away the result is severe overcrowding, which oniy exaceroates women s broo lems and forces them to put up with conditions which no-one should have to live in, even though many women may teel Inat overcrowaing is preter able to violence.
A complete 'open door' policy can also mean that the refuge is used by Social Services and other agencies, with the assumption that the refuge can and will deal with every case of battering, and that there is therefore no need for the state and local authortues to accept tneir responsibity to provide assistance in the setting up oT reruces. most rerudes armlared to the Women's Aid Federation make every effort to provide immediate refuge to women, while at the same time pressurising their local councils to - take responsibility.
These issues are important in the -fiaht of battered women and should not be glossed over by the left as they are by the bourgeois press.
ISLINGTON WOMEN'S AID Having read your article on battered women zu wovemner we Teet necessary to correct you on several First, we think that Red Weekly should be aware that Chiswick Women's Aid should not be taken as beine representative or tne women s aid movement. Approximately tiTty group: from all over the country are affiliated to the rederation or women s Aid Centres, a national organisation which Chiswick have chosen not to join. Therefore we feel that an article on battered women and Women's Aid should be written in consultation, not only with Chiswick Women's Aid, but with the above federation.
Further, we must point out that the article was misleading on two accounts.
1. Chiswick Women's Aid is not the only group with an 'open door" poncy, or exampie, Ine seven retuge: in the Yorkshire area, to the best of our knowledge, would never turn a woman in need away.
2. Most Women's Aid groups are fully aware of the political significance and causes of wife-battering. The York group was set up by feminist women, and we view the phenomenon as part of the general oppression which women suffer in patriarchal societies. We realise that a real solution to the probem les in structural and cultural chan ges in the society in which we live. This indeed is the general perspective of the national organisation, as written into the constitution.
PAT YOUNG, JANIE NEWTON-MOSS (York Women's Aid) the situation are ignored, and they therefore try to 'solve' the conflict at the private level. In reality most NOT A INTERNATIONAL DAY OF ACTION ON ABORTION This Saturday, 6 December, is the international day of action on abortion set earlier this year by a meeting of representatives from the women's movement in various European countries.
Rome-to which the National Abortion Campaign is sending a contingent-and a solidarity picket in London the same day from 1-2.30pm outside the Italian Always ornice, 401-259 Kegents street, London WI Italy has been chosen as the immediate focus for the campaign because its restrictions force 1½ million women to undergo illegal abortions every year.
Several thousand of them die in the process.
root causes of such things as wifebattering' and women's oppression in ON DEMAND There will be an international demonstration in
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