The most comprehensive compilation of information on the status of
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Latest items for United Kingdom

Nov. 12, 2026, noon
Countries: United Kingdom
Variables: MARR-PRACTICE-8

"Now a new YouGov poll has revealed the British communities that are most likely to back first cousin marriages, with a large majority thinking that the practice should be outlawed" (para 3). "'The overwhelming majority of Brits, including those of Pakistani heritage, want to see first cousin marriage banned" (para 5). "Pakistani and Bandladeshi Britons are most likely to support the first cousin marriages, with 39 percent of those polled saying it should be legal" (para 8). "While 47 percent of the community say the practice should not be legal, this compares to just eight percent of white Briton who support first-cousin marriage" (para 9). "Currently the UK follows the...more
Nov. 12, 2026, noon
Countries: United Kingdom
Variables: MARR-LAW-7

"Sir Keir Starmer and the Labour party are standing in the way of a ban on cousins marrying each other, after a new poll showed an overwhelming majority of Britons want to see it axed, a Conservative MP has claimed" (para 1). "Conservative MP Richard Holden last year introduced a private members' bill to ban the practice, which would bring cousin marriages into the same bracket as marrying a parent, child, sibling or grandparent" (para 2). "While marrying close relatives including siblings and half-siblings is illegal in the UK, marrying a first cousin is technically legal" (para 11). "Instead of banning it outright, he [MP Iqbal Mohamed] said a 'more...more
Nov. 12, 2026, 11:57 a.m.
Countries: United Kingdom
Variables: EWCMS-PRACTICE-3

"'She [Jaysley Beck] felt powerless and betrayed. She then found out he had been promoted - 'I got a letter and he got a promotion', she said. She told me she had been made to accept a letter of apology. That assault shattered her faith in the system that was supposed to look after her'" (para 15-16). "'An aggravating factor is that alcohol was involved and that played a real part in your decision to kiss Gunner Beck'" (para 32). "'When another senior male later started harassing her, she said she didn't want to be known as a troublemaker and didn't see any point in reporting him" (para 45). "Gunner...more
Nov. 12, 2026, 11:57 a.m.
Countries: United Kingdom
Variables: EWCMS-DATA-3

"He [sergeant major] has now been ordered to serve his sentence in a civilian prison by the Judge Advocate General Alan Large and a military board" (para 4). "Webber, who was serving at the same base, last month pleaded guilty to one count of sexual assault at a pre-trial hearing and was today sentenced at Bulford Military Court in Salisbury, Wiltshire" (para 5). "Webber will serve half his sentence in the community and will be on the Sex Offenders Register for seven years" (para 37). "Webber was later given a 'minor administrative action interview' over the work social event incident, with no further consequences" (para 64).
Nov. 12, 2026, 11:57 a.m.
Countries: United Kingdom
Variables: EWCMS-DATA-2

"A sergeant major has been jailed for six months for sexually assaulting a teenage female soldier who later took her own life" (para 1). "Her [Jaysley Beck] death came following a compalint she made against Battery Sergeant Major Michael Webber, now 43, after he pinned her down and tried to kiss her, an inquest heard in february this year" (para 3). "Gunner Beck had reported to military chiefs that Webber told her he had been 'wating for a moment for them to be alone', engaged her in a drinking game called Last Man Standing before grabbing her leg and trying to kiss her" (para 62).
Nov. 1, 2026, 5:42 p.m.
Countries: United Kingdom
Variables: SEGI-PRACTICE-1

"Speaking to the Daily Mail, Ms McCready [the mother of the rape victim] said: 'These findings are not just statistics on a page. They represent real women, real trauma and real families living with consequences that can never be undone. Behind every percentage point is somebody's child, and one of those children is my daughter, Jaysley Louise Beck'" (para 7-8).
Nov. 1, 2026, 5:42 p.m.
Countries: United Kingdom
Variables: EWCMS-PRACTICE-3

"In October, [Battery Sergeant Major Michael] Webber was ordered to serve a six-month hail sentence in a civilian prison for his part in the teenager's death. His sentence came four years after the assault took place. Gunner Beck had made a complaint of sexual assault against Webber the day after the incident, but it was not investigated by military or civilian police and he was instead given a 'minor disciplinary'' (para 12-13). "Webber was later given a 'minor administrative action interview' over the work social event incident, with no further consequences. Gunner Beck was later subjected to a period of constant bombardment by her boss Alex Mason and 'did not...more
Nov. 1, 2026, 5:42 p.m.
Countries: United Kingdom
Variables: EWCMS-DATA-3

"In October, [Battery Sergeant Major Michael] Webber was ordered to serve a six-month hail sentence in a civilian prison for his part in the teenager's death. His sentence came four years after the assault took place. Gunner Beck had made a complaint of sexual assault against Webber the day after the incident, but it was not investigated by military or civilian police and he was instead given a 'minor disciplinary'" (para 12-13).
Nov. 1, 2026, 5:42 p.m.
Countries: United Kingdom
Variables: EWCMS-DATA-2

