List of All Articles with Tag 'm'

Do you miss your pet when you're at work? Can't leave the house without wondering

More than one in 10 women and girls in the UK’s four nations has been a victim of online violence, new research has found. Online violence can includes abuse, unwanted sexual remarks, trolling, threats, and non-consensual sharing of intimate messages and photos. The online YouGov survey, said to be the biggest so far into the issue, found 17% of the women and girls surveyed in Wales and Scotland have experienced online violence, as well as 15% in England and 12% in Northern Ireland. Researchers from the Open University said the findings show the problem is “widespread”. The data came from the 7,500 people aged 16 and over – 4,000 women and girls and 3,5000 men and boys – earlier this year. It also highlighted that online violence was higher among for those aged 16-24 (25%) and for LGBT+ women and girls (35%). The most commonly perceived reasons for why people commit such online violence were the anonymity provided by being online (49%), ease of getting away with it (47%) and misogyny (43%). So what can you do if you’re a victim of online violence? Trolling According to the Crown Prosecution Service, trolling is “a form of baiting online which involves sending abusive and hurtful comments across all social media platforms”. Trolls can be found everywhere on the internet, including forums, blogs, websites and social networks. “Don’t respond,” said Ruth Peters, solicitor and director at criminal defence firm Olliers Solicitors. “Trolls are looking for a reaction. Their aim is to upset and provoke you into making an angry/emotional response. Whilst you can’t prevent a troll from targeting you, you can decide how you choose to react. If you choose not to respond to the abuse, trolls generally give up and go away.” If you are being bullied online or receiving abusive comments, Dr Angela Wilcock, a senior lecturer in criminology at University of Sunderland thinks it’s important to tell a family member or a close friend, so you don’t feel alone and have can their support. The Online Safety Bill (which is expected to be passed at the end of this year) to protect women and girls is key, said Wilcock, “along with education from a young age. Women are continually having to risk assess and protect themselves, but we are not dealing with the perpetrators”. She added: “If women and girls do experience online violence, they must tell someone and seek help immediately from specialist services. To make themselves safer, they can also ensure social media privacy settings are activated.” Don’t forget to record, report and block trolls too. Peters noted. “If someone makes an offensive post, take a screenshot or print the post so that you have proof of it if necessary. “Ask the website moderator, administrator or owner to intervene if the troll doesn’t stop. Most websites/social network platforms have strong anti-abuse policies and, in most cases, trolls are guilty of violating their terms and conditions so will have their accounts terminated. “It’s OK to block those whose behaviour makes you feel uncomfortable and blocking someone on social media is easy.” Threats and abusive communication Set out under the Communications Act 2003 and the Malicious Communications Act 1988, malicious communications can include cyberbullying, harassment online or homophobic, racist, transphobic or misogynistic hate speech. Under section 127 of the Communications Act 2003, it is an offence for someone to send a message that is grossly offensive or indecent, obscene or menacing character. “The message does not need to actually reach the intended victim – the act of sending the message is sufficient,” Peters said. “A ‘message’ will cover all forms of messaging so this can mean a text, email, Facebook message, an internet forum, Snapchat message or picture, etc. Any image or message which has been sent electronically will be covered by this act.” Glitch, a UK charity aiming to end online abuse and championing digital citizenship, with a specific focus on black women and marginalised people, published its 2023 Digital Misogynoir Report in July. The findings “illuminate the ways misogynoir shows up in online spaces; the way it spreads and intersects with other forms of white supremacy; and, most disappointingly, how it is still missed in content moderation by tech platforms”, according to founder and CEO, Seyi Akiwowo, “Tech companies must take responsibility for the ways their ‘build first, think later’ approach actively harms black women – online and offline. “And while the pressure we’ve been applying to the UK government has resulted in the welcome and necessary addition of women and girls to the Online Safety Bill, the government has a responsibility to hold tech companies to consistent account for the violence their platforms enable.” Non-consensual sharing of intimate photos and messages In April 2015, the Criminal Justice and Courts Act (CJCA) 2015 made ‘revenge porn’ a specific offence, and it became a crime to “disclose private sexual photographs and films; without the permission of the individual who appears in the photograph or film; with intent to cause distress”, Peters said. “[But] stronger regulation is also proposed surrounding the sharing of sexual images without consent.” The Online Safety Bill, currently progressing through the House of Lords, seeks to specifially criminalise similar offences to revenge porn. “These include sharing ‘deepfakes’ (explicit images which have been altered to look like someone) without consent,” Peters said. “Stronger regulation is also proposed surrounding the sharing of sexual images without consent. The current law requires intention to cause distress in order to be found guilty of this offence, [but] the proposed changes will amend this in order to prosecute more people.” She added: “There will be a ‘base offence’ for sharing intimate images without consent. There will be two more serious offences created if images are shared to cause humiliation, alarm or distress, or for sexual gratification.” But for Wilcock, “women shouldn’t have to ensure our profiles are closed off to the world just so that we don’t endure abuse from trolls and abusers. “It shouldn’t be this way, but that is the sad reality of today’s online world. Until we do more to hold perpetrators to account and deal with them appropriately, it is hard to see how it will get better for victims.” Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live Athlete who ran over 200km through the desert shares advice for running in a heatwave Women being invited to help shape the future of reproductive healthcare – from period pain to menopause How to style your home like a professional

