Council tenancy to review

More challenge for me to look at for all women as my council tenancy comes into review.   I have been quietly getting on with my life in this New Year, coping with the craziness we have all found ourselves in as we entered 2020 to world politics disarray to national disarray and unknowing our fate to climate change challenges of floods. I have been nurturing myself now able with state pension paid weekly. I pay my council rent for the council OAP studio bungalow, council tax, E.ON, Talk talk and TV licence. Apparently do not qualify for Pension credit and now expected to pay more for my council rent.  I am getting into a routine though we as a Granny Revolution are after the robbed State Pension due to our birth in the 1950s! We will not stop till our brass is in our pockets as we paid in half century tax and NI.  I am coping with the changes to being an OAP entering my most vulnerable years, not the woman of financial substance I should have been and could have been if I had not had to suffer DV and lost assets.

The older age group brings its arthritic knees for me and the most bizarre changes in the way folk talk to you.. I am fascinated by the question that keeps rearing of can I work a computer! to which I reply it was our generation that invented it.. But I have to admit I did not master Basic or Fortran programming!! Why do people think grey hair and arthritic knees means lost intelligence and personality and fail to appreciate all your life experiences!

So here is the issue I am bringing to the blog today that is bothering me not only for me but for all women DV survivors and for those of us that are in the transition to OAP.  It has come to light that I am in a fixed term tenancy not a life long tenancy.

I had thought that as I was in an OAP bungalow I would be here till I pegged it or heaven forbid needed nursing home care! I find this unsettling. I had a visit from a kindly housing officer this week to review my tenancy. We talked outside her role shared our spirituality and was discussing how we need in the London Borough of Hillingdon to review our platform of support for DV survivors and the elderly. We also need to recognise the support 1950s women need as they find a 6 yrs of State Pension taken from them. Some without savings due life circumstances, some been out of earning as caring for older parents. Some eroding savings due to lack of State Pension now when they need it.   We need compassion in our politics, we need compassion in our society for without compassion there is no society!  
I also was concerned that there was a request to see my bank statements even though I had presented my letter from the DWP Pensions to confirm I am now in receipt of my state pension and the weekly amount I receive. I declined the viewing of my bank statement under Human Rights Act 1998 Article 8 the right to privacy. i felt this was intrusive and invasive given that the council already know my circumstances and that I am now officially an OAP.  I was told that I would receive a letter to terminate my fixed term contract for this OAP bungalow and not to get upset as there would be another letter to offer renewed tenancy at my present address or elsewhere.  I have chatted with a neighbour who is in her seventies and she is baffled why I am having all this hassle. She has always been a council tenant and when old age struck got her OAP bungalow and is hers is a secure tenancy for her life.
So now I am looking why and what is the criteria  for me to be on a fixed tenancy.. I am looking at the Shelter site  as today woke feeling unsettled and could cry as... why ...it feels like I am being victimised and this should not be the case I should feel love cared for respected and especially given my DV survivorship history and being a victim. So if you follow the link to Shelter states that for fixed term contract there should be an offer of renewed fixed term or secured tenancy. There are points made on eviction if anti social behaviour or not paying rent or in arrears... Well I do have alleged arrears but as I have pointed out in this blog and to the APPG Poverty arrears occur not from failure to pay but when the system fails to support a person on JSA; ESA; 
I have had drops in support that led to me nearly dying with poverty induced pneumonia and another from work capability assessment then the transition from ESA to State Pension! WE NEED TO REVIEW THE DWP as the system is failing citizens in need.. the citizen suffers the effects of said arrears, debts, threats of eviction when it was not their fault but the system malpolicies failing them. I have to get women's voices heard - please learn from my case sharing. My voice is being heard but we still need action to change for the better.

I have been to a conference in Oxford on Compassion in Politics and we seriously need to change the way we govern and care for our citizens not only nationally but globally. Time for Change! and yes #bekind to one another and our communities. 

I hope you enjoyed my flowers from my garden and my cats Lulu & Pengu. Lulu has had to have vet treatment for a skin allergy so had to pay out vet fees.  I need to go to my bank as my account does not facilitate direct debits so I need to get an additional account that does as I need to set up Pet Cover and also I need to sort out my Funeral cover too - I must be realistic as now I am biologically wending my way to the final call... Like a growing concern that some cannot afford funeral cost would have to rely on a public health burial.  I am sharing this out of practicality not being morbid... but I will share another garden photo to raise the mood again hhh One of my fuschia plants - As a TV gardener Jeffery Smith would say the Peacock of all flowers.. 