"Her mother, Leighann McCready, has condemned a new Ministry of Defence (MoD) report which shows two third of military women have experienced sexualising behaviour. The first-of-its-kind survey found that 67 per cent of females experienced at least one sexualised behaviour in the last 12 months, compared to 34 per cent of males" (para 4-5). "In February the head of the Army wrote to senior officers condemning 'shameful behavior' after more than 1,000 women shared allegations of sexual abuse" (para 31). "The women shared stories of being raped, abused and harassed while serving in the military. Posts uploaded anonymously to social media included allegations of women pinned to the floor by...more
Nov. 1, 2026, 5:38 p.m.
Countries: United Kingdom
Variables: MARR-PRACTICE-8

"In Bradford, where cousin relationships are very common among the city's Pakistani community, council chiefs admitted that the exact proportion of marriages which are consanguineous is 'not known'" (para 4). "None of the nearly 240 councils which responded to our probe kept hold of the data. Two refused to answer" (para 6). In the graph labeled, "Consanguineous relationships in Bradford", from 2016-2019 there are a little over 20% of marriages betwen first cousins within Bradford (table 1). "Just one percent of white British couples are first cousins, experts estimate. For comparison, the figure was discovered to be around 37 per cent among couples of Pakistani hertiage living in Bradford a...more
Nov. 1, 2026, 5:38 p.m.
Countries: United Kingdom
Variables: MARR-LAW-7

"Although it is illegal to marry your brother or sister, wedlock between cousins is still allowed" (para 2). "In Bradford, where cousin relationships are very common among the city's Pakistani community, council chiefs admitted that the exact proportion of marriages which are consanguineous is 'not known'... None of the 240 councils which responded to our probe kept hold of the data. Two refused to answer" (para 4-6).
Nov. 1, 2026, 5:38 p.m.
Countries: United Kingdom
Variables: LRCM-LAW-3

"Incest - sexual intervouse between immediate relatives - is illegal in the UK, even if consensual. Anyone caught can be jailed for up to seven years. Marriages between certain blood relatives, including half-siblings, is also illegal" (para 17-18).
Oct. 29, 2026, 10:44 a.m.
Countries: United Kingdom
Variables: GP-DATA-2

MI6 will be led by a female spy chief for the first time in it's 116-year-old history (para 1).
Oct. 29, 2026, 10:44 a.m.
Countries: United Kingdom
Variables: GP-DATA-1

"MI6 will be led by a female spy chief for the first time in it's 116-year-old history" (para 1).
Oct. 29, 2026, 10:44 a.m.
Countries: United Kingdom
Variables: ERBG-PRACTICE-2

"But in real life, it has taken considerably longer to appoint a woman to the role actually known as 'C', with MI6's current spymaster promising in 2023: 'I will help forge women's equality by working to ensure I'm the last C selected from an all-male shortlist'" (para 6).
Oct. 29, 2026, 10:44 a.m.
Countries: United Kingdom
Variables: ERBG-PRACTICE-1, LBHO-PRACTICE-3

"MI6 will be led by a female spy chief for the first time in it's 116-year-old history" (para 1). "But in real life, it has taken considerably longer to appoint a woman to the role actually known as 'C', with MI6's current spymaster promising in 2023: 'I will help forge women's equality by working to ensure I'm the last C selected from an all-male shortlist'" (para 6).
Oct. 23, 2026, 12:32 p.m.
Countries: United Kingdom
Variables: ERBG-PRACTICE-1, LBHO-PRACTICE-3

"MI6 will be led by a female spy chief for the first time in it's 116-year-old history" (para 1). "But in real life, it has taken considerably longer to appoint a woman to the role actually known as 'C', with MI6's current spymaster promising in 2023: 'I will help forge women's equality by working to ensure I'm the last C selected from an all-male shortlist'" (para 6).
Oct. 23, 2026, 12:32 p.m.
Countries: United Kingdom
Variables: ERBG-PRACTICE-2

"But in real life, it has taken considerably longer to appoint a woman to the role actually known as 'C', with MI6's current spymaster promising in 2023: 'I will help forge women's equality by working to ensure I'm the last C selected from an all-male shortlist'" (para 6).
Oct. 23, 2026, 12:32 p.m.
Countries: United Kingdom
Variables: GP-DATA-2

MI6 will be led by a female spy chief for the first time in it's 116-year-old history (para 1).
Oct. 23, 2026, 12:32 p.m.
Countries: United Kingdom
Variables: GP-DATA-1

"MI6 will be led by a female spy chief for the first time in it's 116-year-old history" (para 1).
Oct. 17, 2026, 8:29 p.m.
Countries: United Kingdom
Variables: MARR-PRACTICE-1

"Children under five may have been forced into marriage in the UK, Home Office data has revealed. At least 100 children aged 12 or younger have been referred to the Government's forced marriage unit (FMU) in the past five years, the figures show. The total includes 27 children up to the age of five, according to data obtained through a freedom of information request" (para 1-3). "But the figures show that at least 100 children up to the age of 12 were referred [to the Government's forced marriage unit (FMU)] across the five-year period, of which 62 were aged ten or below, with 27 aged five or under" (para 9)....more
Oct. 17, 2026, 8:29 p.m.
Countries: United Kingdom
Variables: MARR-LAW-1