The Polaroid I-2 ($599.99) is the first pro-grade instant camera from the present-day version of

Jala Group, a Chinese cosmetics and skincare brand, is considering an initial public offering in Hong Kong that

Ani Kirakosyani found out she was pregnant a month after the blockade of Nagorno-Karabakh began. Food, fuel and medical supplies in the disputed territory are running low and officials there say they reported the first death from malnutrition last month.

We’ve been hit with a September heatwave and, for runners – whether beginner or seasoned – it means added concerns around dehydration, chafing and generally keeping safe in the heat. Ultramarathon runner Leon Bustin, 36, completed a 220km run through the Wadi Rum desert in Jordan in October 2022, so he knows a thing or two about dealing with hot weather while exercising. Here is the athlete’s advice for heatwave running right now. Be sun safe “Covering your skin to avoid too much direct sunlight will really help,” says Bustin, who is also a content creator for Lean Machines and a personal trainer. “I highly recommend using a good zinc stick under the eyes and across the nose as well. “I used a bright purple one in the desert to remind me of my daughter and also to show very clearly if there was a part I’d missed. [Use] a higher factor than you think you need.” Hydration starts before a run “Working on your hydration starts before you take a single step out of the door,” he says. “I even start my day with an electrolyte-rich glass of water as we even become dehydrated in our sleep. “So having a good 500ml of electrolyte-rich water pre-run will really help, then as a good basic guideline take a further 500ml for each hour you are out. “The important thing is adding the electrolytes to the water. If we over-consume [pure water] we may dilute and flush out essential electrolytes and trace minerals as we pee.” Cool bare skin “Try cooling the glabrous – or none hairy- areas, it really helps flush heat out of your body fast,” says Bustin. “Those areas include the palms of your hands, under eyes, ears and soles of your feet. “Every time l arrived at an aid station in the desert l would hand over my water bottles to be refilled and plunge my hands straight into a bucket of coldish water, splash my face then keep the hands there for a good 30 to 40 seconds.” For those of us without air stations, Bustin suggests wetting exposed skin with water from a bottle. Pop a flannel in the freezer before going on a run and run it across your skin afterwards, or midway. “The key to keeping cool on a run is managing your core temperature because if that rises too much, put simply, it will be the end of your race,” he adds. Breath correctly “Breathing right for you is really important to get nailed down regardless of the running conditions, but especially in the heat as we don’t want to put any unnecessary extra stress on our bodies – because it will just cost more energy,” says Bustin. “We all tend to over-breathe through our mouth so simply focusing more of our inward breaths to be through the nose will help more than you think and over time both bring down and regulate your average heart rate greatly.” Be careful of the chafe Chafing can put you off pretty early in your running journey, and in the heat, where shorts can leave thighs rubbing together and slick with sweat, it’s a run-ruiner. “Anti-chafe cream is your best friend in the key areas (between the thighs and under the arms),” says Bustin, “but also if you get lots of toe blisters like me. “I put a generous dose between my toes of a good oil-based anti-chafe or even just some good old Sudocrem to keep those toes gliding. The right cream for you will take trial and error and is also combined with wearing the right run kit for you as well.” Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live Women being invited to help shape the future of reproductive healthcare – from period pain to menopause How to style your home like a professional One in 10 ‘spending beyond their means’ – try these 7 cutbacks guaranteed to save families money

The Chinese government is set to expand the ban on iPhone use to include government-backed

Pamela Anderson's new outlook comes from a desire to "do things that are different".

Megan Fox's stylist wanted the star's dramatic new colour to match her "fiery personality".