Welcome 2020 and Voices to be Heard

21st century Marjorie standing where Marjory Humes, one of the Suffragettes chained herself to the statue of Viscount Falkland in St Stephens Hall.
I have spent lots of time over the recent years in Parliament lobbying and attending relevant committee meetings to get Women's Voices Heard. My campaign for DWP reforms for DV survivors to gain a strong financial platform of support on the pathway to healing and rebuilding her life.  As I am a 1950s born women have joined the voices of those cheated out of their pension funds with the shift in retirement age from 60yrs to 66yrs.... I continue to struggle with the failings of a badly thought out set of policies.... so we must fight on for reform. I have over Christmas been inspired by Gutsy Women a compilation of women over the years that had their voices heard for change.  So thanks to Hilliary & Chelsea for producing this book.  In among my campaigning I also give support to Syrian refugees as we are all traumatised souls rebuilding our lives so have a special bond. I am also a retired RN RM so cannot ignore the pain in the world to be healed. I can be a voice for them in Parliament too. 

The book went with me to the Deans Yard Westminster Abbey just before Christmas - for the "Launch of Social Housing, Affordable Rents & Elimination of Homelessness Bill."

Judge gives decision in my favour

Yesterday on International Day for Elimination of Violence of Women... I had a HM Courts & Tribunals Service court case in my appeal against the Tory DWP malpolicies and  drops in support and unfair sanctioning on my journey of healing from DV as a survivor.  I could not go and felt I was letting women down but the women survivors will understand it was the touching of the pain again and again and I had a choking panic attack.. my throat goes tight as if being strangled... Had many an attempt in my history of abuse of attempted strangulation..  So I emailed the courts to tell them of my inability to attend and submitted this blog as evidence of my front-line experience of failings of the DWP malpolicies to support women. CC my MP John McDonnell and bcc the acting PM.. My case compounded by also being a 1950s born women and denied my pension at 60 which would have given me some financial dignity and some peace to move forward and heal from the pain. I also informed Andy my representative from Z2K a charity helping vulnerable people that have been failed by DWP malpolicies.  My representative attended tribunal & I have received an email to say THE JUDGE RULED IN MY FAVOUR and apologised for all the pain and that my case was not heard earlier....I HAVE HAD WOMEN'S VOICES HEARD... after this election no matter who is the PM we need URGENT REFORM OF POLICIES to support women survivors not batter them with drops in support... survivors have been financially crippled by perpetrators and we need reparation and a good financial pathway of support to help us heal, detox from ugliness of violence upon us and be allowed to rebuild our lives in peace not twanged back to the past and the pain over and over again with drops in support... each drop in support puts her life at risk... suicide from PTSD! and we need to recognised the complexity of the pain that some women 10 yrs 15 yrs and life time are affected physically, emotionally psychologically socially and financially... it is a serious crime from controlling violent perpetrators...
Crazy Love why women stay TED LECTURE

Turning pain into Campaign!

Red Rose Labour Evening to help get Voices heard!

 Monday 25th November:  busy any enjoyable evening with Emily Thornberry coming to Uxbridge to support the Labour candidate Ali Milani..... so had some time with all and had lovely care and support for 1950s women... we had local reporters and the French TV5... my French froze but on the way home to Hayes on the bus it all came tumbling in my mind what I could have said in French hhhhh
Then back in Hayes was able to join the Webinar video conferencing with Rebecca Long Bailey - had a great time listening to the many young minds in the conference with some great ideas on the Green Revolution to problem solve Climate Change.....and had ideas and researched reading to share too... all for Wave kinetic energy, Pavegen footfall kinetic energy and been reading up on innovative ideas from India to share.... from edible spoons to using ground up plastics in tarmac for road building.....
Stimulating evening!

Labour MP's applaud WASPI women protesting Chancellor's speech

Thank you to the Daily Mail and other news reporting sites but sadly this was not mentioned on the TV news channels - just like the 10th October rally there seems to be a government silencing of media to report the injustice and pain of women born in the 1950s denied their pension at 60yrs! I find it deplorable and a disgrace that we have a Government prepared to ignore the social pain that their malpolicies create for society!  As people find out about the injustice there is more and more support for the WASPI women. Amazing that the Tory Party are prepared to lose over 3 million votes because of this situation. Thank you to the Labour Party and the SNP for showing your support!

My voice continues to be heard but needs action!

I have been active though you will see that there has been a gap on my updates for this blog.

The reason I kept static on the postings was that I had submitted the blog as referenced evidence to the Dept of Home Affairs for their Inquiry into Domestic Abuse,

The report is out but sadly my points have not been highlighted.Parliamentary Inquiry into Domestic Abuse There are lots of references in the witness statements to financial abuse but not the overt recognition of the need to support women better on their pathway of healing, detoxing from the ugliness of violence upon her and rebuilding her broken life.  

