Sisters Uncut

Last updated

Sisters Uncut
FoundedNovember 2014
Type Activist group
Focus Anti-austerity, Feminism, Intersectionality, Domestic violence, Trans feminism, Black feminism, Working class feminism
Location
Method Demonstration, Direct action, Civil disobedience, Community work
Website http://www.sistersuncut.org

Sisters Uncut describe themselves as a British feminist direct action group that is opposed to cuts to UK government services for domestic violence victims. [1] It was founded in November 2014, and came to international prominence in October 2015 for a protest on the red carpet at the London premiere of the film Suffragette. [2] The group identify as revolutionary feminists and police and prison abolitionists, and is open to women (including trans and intersex women), nonbinary, agender and gender variant people. [3] The group aims to organise non-hierarchically and uses consensus decision-making. [3] Sisters Uncut originated in London but has regional groups throughout the UK [4] including Manchester and Leeds. [5]

Contents

Background and founding

Under the UK Coalition government of 2010-2015, funding for domestic violence services was cut dramatically, leading to concern from groups such as the Women's Aid Federation of England that the cuts could leave victims of abuse with no ability to escape their abusers. [6] Sisters Uncut was founded in November 2014 in response to these concerns. The group was founded by women from the anti-austerity direct action group UK Uncut, and its name is a reference to that group. [7] [8]

Positions

Sisters Uncut is a feminist organisation, and it engages in direct action to attain its goals. [9] [1] [10] They have been described as "an anti-abuse campaign group". [11] [12] The organisation opposes putting undercover police in bars and clubs. [13]

Sisters Uncut takes the position that the criminalisation of prostitution puts sex workers in more danger. They also oppose the Nordic model in which only buyers of sex are prosecuted, believing that it reduces customers and income to sex workers. [14] [15]

Shon Faye describes Sisters Uncut as a "feminist organisation fighting for better provision for women in domestic violence". [16]

Activism

The group has become known for high-profile direct action which highlights and challenges UK government policy that affects survivors of domestic and sexual violence. Protests by the group have included:

See also

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References

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