Women are being invited to share their experiences of periods, pregnancy and the menopause to shape the future of healthcare for females in England. The Women’s Reproductive Health Survey will help the Government better understand reproductive health and ensure services meet their needs. It forms part of the Women’s Health Strategy, which was launched in 2022. The 10-year blueprint will aim to tackle disparities in women’s health and ensure services “listen to women’s voices”. Women’s health ambassador Professor Dame Lesley Regan said: “We need to make healthcare work for women and girls – and for it to fit around their lives. “There’s no point bolstering services if they can’t be accessed, or the support available doesn’t work for them and meet their needs.” Women have previously described difficulties accessing reproductive health services. Often health services are not ‘joined up’, leading to multiple visits and appointment delays Dr Rebecca French Questions included in the Women’s Reproductive Health Survey will centre on period pains, how women prefer to access contraceptive services and the levels of support received for menopausal symptoms. It is open to women aged 16 to 55 in England and will run for six weeks from September 7. Dr Rebecca French, an associate professor of sexual and reproductive health research at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, said women should be able to “make informed decisions about their own reproductive health and wellbeing”. “For most women, it can be nearly 40 years from their first period to menopause. “Women have previously described difficulties accessing reproductive health services, for example, to get contraceptive supplies, to access fertility treatment or to obtain an appointment with a gynaecologist. Often health services are not ‘joined up’, leading to multiple visits and appointment delays. “We know that poor reproductive health not only has a negative effect on health in general but can also impact women’s mental health, relationships and finances. “Further research is needed to better understand inequalities across England so that women and people described as female at birth are able to make the choices they need for their own reproductive health and wellbeing.” Maria Caulfield, the minister for the Women’s Health Strategy, added: “Women and girls deserve the best healthcare at every stage of their lives, but we simply can’t deliver that without listening to their lived experiences and concerns. “Women should always have a say in their own healthcare, whether that’s in managing pregnancy and fertility or dealing with the challenges of the menopause in the workplace. “I would encourage every woman to complete the survey on reproductive health as soon as they’re able and ensure their voice is heard.” Other measures included in the Women’s Health Strategy are funding to set up women’s health hubs across England and a new online tool on gov.uk for people to access easily information about IVF in their local areas. Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live 4 key activewear trends for autumn workouts How to style your home like a professional One in 10 ‘spending beyond their means’ – try these 7 cutbacks guaranteed to save families money

Kendall Jenner has no plans to launch her own company in the beauty world.

Jack Whitehall has sung the praises of girlfriend Roxy Horner as the couple announced the arrival of their newborn baby. On Wednesday (6 September), Whitehall posted a selfie to Instagram of himself and Horner smiling as she cradled her baby in her arms. In the caption, the comedian wrote that he is “in awe” of his “amazing” partner. “Well this just happened!” Whitehall wrote. “Utterly overwhelming and joyous in ways I couldn’t have even imagined. In awe of my partner @roxyhorner who has been amazing throughout this journey and is going to be the greatest mum ever.” The Bad Education actor, 35, explained how “excited” he was to have started a family of his own. “Having vowed I’d never be that guy I am now 100 per cent going to be the parent that shows everyone endless pictures of their kid,” he joked. “I also wore Skechers to hospital, I think I must accept I am a full blown dad now.” Whitehall didn’t share the child’s name or gender, instead joking: “Name wise, after this weekend I think ‘rice, rice, baby’ has a nice ring to it.” Sharing the same pictures to Twitter/X, Whitehall quipped: “WARNING: This account is now going to feature exclusively dad jokes.” Horner posted a series of photos to her Instagram in celebration of the milestone moment, in which she was seen holding her baby on her chest. “The love of my life,” she wrote. Horner announced that she was expecting their first child together back in May, posting a series of black and white photos of the pair holding their sonogram photos. “The best news to share,” the model captioned her post. Also sharing the news on Instagram in May, Whitehall quipped: “And I thought I wasn’t getting enough attention when the dog arrived.” The pair started dating in 2020, and live together with their dog Coco. Announcing the news in May, Horner opened up about how having a miscarriage the year before made her “worried” about “telling the world” about her pregnancy. “We had a miscarriage last year and so there was a part of me that was worried to open up too soon about this baby because I was so worried something would happen again and I didn’t want to have to kind of tell the world,” she told Hello! in May. “I think because we did go through that miscarriage you realise how fragile the baby is, and just how common actually a miscarriage is, and that so many women go through it – I had no idea how common it actually was.” She added: “It just makes this feel extra special and you’re more grateful that everything’s fine.” While the pair have kept their relationship private, Horner praised Whitehall back in 2021 after she collapsed during the Brit Awards and was rushed to hospital to find out that she is diabetic. “I’m so lucky and grateful for my man, my biggest support through everything,” she wrote in a sweet tribute after her health incident. “I don’t know what I would have done this past year without you.” Read More Travis Barker speaks out about wife Kourtney Kardashian’s ‘life-threatening’ surgery on her and unborn child Jonas Brothers share ‘emotional’ support for Joe Jonas in first show since Sophie Turner divorce news Trump says he wants to debate Meghan Markle: ‘I didn’t like the way she dealt with the Queen’ Travis Barker speaks out about Kourtney Kardashian’s ‘urgent’ surgery Kendra Wilkinson ‘rushed to hospital’ after panic attack Gisele Bündchen announces new cookbook with family favourite recipes