I strongly continue to state that women's lives are being put at risk when she is left penniless, her career ruined and at the mercy of welfare benefits.... There is much attention on the failings of the DWP to support those in need generally on the news as we move towards Universal Credit being rolled out nationally... We hear of those that have weeks without funds and those that have been sanctioned on JSA for failing to turn up to appointments (for women subjected to DV this should be an alert to check on her safety)  or simply unable to find any work, those on ESA that have had their GP assessment countered by a work capability assessment deemed fit for work then the darn welfare support suddenly stopped.  These failing are DANGEROUS TO WOMEN SURVIVORS - she could return to her perpetrator and the next beating be her murder or she could commit suicide in the post traumatic stress depression.  WE SIMPLY CANNOT IGNORE THIS VERY REAL RISK FACTOR... We have to also see that women when they "get out" of the abuse is NOT a case of "she is out of it so safe and over it...." the psychological damage can take years to heal and will always be in flash backs from the trauma.  I have shared with you before that when I have had DWP  hassle and local council hassle from letters to say my funds have been stopped and demands for payments, when have no funds to pay as led to - twanging me back to the past and its pain.  You can lay on the bed depressed and feel every punch... and kick..... and slap again..... and hear all the horrid vile things that have be shouted at you to belittle you and humiliate you.  

I, along with other survivors feel when the system fails us it is like that system has become our perpetrator battering us over and over again. 

We really need reparation for the criminal act on us by our perpetrators and we need a strong and stable pathway of support to healing... with an overlap of support when we are ready to enter the job market to be sure we can cope.  The funding for this from government will not be wasted but paid back in the income tax we will earn from being settled again in some work and regaining our financial dignity.. 

To care is an investment for the our future well being. 

Inadequate support that pushes women into poverty with hunger and no financial dignity is unacceptable and a breech of State Duty of Care to survivors - and this is to UN directives on care of women subjected to violence in war and peace time.  

As a society we must review our whole stance at the present attitudes and mal policies of the DWP...... the vulnerable and needy must have and deserve protection with the right to financial dignity. 

For me left penniless by my perpetrators I have another issue to contend with and campaign for..... that of my State Pension. I was born in 1954 so fallen foul of the shift in retirement age.  I have submitted a complaint about the DWP on the two issues I am facing as I move to my most vulnerable years in old age penniless. My form to the Parliamentary Ombudsman has been given to my MP & Shadow Chancellor John McDonnell to present my case.

Continuing to turn Pain into Campaign.

But in that pain have been referred to the Community Mental health team as I dropped into a form of Seligman's helplessness waking each morning to the same problem no matter how pro active I have been... and continue to be... waking with a choking sensation my throat tightened in a panic attack and coughing and vomiting - a most horrid feeling and a physical manifestation of the way I am feeling - choked with the situation unable to escape from the claws of the past abuse upon me and be free to rebuild my life with dignity. 

You can catch up on the campaigning for my State Pension with the #shouldertoshoulder rally on my Cup of tea share care blog... The rally on the 10th October INTERESTINGLY was not covered on the mainstream TV news channels despite the women stopping traffic outside parliament... why is government wanting to MUTE our voices?!? 

Daughters of those that served in WW2

No woman should be feeling like this - especially like me after Domestic Abuse you can see how it compounds my pain!

I am stuck in the duality of pain from DV & Lack of State Pension!

You can watch the footage of the rally on this link 

Working Class Hero

Women's Voices must be heard

Look how this is ageing me & challenging my health!

Bad housekeeping of the PM as I and others are costing the NHS 

from the ill health of being robbed of financial dignity!

Breaking Free from the Past pain

Robbed and punched and left for dead…. But no not robbed of my spirit and my inner fight to survive.   I have been robbed of my now and my future with another as who wants a woman with no means to support herself and others…..I maybe alone -  But I am Marjorie, The Moroccan criminal did not realise that an English woman and a Northerner cannot be broken….she may have been taken for a ride in her openness to love and to trust and to care…. But by God when she wakes to the full impact of his true character and his manipulative use of her… then she becomes strong and fights on for not only herself but other women too.   I have done so much with nothing and times of very little….. I have achieved much within this time alone… Even walked in parliament my stomach growling with hunger and with down trodden shoes …but walked tall turning the negative pain into campaign… 

A campaign to get women’s voices heard…. We need our dignity our financial dignity given back so we can free ourselves from the torturous talons of our perpetrator captors…talons that penetrate into our very being even after we have left that tethers us to the past… We need a government to see the pain and understand the pain of our pathway ... our need to heal and detox from the ugliness of violence upon us…. We need the loving support of a system that understands not one that fails us and continues to batter us down with no financial support to give us the dignity we deserve…. We are the victims not the criminals and for the DWP malpolicies to be designed to demonise those in need it is not acceptable for anyone that is in need of benefit help… Yes women want to work but have to be ready mentally, physically and spiritually to enter the work arenas …they cannot take the pressures immediately or for sometime after, even for years after with the post-traumatic stress and pain. Some will never be able to work never be able to reconnect with the woman they used to be….some so physically maimed not be able to work at all... I think of a survivor in my neighbourhood with her back broken by her perpetrator on morphine for the rest of her life and walks with a rolator every painful step a reminder of his fool deed on her...yet only in her thirties!  Policies to support need to be written with full understanding of the pathway of hurt and rebuild that is needed…. 

