The number of men contacting Amen, the leading support service for male victims of domestic abuse has increased by 80 per cent, according to its 2009 annual report. The group, which operates a helpline and counselling service for men, said last week that 3,644 people had contacted their service last year, up from 2,028 in...
A majority of Britons believe that religion is a force for good, according to a new survey carried out on the eve of the Pope’s visit to the UK. In addition, 49 percent versus 28 percent believe faith-based schools have a right to exist. The poll, conducted on behalf of The Tablet, found that fifty-two...
Increasing intolerance of religion in Irish public life is “an indication of an incipient totalitarianism that would obliterate the most fundamental freedom there is,” according to one of Ireland’s leading commentators. Writing in the Irish Times, John Waters said that Irish culture “has decided that the declaration of religious conviction is always ‘offensive’”. And he...
Society in Northern Ireland is breaking down, with soaring levels of unemployment, family splits, mental illness and addiction, a leading UK think-tank has warned. A report from the influential Centre for Social Justice says that the Stormont government needs to get past the issue of the Troubles and begin mending the fractures in communities across...
Feminists who claim that men should do a larger share of the housework and childcare are ignoring the fact that on average, men and women already do the same number of hours of productive work, according to new research. The research, which appears in a special edition of ‘Renewal: a journal of social democracy’, finds...
A controversial EU Directive, which many Christians fear will undermine free speech and freedom of religion, is being held up in negotiations between European member states. The Directive seeks to outlaw discrimination on grounds including sexual orientation and religion in the provision of goods and services, and includes a harassment provision which threatens free speech....
A non-binding motion targeting EU funding of religious groups that provide health care services in Africa but are pro-life in ethos has been passed by the European Parliament. A bid to delete the motion was led by Dublin Fine Gael MEP Gay Mitchell, but was defeated. The motion expresses concern that “private organisations receiving European...
A local council in London have told a couple looking to adopt a child in need have been told they were “too white” to adopt, according to The Daily Mail. Francesca Polini and her husband Rick offered to adopt a black or Asian child, who wait longer for adoption because of a national shortage of...
The use of the controversial Gardasil cervical cancer vaccince on girls as young as 12 by the Government is a “public health experiment”, according to the leading researcher in its development. Dr Diane Harper, who carried out safety studies to get Gardasil approved, warned of “serious adverse events including death” associated with it, and said...
The fees for egg donors in the UK could be dramatically increased to as much £800 under proposals to tackle shortages in supply, it has been revealed. Critics have blasted the proposed move. Josephine Quintavalle, from Comment on Reproductive Ethics, said: “We would be absolutely outraged if the HFEA increases the payment limits above £250....
