The Campaign for Ruma's Rules
"I give up... I can't do this anymore...
I've spent five years trying to tell the police and judges what he's really like. What he keeps saying he's going to do to me . But they never believe me. Instead they believe him. Help him. As if my words and me don't count.
If I wasn't a Brown woman with a scarf on my head, they would never treat me like this. So I give up. And if he kills me, it will be beacause they let him kill me."
- Mumtahina Ruma Jannat -
Murdered at age 29
Why this campaign: Ruma's Herstory
In July 2011, Mumtahina 'Ruma' Jannat was murdered by the very man she had been trying to legally divorce and free herself from for over five years.
After escaping to a police station and then hidden in a women's shelter with her two little girls, Ruma spent five long years looking to the police and to the judiciary for assistance to help end her estranged husband's abuses.
Despite her warnings and evidences, judges and lawyers publicly belittled her fears, and granted her abuser access to her daughters - and through them, her.
Years of consistent failings rooted in obvious sexism and racisms, led to her murder. And didn't just stop there.
After her life had been taken from her, in the midst of the pain, confusion and trauma of being told their mother had been murdered by their own father, Ruma's two little girls (six and eight years old at the time) were immediately put into care, with nobody who knew and loved them allowed any contact with them for over six months.
In their worst, most crushing moments of life, Ruma's little girls were disappeared from the lives of everyone they knew and loved in return. Whilst the man who had just killed their mother, was permitted contact even from his prison cell on the premise of his parental 'rights'.
Ruma deserved better. Her daughters deserved better.
Of the police, of the judiciary, of 'the system'.
It's time to change ALL of it, for the sake of all women and children living and to come.
What We Demand
Following on from a promised implementation of Jade's Law (which will strip away ALL parental rights of a convicted murderer) and the repealing of the 'presumption' that parental contact benefits children as outlined in the Children's Act 1989 (campaigned for by bereaved mother Claire Throssell), we demand:
1. Children under the age of 16 be recognised not only as victims of Domestic Violence and Femicide, but as key witnesses whose testimonies can be submitted as admissible evidences to court.
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2. Children of femicides be allowed to have a say in who they wish to live with / be looked after by / be in contact with in the immediate aftermath of their mother's murder.
3. All judges and policing personnel directly involved in a DVA / stalking case which ends in femicide, to:
(a) be officially informed of the outcomes of their case and have these outcomes be recorded on their individual performance records;
(b) acknowledge receipt of Domestic Homicide Reviews (DHR) / reports / learnings in writing to bereaved families;
(c) undergo regular compulsory anti-racism and anti-sexism training which includes meeting with bereaved families impacted by experiences of racism and sexism;
4. Teachers and schools be equipped, supported and funded as a recognised frontline to help prevent future DVA and femicide tragedies. We propose this be done by making it mandatory for Key Stage 2 children in PRIMARY SCHOOLS to be taught about their basic human rights to life and safety; how to spot signs of DVA, and where to go for help should they need to do so.
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In an ideal world, the judiciary and police would be so effective as to warrant none of the above rules.
Tragically, we do not live in an idea world. We can however, strive for it.
And in this striving, implement all the above.
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How You Can Help
We need as many MPs to be made aware of this campaign as quickly as possible.
To help us raise that awareness, you can complete THREE quick actions.
1. Use THIS LINK to find the name and email address of your MP.
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2. COPY AND PASTE THIS TEXT into an email to your MP, with the subject heading: MAKE RUMA'S RULES LAW.
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3. PRESS SEND.
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And that's it!
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On behalf of all of us here at Making Herstory, THANK YOU, thank you, thank you.
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