There can be those that do not understand that think “oh she is out of it she must get on with her life now!”  some women do get on with work life but at some point the pain pours out....... I have witnessed this is a long term survivor that held her self together for the sake of her kids.....but POW! when the kids were grown and independent then all the pain came thundering out of her and she had to go on the path of healing and detoxing from the ugliness of violence upon her........ 

Some will say. "what kind of a woman lets a man hit her I would never let a man touch me!” These remarks show ignorance of the nature of the criminal perpetrator on his prey.     It is like blaming or criticising a soldier captured & tortured by the enemy….. would you really fix blame on that soldier that fell to an ambush? Women were ambushed in a way. Women fell victim to a criminal perpetrator…. Who was manipulative of her heart and her love, used her and abused her….. held her in fear for some women but mostly held her in his manipulation of her love.  I once wrote an article that was published anonymously in the nursing press…I entitled the work “Caresses like Feathers, Fists like Iron!”… this was to give you the idea of the duality of the perpetrators character….. he can be gentle and caring and loving that is who you fell in love with.... then the monster in him reveals itself of being the violent controller… and yes his fists can be like iron…. as I write this I have the pain and imagery come back to me of what it is like to be punched so hard in the face in the eye and how the optic nerve can be so intensely triggered you are lost in the overwhelming bright light that is sent through your brain and seems to surround your very being to disorientate you.  I have seen my cheek and orbital area swell from looking out that in that moment been in a panic that my eye ball has been jolted out of my socket.  So intense the punch..

Then comes the caresses like feathers again and the remorseful holding of you in his arms. The begging of forgiveness and how can he do this to his precious darling…he won’t drink again he claims.  Then kisses he plants on the bruises he made….tenderly cares for you as you lay like an injured animal unable to move in shock on the bed.  He asks that you give him another chance… he will accuse you of making him angry and he lost control he did not know what came over him….He can even make the most wonderful love of his victim to capture her again in his monstrous talons of cruel manipulation of her heart and her loving nature.  She believes and she feels the love, but this is distorted love and yet it leads her to protect him, she becomes passive and can deny the attack on her being not only outwardly to the police but inwardly as she falls for his hall of mirror control of her.

It is bizarre I know even I looking back on the abuse I fell for ....now can see how bizarre this is….. if a total stranger came in your house and attacked you – you would be trying like crazy to shout for help or reach for the phone to get the police and prosecute…. But this is the man you love or the projected caring side of him that you love….. it is cruel beyond cruel that a man can do this to a woman rape and control her inner spirit and heart that simply just wants to love a man and care for him… as a partner in life…. Yet this criminal perpetrator character has an hidden agenda. a aim to use and abuse her and move on when he has done his foul deed of destroying her…. Or continues and continues till she can take no more and flees from his clutches……

Some glib remarks that come our way to suggest we enjoy his beating! How cruel some peoples ignorance can be…. Suggesting it is a form of consented enjoyed sadism…. But the chain the woman is bound with is the chain of 9 amino acids called oxytocin…. She fell in love with this monster bonded to the kind gentle side of him…the side he projected to win her over to deliberate capture her heart and this is why she stays, can even think she can heal him and make him better from the foul side of him…

Reading this like me typing this you can feel the heavy evil control of a criminal perpetrator over his prey…..

You can see how women need the time and space to heal and detox from this ugliness so needs a government DWP policy written with the understanding of this. Be non-judgemental and certainly not become a pseudo perpetrator by beating her down with failed support or inadequate support. 

Help us break free from the past not keep us tethered to the past and all its pain! We need financial dignity to truly heal and move on …but may not be ready for some time to enter the job market till we have fully detoxed from the vile control of our very nature as a woman that loves too much!

I am grateful that this blog has become a Voice for Women to be heard in Whitehall … It cannot be accepted as a formal written statement for the Home Affairs Select Committee Inquiry into Domestic violence as the blog is already out in the public domain….but can be referred too and is being read to help the committee understand… I am more than willing to go before the committee to share my experience as an expert by experience…..

