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Woman's Hour

Child abuse & VAWG, Novelist Miriam Robinson, Taylor Swift's engagement, Private midwives

Woman's Hour

BBC

Society & Culture, Health & Fitness, Personal Journals

4.22.9K Ratings

🗓️ 27 August 2025

⏱️ 57 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

Ten child protection organisations have written an urgent letter to the home secretary expressing concern over the omission of child sexual abuse from the upcoming government strategy on violence against women and girls. A draft version of the strategy, due to be published in September, was leaked to Sky News's Mollie Malone, who first broke the story. She joins Nuala McGovern, along with Anna Edmundson from the NSPCC, one of the organisations that signed the letter.

Miriam Robinson’s debut novel And Notre Dame is Burning tells how Esther, a mother, tries to pick up the pieces of her life after a miscarriage - while her marriage falls apart. It is written in short bursts, in fragments of notes and letters. Miriam joins Nuala to talk about the female experience of losing a baby, betrayal, break-ups and moving on.

It's a love story, Taylor just said yes! Pop superstar Taylor Swift is engaged to her American footballer boyfriend Travis Kelce. In photos, which have been liked more than 18 million times, the pair are surrounded by roses, delphiniums and hydrangeas. Taylor's love life has been the inspiration for a huge amount of her music, and the subject of tabloid speculation for years. What does this moment mean and how could it impact her music? Joining Nuala to discuss is freelance journalist and author Olivia Petter and Guardian Deputy Music Editor Laura Barton.

With maternity services stretched across the UK, a new startup called Kove aims to address some of the problems in midwifery by providing a pay-as-you-go service at £180 per hour. But why are women opting for private care, and is it a good idea? Nuala talks to Kove co-founder Alakina Mann and NHS midwife and author Leah Hazard.

Presenter: Nuala McGovern Producer: Louise Corley

Transcript

Click on a timestamp to play from that location

0:00.0

I'm Rory Stewart and I grew up wanting to be a hero and I'm still fascinated by the ideas of heroism.

0:09.0

In my new series, I'm taking in the long sweep of history from Achilles to Zelensky and asking, what is a hero?

0:16.0

Simply doing your job, being a decent human being.

0:20.0

A true hero is someone who just kind of shines by their own light and that light

0:24.5

is to be recognised by others.

0:26.5

The long history of heroism with me, Rory Stewart.

0:29.5

Listen on BBC Sounds.

0:33.3

BBC Sounds, music, radio, podcasts.

0:36.8

Hello, I'm Neula McGovern and welcome to Woman's Hour from BBC Radio 4.

0:41.4

Just to say that for rights reasons, the music in the original radio broadcast has been removed for this podcast.

0:48.0

Hello and welcome to the programme.

0:50.0

Well, romantic love is splashed across the papers and social media as pop star Taylor Swift announced her plans to marry NFL player Travis Kelsey.

0:59.6

And yes, billions and millions of people do care very much.

1:04.1

But why?

1:05.4

Is it that the heartbreak that we know from her songs can end in happiness?

1:09.7

And what about that much viewed picture

1:11.5

of the couple, a traditional fairy tale setting with an enchanted garden vibe, an expensive diamond

1:17.3

ring, and Travis on one knee? Is that aspirational from someone who not so long ago very much

1:24.1

celebrated being a childless cat lady? Well, I'd like to hear your engagement stories.

1:29.5

Did you decide to get engaged before getting married?

1:32.1

Was it elaborate, minimal or non-existent?

1:35.3

And why?

...

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