so-called ‘Heartbeat Bill’. A speech that has gone viral. Emma speaks to 18 year-old Paxton Smith, and to Amanda Taub, a reporter for the New York Times.
Last week we heard from Lord Heseltine who was unhappy about being forced as a Member of the House of Lords to attend an online course around sexual harassment entitled 'Valuing Everyone Training’. In response, we received a text: ‘I’m a young female staffer and did the Valuing Everyone course last autumn. It wasn’t bad, but wouldn’t stop people mistreating colleagues/staff and isn’t a replacement for a proper HR system.' We speak to Stella Chandler, Focal Point Training who runs similar courses, and Deeba Syed, a lawyer who set up and manages the sexual harassment at work advice line at Rights of Women on what needs to be done to stamp out sexual harassment in the workplace.
Daniel Spargo-Mabbs was a popular, intelligent and charismatic 16 year-old boy. But one evening in January 2014, he never came home. Dan had gone to an illegal rave and taken a lethal dose of the drug MDMA. Seven years later, his mother Fiona Spargo-Mabbs, is one of the country’s leading drug education advisors, and has just published the book ‘I Wish I’d Known: Young People, Drugs and Decisions; a Guide for Parents and Carers'.
Presenter: Emma Barnett Producer: Frankie Tobi
Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | BBC sounds, music, radio, podcasts. |
| 0:05.2 | Hello, I'm Emma Barnett and welcome to Woman's Hour from BBC Radio 4. |
| 0:10.5 | Good morning and welcome to the programme. |
| 0:12.7 | Now you may remember last week we heard from the former Deputy Prime Minister |
| 0:15.9 | Lord Hezultine, who was unhappy about being forced now as a member of the House of Lords |
| 0:20.2 | to attend an online course that covered the issue of sexual harassment |
| 0:23.5 | and inappropriate behaviour between colleagues entitled, |
| 0:26.4 | valuing everyone. He felt that it wouldn't stop the behaviour of those who had been behaving |
| 0:31.3 | inappropriately or might be. I've now spoken to the young female parliamentary staff |
| 0:36.0 | who texted us during that programme saying she too had done the course, felt it wasn't bad, |
| 0:40.2 | but that it also wouldn't stop people mistreating colleagues or staff |
| 0:44.1 | and isn't a replacement for a proper human resource system. |
| 0:47.6 | We'll hear from her shortly, but I want to hear from you. |
| 0:51.1 | What would stop people behaving inappropriately? |
| 0:54.2 | What would stop sexual harassment in the workplace? |
| 0:57.4 | Do mandatory courses? Do any good? Some would say they're all the rage? |
| 1:01.6 | Are they making a difference? What is your view? What is your experience? |
| 1:04.4 | You can text women down 84844, text will be charged at your standard message rate on social media, |
| 1:09.9 | we're at BBC Women's Hour or email us through our website. |
| 1:14.1 | On today's programme in light of this I'll be speaking to someone who does run workplace |
| 1:18.0 | behavioural courses that includes sexual harassment and she has some tales to tell, |
| 1:22.6 | including the meeting where the HR manager of a firm said the company should banish compliments. |
... |
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