Alongside this my voice has been heard in the City Hall of London through the Victim’s Commissioner report into assessing the victims pathway after all types of crime upon them…

So Marjorie is her mothers daughter and when knocked down get up and stands tall turns her pain into campaign for all women aside her and behind her that have survived domestic violence and just simply ask for the right of financial dignity to heal and rebuild their broken lives…

For those women that were born in 1950s that have been long term survivors of domestic abuse and reached old age with not the assets they once had… it is fundamental that she be permitted her state pension. Over 60s out of the job market find it very difficult to get paid posts offered but endless voluntary work offered…So this must be recognised on an individual case basis and under the protection of support for women survivors… In my situation to simply get my state pension would give some value and dignity back from this my motherland..... after all I have paid in to the system so have the right for this…. And if we as the WASPI campaign can get a lump sum compensation that would be wonderful for me to completely BREAK FREE from the past and truly rebuild what bit of my life is left to build as I enter my elderly years.

Please keep signing the petition to show your support for women's voices to be heard.... Many thanks Marjorie

Turning pain into Campaign!

Reform the DWP policies to help women heal and rebuild.... when will we get this right and fair for women? Sign the petition it is still on the go till I get some debate for reform. Petition for Strong & Stable Pathway of Support for Survivors This campaign must continue till achieved it goals no matter what happens to me... I have to get a better pathway of support for women!

Sunday Morning battering by failed system

I have been woken up this morning by the harassment of the energy company that provides my Gas & Electric.  I have accumulative arrears for my studio age restricted bungalow with the London Borough of Hillingdon.

The service provider does try to help me and over the last couple of years I have actioned all the suggestions and applied for energy grants but have been declined them.. The letters saying we can see you need help but more than a one off help. 
I have over this time had sanctioning from JSA for taking a volunteering post with an NGO..... I am on ESA for depression and have, as you know been recovering from poverty vitamin induced pneumonia - unable to fight off the chest infection that was doing its rounds at Easter.  I have been having bowel symptoms which required MRI scan to rule out cancer.  Thank goodness it is not cancer my surgeon tells me but can only be put down to poverty and inadequate daily diet.  He has asked of this blog link to join the campaign as shocked at my plight!  YES THIS IS THE UK in  2018!

I have repeatedly requested the energy service provider that supplies my gas and electricity to accompany me to the APPG Poverty for them to put forward a pilot study to help women survivors of domestic violence.  To offer a basic unit of usage free and then tarifs above this to be billed.... So women at least are able to keep the basics running and have some heating in winter. 

I have had bilateral breast operation in the past with breakdown of wounds and a fistula to the left thoracic region I need to keep the scar tissue warm or I get a dermatome nerve pain on a scale of 0 -10 that is 8 if the scar is cold.

I am a 1954 born women so as you know am a WASPI women unable to get her state pension..... I have repeatedly requested my Gas & Electric service provider to join our collective voices to get the DWP to be urgently reformed and for Theresa May the PM to act by a change in policies on pensions for the 1950s women-  to have their compensation of the lost £46,000 from the sudden shift in pension age from 60 to 66 yrs... I am not the only one having horrendous problems being pushed more and more in poverty.

We need companies that provide essential services to shout for us all in Government as it is not fair, I as a customer want to pay my bills but how can I when I have been getting between £38 - £44 a WEEK... I have evidenced my "income" or pittance to the energy supplier yet now I am being subjected to the collection hassle of being rung on a Sunday morning! One gets the impression by the caller that surely I must have a stash of cash under the mattress!  But I have repeatedly told the company I have been left penniless with my perpetrator. 

I am told I am being too political and they cannot do anything about this - but yes my situation is the result of failed political policies and yes they can do something about it.... they can join the voices to shout for urgent reform of the DWP. 

Why can I NOT get over the need for a better financial support for women survivors of domestic violence at any age... and when you think urgent for those with children too..... 

But I am also battered by the ridiculously thought out policies of the Cameron government on benefits as if all that use benefits are wasters and MUST find work..I am not a "something for nothing" I have paid in a considerable amount of tax over my years.. near on half a century tax.... with payslips to show not a mathematical illusion as one of the Tory backbenchers stated in the parliament debate 14th December 2017 !

I am trying trying trying to get paid work in among this.... there are jobs that I have been keen to be shortlisted for but it does not happen.... or there are obstacles like a need to go back to uni for a RTP which I must pay for! But I have no funds for....I cannot train as a teacher with the government promotion drive and get £26,000 while training - this is only on offer for younger students not over 60s who must pay for their training... as if we have loads of dosh to pay for this. 

I am shocked with the voluntary work I do in a destitute centre - we have poverty on a grand scale in London that makes you feel we have been flung into Dickens time but with electric and all our modern day paraphernalia...

