Charlie Alford

Women who alleged abuse from ICC prosecutor sidelined in fierce debate

Post author:Em Colquhoun
Post published:17 July 2026
Post last modified:17 July 2026

For the last two years, the international criminal court (ICC) has been struggling to navigate serious allegations levelled at its chief prosecutor, Karim Khan. Two women, who previously worked with Khan in varying capacities, came forward in 2024 with claims of sexual abuse, harassment, and coercion. He denies all allegations. Khan was suspended whilst the ICC undertook two investigations. Both have since concluded, albeit with differing outcomes. The first found that the women’s claims had merit; the second found that the evidence was insufficient. Now, the two women have spoken publicly about their experiences, as well as addressing counter-claims that they…

Refuge data reveals 78% rise in tech and economic abuse referrals

Post author:The Canary
Post published:9 July 2026
Post last modified:9 July 2026

Refuge, the UK’s largest specialist domestic abuse charity, has recorded a staggering 78% rise in referrals for cases of technology-facilitated abuse and economic abuse. Of these cases, Refuge’s frontline team has observed a worrying increase in perpetrators exploiting car finance agreements, putting survivors in significant debt. Between April 2025-March 2026, there were 967 referrals to Refuge’s specialist Technology-Facilitated Abuse and Economic Empowerment team, compared to 542 referrals in 2024 – 2025. Of the 2025-2026 referrals, 43% (414) survivors reported experiencing some form of economic abuse, compared to 37% (198) of survivors in 2024-2025. Economic abuse can take many forms, all of…

Black football players targets of racist abuse after missing penalties

Post author:Alaa Shamali
Post published:1 July 2026
Post last modified:1 July 2026

Black football players from the Dutch national team faced a wave of racist abuse after the team was eliminated from the 2026 World Cup on penalties. The Dutch Football Association (KNVB) strongly condemned the treatment suffered by Justin Kluivert, 27, Quinten Timber, 25, and Crysencio Summerville, 24, after they missed their penalties against Morocco. The association confirmed it would take legal action against the perpetrators, in a message reflecting the widespread concern within football circles over the rise in hate speech following major matches. Black football players blamed for team’s loss The match between the Netherlands and Morocco ended in a…

Reform’s Pochin laughs when questioned on domestic abuse scandal

Post author:Willem Moore
Post published:20 June 2026
Post last modified:20 June 2026

On 19 June, Reform UK’s Sarah Pochin attracted controversy when she used the threat of domestic abuse as a rallying cry for the England squad to win. Despite the overwhelming backlash she received, Pochin has since doubled down on the comments: Adding insult to injury, she laughed about it all too. Disturbing from Reform In the offending video, Pochin said: England won the football last night, and thank goodness they did, because on the occasions that England lose their football matches, the incidences of domestic violence go through the roof. So boys, keep winning! Of course, it is important to discuss…

Filton 4 will be sentenced as terrorists in “grotesque” abuse of power

Post author:Skwawkbox
Post published:12 June 2026
Post last modified:12 June 2026

A judge has told four ‘Filton 25’ anti-genocide activists, at Woolwich Crown Court today, 12 June 2026, that they will be sentenced as terrorists. The four had been tried for no terrorism offences and were formally acquitted of any violent intent. Former security services lawyer-turned-judge Jeremy Johnson refused to recuse himself from the case despite his obvious conflicts of interest. Johnson had banned lawyers and the press from informing the jury that they could acquit — and that the defendants were going to be sentenced under terror laws if convicted. This decision will mean much longer prison time and draconian conditions…

Sectarians fling racist abuse at N Ireland’s charity Great March for Gaza

Post author:Skwawkbox
Post published:6 June 2026
Post last modified:9 June 2026

Knuckle-dragging ‘loyalist’ Israel supporters have gathered in Scarva, County Down, to disgrace themselves by flinging sectarian abuse at the Great March for Gaza. The humanitarian march, organised by the Irish Palestine Solidarity Campaign, set off from Lurgan, ten miles away, this morning. After Scarva, marchers walked a further almost twenty miles to Omeath in solidarity with the Palestinian people against Israel’s genocide and occupation: The thugs were caught on camera by the defiant marchers as they passed: View this post on Instagram A post shared by BDS Belfast (@bdsbelfast) Great march for Gaza vs “provocative behaviour” The march is raising funds…

GMB latest union to abuse workers as branch secretaries go on strike

Post author:Skwawkbox
Post published:1 June 2026
Post last modified:9 June 2026

GMB branch secretaries have told the union to “practice what you preach” as they strike for pay and job security. The dispute is the latest in a woeful surge of unions abusing their staff while claiming to represent workers. ‘GMB’s chutzpah is unbelievable’ The branch secretaries say they are being bullied by the union’s management, threatened with summary dismissal and often paid below the legal minimum wage. They are demanding that the union engage in “serious talks” to resolve the dispute. Further strike action is scheduled for Friday 5 June. Their spokesperson, Alex Mitchell, has accused the union of “unbelievable chutzpah”…

CMAT confronts toxic abuse of singers who aren’t ‘thin’

Post author:Maddison Wheeldon
Post published:29 May 2026
Post last modified:8 June 2026

CMAT has powerfully taken aim at online trolls by showing how people direct disproportionate levels of abuse at artists who are not “thin” compared with other performers, such as Zara Larsson and Olivia Dean. This is in response to attacks the singer received online following her performance last week at BBC’s Radio 1 Big Weekend. As a result of this unwarranted torrent of abuse, CMAT – whose real name is Ciara Mary-Alice Thompson – took to Instagram as she felt: compelled to wade in and speak for myself. Her disgust isn’t hers alone – with fans having also shared their disgust…

Online misogyny is normalising abuse for children as young as 13

Post author:The Canary
Post published:27 May 2026
Post last modified:8 June 2026

Online abuse and harassment are “constant, corrosive and deeply embedded” for young people across the country. That’s according to a Barnardo’s-commissioned poll of 4,000 young people in the UK about their experiences of online misogyny. The results from thousands of 13 to 20-year-olds show how they experience misogyny online. Over a quarter (28%) of girls in Scotland said they’d been called degrading names online. And five in seven (72%) boys said they believed they are expected to “act tough and not show emotion”. Online misogyny is having real world effects The findings also highlight how online misogyny is having an impact…