"Forcing someone to marry is a criminal offence across the UK and in 2023 the legal age of marriage was raised from 16 to 18 in England and Wales" (para 5).
Oct. 6, 2026, 10:48 a.m.
Countries: United Kingdom
Variables: LRW-DATA-1, DV-DATA-1

"Domestic abuse and sexual violence against women and girls has soared to 'epidemic' levels, [health secretary] Yvette Cooper has warned" (para 1). "Official figures indicate that sexual and domestic violence affect millions of people in Britain, with women disproportionately harmed" (para 4). "The Crime Survey for England and Wales estimates that 739,000 women experienced sexual assault in a year and 2.2 million experienced domestic abuse. However, sexual violence remains hugely under-reported, with only a tiny proportion of victims of rape or assault by penetration telling police" (para 11-12).
Aug. 29, 2026, 11:18 p.m.
Countries: United Kingdom
Variables: IIP-PRACTICE-2

"Natasha, founder of Boldli Run, shared her views with us: This is a hugely welcome new law for me – behaviours like following, intimidation and so-called “no-contact” harassment just haven’t been taken seriously enough. I know, because I was followed home – and while I was incredibly scared afterwards, had sleepless nights and it affected the routes I took and times I ran or left the house afterwards, the initial response I received by a male police officer was to downplay it… despite having concrete video footage evidence that it happened to me" (para 3). "Public sexual harassment has been so normalised that many women have simply adapted their behaviour...more
Aug. 29, 2026, 11:18 p.m.
Countries: United Kingdom
Variables: DTCP-PRACTICE-1

"They tried to convince me not to take it any further, and I ended up having to ask for a female police inspector to take over in order to actually get a prosecution. Even then, the sentence he received was a suspended one, plus a summer curfew and a small victim surcharge – nothing particularly dissuading. Given that he knew where I lived and seemingly showed no remorse, it didn’t reassure me much. That’s the reality many women face – these incidents are often dismissed, even though they shape how we move through the world every day. Its why I set up BOLDLI, to support other female runners who have...more
Aug. 29, 2026, 11:18 p.m.
Countries: United Kingdom
Variables: IIP-LAW-2

"New legislation under the Protection from Sex-based Harassment in Public Act 2023 now makes behaviours such as catcalling, following, or making sexually aggressive comments in public a criminal offence, with perpetrators potentially facing prosecution and even prison" (para 2).
July 31, 2026, 5:41 p.m.
Countries: United Kingdom
Variables: LRW-PRACTICE-2

"Bolsover MP Natalie Fleet has been instrumental in campaigning for the change; at the age of 15 she was groomed by an older man and conceived a child through rape… Fleet set out to achieve three things: to found a charity to support women who conceive children through rape, to have some acknowledgment of the issue on the NHS website, and to change the law… ‘When I initially came [to parliament], I didn’t want to achieve this, because rape is so normalised that I didn’t even realise it was part of my story,’ she said… ‘It wasn’t until Westminster journalists started asking me about it and taking an interest in...more
July 31, 2026, 5:41 p.m.
Countries: United Kingdom
Variables: CUST-LAW-1

"Sex offenders will no longer be entitled to parental responsibility for children conceived through rape, under new measures proposed in parliament for England and Wales. In a government-backed amendment to the victims and courts bill, due to come before parliament on Monday 27 October, parental responsibility will automatically be restricted where a child is born of rape. New reforms will also see parental responsibility restricted when a parent is convicted of serious sex offences against any child, not just their own. It will mean sex offenders will no longer be able to intervene in decisions about medical care, schooling and overseas travel” (para 1-4). Under the new reforms, restriction of...more
July 20, 2026, 6:56 p.m.
Countries: United Kingdom
Variables: IIP-PRACTICE-2

"I [Mimi Yates, Daily Mail reporter] board the train I've been waiting for. Laughing, he [the man who sexually harassed Mimi] follows me into the same carriage, sitting down opposite me as he persists in asking for my number. It's around 3am now and the carriage is busy but that doesn't deter him. 'You have to give me your number, you have to. I am asking for yours. You have to meet up with me.' Then he reaches over and strokes my thigh. 'Please don't touch me,' I hear myself say. A girl and her partner see what's happening but say and do nothing" (para 9-12). "In March this year,...more
July 20, 2026, 6:56 p.m.
Countries: United Kingdom
Variables: IIP-LAW-2

"...In May, Salman Yousaf, 46, was jailed for eight sexual assaults and one count of outraging public decency on the Night Tube. He targeted lone women who'd fallen asleep on the Central and Jubilee Lines, but police only connected him to the attacks when he was already in prison for another crime. In March, Craig Anderson, 38, was jailed after sexually assaulting four women and stalking another across the railway network. Prosecutors described him as a man who 'did not take no for an answer'" (para 18-20). "Across the Transport for London (TfL) network, posters urge passengers to call out sexual harassment and encourage women to report incidents and text...more