It is so hard to have dialogue with this company now as they see my frustration as me going crazy...! In some ways it is a crazed situation as I am so so frustrated as I would like FINANCIAL DIGNITY that has been robbed of me by violent perpetrators..... It hurts like hell to have come to my most vulnerable years not the woman of substance I could have been and would have been if not fallen victim to violent controller and scammer!

I have been used and abused and now the system batters me...

I have had a panic attack this morning with this call and been retching and nauseous as if choking...... I feel the system as got me by the throat... 

Instead of a Strong and Stable platform of support and some reparation for the criminal damage upon my being.... 

And we need the PM to listen to the 1950s women and let us have the State Pension we have earned with our years to the Queen & Country... many of us worked since 15 yrs like me my first job as an office junior  in 1969.

I hope that recent job applications come to an offer... but you can see that in all attempts to try you sort of get kneecapped on the battleground of trying with upsetting calls like today.

A society without compassion ceases to be a society. 
The way a society treats the elderly is also a measure of that society... Sadly we are failing the elderly women bitterly! 

Shame on the Prime Minister for NOT hearing our voices. 

Powerful Day in Parliament & BBC filming

Today I have been in Parliament and then to meet the WASPI women who have each week been turning up outside parliament to perform a silent protest for our state pension..... Over 60s born in 1950s have fallen in the abyss of the sudden shift in the retirement age for women from 60 to 66 yrs.... I was born in 1954 so have fallen into this horrible situation too..... So a domestic violence survivor that has been robbed of my finances by my perpetrator to then be robbed by government ill thought out policies.  I worked from 1969 paid tax (as indeed all my family have) then to be denied my state pension is disgraceful of government.  I have no savings as was left penniless-  nothing so reliant on the DWP helping me in my vulnerable part of my life.... as you have read from my story thus far.... I have lost my foothold in my career, do not get shortlisted for work these days but do get offered volunteer work.... this was sanctioned by the JSA... resulting in my vitamin deficiency lack of nutrition, my immune system  unable to fight off a chest infection and was hospitalised with pneumonia.... The lack of a strong and stable platform of support leading to costing the NHS in my care.... 
But I cannot get over how a woman Prime Minister is ignoring my voice and the voices of the WASPI women..... disgraceful and somewhat stupid as we are all voters and all this is a major vote loser for her party.  It was very alarming and but somewhat an example of the lack of compassion the Tories have... that Theresa Villiers Tory MP for Chipping Barnet came out of the Downing street gates and walked with nose up in the air passed the WASPI women at the gates...This is so shameful that Tory MPs cannot come to the people and listen and help them... the most precious asset any leader and government have is the people, the citizens of the land, the voters... so it is somewhat stupid to ignore the voters pain from mal policies... better to listen and reform the policies to lessen or stop that pain in society.... In contrast I met Hiliary Benn Labour MP for Leeds Central ... we stopped and talked outside Parliament on my way to the Emily Pankhurst statue for our Granny Revolution.. He stopped He listened. He gave me time, He took in all I was saying and had compassion for the pain I am in as a Domestic Survivor and WASPI....we even discussed the CPS failing of me and my time in the Westminster Hall debate on the CPS failings- from cutbacks!  He expressed his relief that I have John McDonnell as my MP to help care for my situation..... 

People need their voices heard... Women survivors need their voices heard, Women over 60 need their voices heard.... we are taxpayers and done a lot for Queen & Country, so to have Government ignoring us is a real vote loser. 

Thank you to the BBC for taking an interest in our cause and helping to get Women's Voices Heard.. I have done a piece to camera - and hope it is not edited but the film as to be taken down to an 8 mins broadcast... So hope there is a follow through on the campaign to get women domestic violence survivors voices heard too. My campaign is intertwined with the problem of reaching 64yrs with no assets. The state pension would give me some financial dignity & peace! 

My left arm as a pin & plate in from the brutal attack on me by my perpetrator, 

but my right hand is my writing hand and the one that holds the pen to mark a X on a ballot paper... 

Time to listen Mrs May! 

Womens voices being heard

Just been looking at my blog stats and it is amazing how Women's voices are being heard globally.  Sadly I still have not got the attention of the UK government on the need to urgently reform the DWP as women's lives are being put at risk with drops in support.  Women are left penniless by their controlling violent perpetrators it is part of the perpetrators behaviour pattern....they will financially cripple their victims as well as physically and psychologically abuse them.  The victim when she gets out has to then try to rebuild her life while going on a turbulent pathway of healing, detoxing from the ugliness of violence upon her...... For then the system to be so badly designed with policies from a previous PM David Cameron that demonises those on welfare benefits..... is shameful as the welfare benefits are there to help those that are in need and are vulnerable......I cannot seem to get Theresa May our present PM to respond to this campaign with an urgent reform of the DWP to give women a strong and stable pathway of support.... and the survivors of domestic violence needs some reparation for all the criminal abuse upon them....
She says she has put £20 million in to help women but this is NOT being felt by those on the front-line in rebuilding their lives. Women are being chased by bailiffs for said debts when it is the system that has failed her creating those debts! This is perverse given all that women have been through in their abuse. 

