Thirteen-year-old Imogen Senior was not bogged down by entrenched views when she wrote about Australia’s offshore detention centres. Her uncluttered eyes saw children younger than herself in awful circumstances who want to kill themselves – while she “enjoys normal Tuesdays”. This kind of clarity has been hijacked in the adult population, as reflected in responses to Imogen’s letter…Joan Beckwith.

Read the whole post »

A woman is killed in a park – women are advised to stay out of parks. A woman is killed on the street – women are told to stay home. Women are killed at home – they should have left, the pundits say. Women are assaulted in immigration detention – they must have been “too provocative” it seems. This post suggests four ways to reshape the dominant narrative about violence against women…Joan Beckwith.

Read the whole post »

If it’s forced it’s not ‘treatment’ and it’s not ‘caring’. Restraint is inevitably forced, and children in psychiatric care are more likely to be restrained than adults. A mother who contributes to this post explains how damaging this can be for already traumatised children. Restraint is also a poor response to safety concerns, and the ongoing challenge is to develop alternative possibilities…Joan Beckwith.

Read the whole post »

Philip Nitschke, euthanasia campaigner, says we need more words FOR suicide. I think we mostly need more words ABOUT suicide, particularly when the intolerable pain is primarily sociopsychospiritual. In this post I raise five questions for discussion and comment…Joan Beckwith.

Read the whole post »

The entries in this social justice calendar have come from several sources. Your comments, corrections, and suggested additions are most welcome and can be made at the end of the full post…Joan Beckwith.

Read the whole post »

I believe we should be providing sanctuary and inclusion for people seeking asylum in Australia, not detention and exclusion, and although these ideas may seem increasingly naive in the current climate, there are compelling precedents from other movements, places, and times…Joan Beckwith.

Read the whole post »

Bullying is a busy term, covering too much and not enough. In this post I suggest an alternative way of describing the harm that occurs in workplaces, particularly that involving abuse of hierarchical power…Joan Beckwith.

Read the whole post »

This second post is a first attempt at locating discussion of social justice within a context of the operation of power within organisations and institutions (such as Churches)…Joan Beckwith.

Read the whole post »

Social justice is work in progress towards social equity. A bit like hope, beauty and friendship, it may be most recognisable in its absence. What can I do, I ask myself? I can write about the things I care about and maybe even start conversations. I hope so…Joan Beckwith.

Read the whole post »