Happy New Year from the Spanner Trust! We hope that you enjoyed the holidays and have a happy and healthy 2006.
Our New Year's Resolution is to keep the community better informed about our work through an email update service. Thank you to everyone who has signed up so far. If you know anyone who would like to join please ask them to send an email to subscribe (at) spannertrust.org to be added to the list.
For those who don't know, here's a quick recap of our aims and current campaigns:
WHAT ARE THE OBJECTIVES OF THE TRUST?
- Lobby for a change in the UK law so that it is legal for people to engage in activities for sexual pleasure where injury occurs, (unless it is a permanent disabling injury or fatal), as long as all parties consent and are all of full legal capacity
- Provide assistance to SM players in the UK who are in trouble because of their SM activities
- Educate the wider community on SM and the law, the work of the Trust, and key lobbying points such as the differences between SM and abuse. (If you are unsure of the difference please click here.)
- Network with experts and other lobbying and civil liberties groups to help us achieve a change in the law
WHAT ARE YOUR CURRENT CAMPAIGNS?
We are working with a senior Queen's Counsel on a challenge to the Spanner ruling in the High Court under the Human Rights Act 1998. For this to be successful we need claimants (people in the UK willing to put their name to the application saying they believe they are at risk of prosecution because of their SM activities), and money to pay for the court case. If you are interested in knowing more about being a claimant please email claimant (at) spannertrust.org - and if you are able to make a donation to support our work please go to www.spannertrust.org/donations/
Last year the government issued a public consultation on plans to criminalise possession of extreme pornography. The Trust submitted a response to the public consultation and we also wrote to the consultation co-ordinator outlining our concerns about the way the consultation was being handled. As a result we have been invited to meet a member of the Home Office's Criminal Law Policy Unit, which we are actively pursuing.
HOW CAN YOU HELP?
- If you know anyone in the UK in trouble because of their SM activities please ask them to email info (at) spannertrust.org and we will do our best to help or put them in touch with a legal professional in their area.
- Please consider holding a fundraiser for the Trust or making a private donation. To make a donation online in pounds, euros or dollars please go to www.spannertrust.org/donations/
- Print out copies of our latest campaign leaflet, available for download as a pdf file at www.spannertrust.org/documents/spanner_trust_handout.pdf, and distribute them at suitable events and venues
- Please add a Spanner banner to any kink-friendly websites with a link to our site. You can find the banner and some example HTML at www.spannertrust.org/banners/spannerbannerlink.asp
- If you have any skills you can offer: fundraising, web designing, publicity, lobbying etc. please send an email to info (at) spannertrust.org
- Invite the trustees to give a talk about SM and the law in the UK. We can be reached via email: info (at) spannertrust.org
Thank you again for all your support, it's much appreciated.
Best wishes, John Pendal
Spanner Trust Chairman
Click here for Feb '06 letter