It is good that I have had a global response of visitors to this blog and some messages that they are shocked at the UK how I and others are being treated.... The lack of compassion for survivors and help is shameful.  To compound issues in my case (and there are other over 60s that have lost to controlling perpetrators) we that were born in the 1950s are denied our State Pension till we are 66 yet need this before to give us some financial dignity.  

The UK is my motherland and ancestral country.  My ancestors have paid tax to every King Queen and Government of this land..... everyone on this land pays tax be it from VAT to income tax.... so why is there such disarray in our system of supporting those in need?  It is bad management and very dangerous to leave women without funds to feed herself and keep up to bills to keep the phone link and have gas and electric...Women have fallen victims to controlling violent perpetrators and to keep dropping support or providing inadequate support could result in her life being lost to suicide! She has been made to feel unworthy by the manipulating perpetrator- then the system makes her feel a non person!  The drops in support also keep her tethered to the past pain and why she is in this dreadful state...To have financial dignity would give her the freedom to get all the support she needs, reconnect with her true self not the contaminated distorted self. 

Women need support to heal, detox from the ugliness of violence and helped to rebuild their lives....they may not be able to enter the job market immediately with loss of confidence and unable to cope with any work environment bullying.... She needs an overlap of support when ready to get back to work and once she has healed and is able to perform she will be one strong woman for any team, company or organisation.  
Please also take a look at the WASPI campaign as my situation is compounded by not being able to get the dignity of my State Pension too. 

WASPI Pension campaign

I have to keep turning my pain into campaign to help all women's voices heard!
A society without compassion ceases to be a society for it is compassion that holds it together.

Turning pain into Campaign!

Reform to help women heal and rebuild.... when will we get this right and fair for women? Sign the petition it is still on the go till I get some debate for reform. Petition for Strong & Stable Pathway of Support for Survivors 
This campaign must continue till achieved it goals no matter what happens to me... I have to get a better pathway of support for women!

DWP drops support again

I have always been a caring person 

yet the system is failing to care for me in my time of need! 

Trying to get some financial dignity is becoming impossible. But I do not give up I am my mothers daughter and I will find a way somehow.  I was supposed to receive the reduced ESA payment yesterday but it was not there in my bank... it has taken 2 days to get through to the DWP.. phone lines bumped me off 4 xs yesterday then 5th time on hold and no customer service agent.  Today laid on bed with the classical music hold for hour and then got a kindly agent answer.  I feel that the agents are frustrated with the system as much as the claimants.  I am in a cusp of waiting for the Work Capability assessment report - I attended that last Wednesday in West Ealing.  A lovely staff nurse from Charring Cross did the assessment.  We were both agreeing if I had been in a fixed NHS contract when all this happened with Amine breaking my arm then leaving me after his ILR then I would have had the support of the NHS occ health, the right to 6 months sick with full pay & thereafter half pay and helped back into some part time hours and then maybe full time hours if I could... but I was in Zero hours contract being agency.. so no work no pay! I have not been a wimp, but women do have to go through some horrid pain of depression, need to detox from the ugliness of violence upon them... and to do all this with limited funds or drops in support is difficult and can exacerbate the pain not help. The present system can lead to the risk of suicide from the drops in support and the depression.  It feels like the system becomes your perpetrator battering you deeper and deeper into poverty and the feeling of being a non person. 

Last week not only did I have to touch all the past pain in a 2 hours assessment for the DWP but then unprepared unannounced the E.ON collectors came to me on the next day.  I have been trying to get E.ON to work with me and get some package of support together for women survivors of domestic violence. I have a ever increasing bill to pay with no funds to pay it. Other bills and food and clothing I need too pay too.  I try so hard. But have no £$£$ assets to help me!

I have volunteer hours with a British NGO one day a week that I can build my portfolio with and follow staff training programmes and it may lead to some paid work.  But the agent for the DWP says volunteer work is not accepted by the DWP for JSA as it is thought if you can do volunteer work you must find paid work... but I am 64yrs and paid work is not being offered me only volunteer work..... Even today I dropped into my local hospital to see if I can help with teaching - but the education department say there is no funding to offer me as a visitor lecturer or some part time teaching. They could only offer me volunteer teaching... which I suppose I could earn from writing up articles about... But then I have been trying to get some work in publication... It is a long time since I have had professional articles published.... even though I have been working online with a Palestinian nursing student and writing articles together we have not had them accepted for publication.  I have also been working online with Syrian refugees and tried to get an article in publication on the counselling we have been doing with the patterns and trends of feelings and emotions of what is shell shock. 

I am writing this update today to try and show you and me that I do have a worth in the world...but all I need is someone to help me with paid work or sponsorship. 

I have grabbed some books from my bookshelf just now to show you my knowledge base and skills this is only a glimmer of me and all my experience. I have worked in specialist areas of Coronary care including scrubbing for angiograms and angioplasties,  I have worked in Oncology in both a regional radiotherapy unit and professorial Gynaecology oncology unit.  I have worked in A/E and medical and surgical areas, I am a midwife worked in top teaching hospitals with experience in facilitating SVD in both high and low risk cases, caring in HDU and scrubbing for C-section - I was well liked by the Obstetricians that had private patients and would help with their caseload and worked in research posts too.  I enjoyed research and data base management too.

I have classroom teaching experience for adult education on the Access to Higher Education Health pathway..... I love blossoming people to reach their full potential.... I have a TEFL to help teach English and love teaching English for health professionals... My work with the Syrian refugees has made me aware that I love working with children too - in fact when my girls were little I would help in the classroom and the teacher would say Marjorie why don't you train to teach. But I opted for SEN RN RM BSc Nursing and took my career as nurse and midwife.  

But I fell victim to violent controllers and my life has been ransacked by not one to two perpetrator "husbands" - unworthy of the title of husband... as husband should be loving and caring for his wife, valuing her and respecting her for all she is and does. 

So here I am penniless reliant on the DWP helping me from all the tax I have paid in over my years working.  My first job in 1969...but as I am 1954 born I am denied my state pension which would afford me some financial dignity...  

I enjoy my volunteer work with refugees and my personal project Family Link Up but need funding for this... all attempts for grants, funding and sponsorship as led to no offers. But I will keep trying - the more I am challenged the more I wil fight for a better platform of support for women.

Please also take a look at the WASPI campaign as my situation is compounded by not being able to get the dignity of my State Pension too. 

WASPI Pension campaign

I have to keep turning my pain into campaign to help all women's voices heard!
A society without compassion ceases to be a society for it is compassion that holds it together.

Turning pain into Campaign!

Reform to help women heal and rebuild.... when will we get this right and fair for women? Sign the petition it is still on the go till I get some debate for reform. Petition for Strong & Stable Pathway of Support for Survivors 
This campaign must continue till achieved it goals no matter what happens to me... I have to get a better pathway of support for women!

Women's March in London

BBC report on Women's March

and here is a link to some of the creative stitching of banners today 

Creative Banners - BBC

Oh missed the women's march. Was ill this morning then found out when switched the TV on. My illness was depression shut down was curled under the blanket feeling that no matter what I do I cannot get out of the aftermath of my life ransacked.  Of course I have no financial dignity with the reduced ESA payments so this makes you feel like an outcast... and mega frustrated as you cannot do all the things you would like to do.... and eat as this is becoming an issue... how many of you have fancied a coffee and cake today in the local cafe - I could not do this as no funds to do.... or how many of you bought a gift or new item of clothing on the spare of the moment spend..... I used to be able too but now cannot not.....I am trying to get paid work as you know but no one interested in a 64yrs old. But do get offers of volunteer work - I try to market the NYR but no orders come through and I apply for grants and funding but with no success..... Been reading a book on the power of money and how we have to love it and use it in love to attract it.... I could earn good wage... but my perpetrators used me as a money making machine to take for their own agenda and sure was not one filled with love but their selfish greed and selfish goals... once they got what they wanted I was discarded as rubbish. 

I did shower and go down into London calmly and feeling mentally bruised. But have managed to speak to a small group about women's voices to be heard then perfect talked with a doctor writer activist with an international group. She actually lives near me wow kismet. We are going to email share material and meet up to muscle up my campaign. "Alls well that ends well!". But still would have been an energy boost to have march among the banners. Parliament police chatted with me. Trust me to miss the march after all hours i spend lobbying. But all disgusted with way DWP treating me & other survivors.
Please also take a look at the WASPI campaign as my situation is compounded by not being able to get the dignity of my State Pension too. 

WASPI Pension campaign

I have to keep turning my pain into campaign to help all women's voices heard!
A society without compassion ceases to be a society for it is compassion that holds it together.

Turning pain into Campaign!

Reform to help women heal and rebuild.... when will we get this right and fair for women? Sign the petition it is still on the go till I get some debate for reform. Petition for Strong & Stable Pathway of Support for Survivors 
This campaign must continue till achieved it goals no matter what happens to me... I have to get a better pathway of support for women!

Some flowers in the suffragette colours on my way home this evening.