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This commentary responds to claims that research by Cheryl Thomas ‘shows’ no problem with rape myths in English and Welsh juries. We critique the claim on the basis of ambiguous survey design, a false distinction between ‘real’ jurors and other research participants, the conflation of attitudes in relation to abstract versus applied rape myths, and misleading interpretation of the data. Ultimately, we call for a balanced appraisal of individual studies by contextualising them against the wider literature.\ud \ud Key messages:\ud \ud Thomas (2020) argued that her research showed rape myths do not influence juries.\ud \ud We critique Thomas’ claim because the research was not designed to ask about influence on juries, there are several methodological limitations, and the data actually reveal ambivalence about rape myths on the part of many jurors.

This chapter presents material about the international context within which social work has developed. Social work is a global profession but one which shows considerable variation in its history, education and practices between countries, posing particular challenges for transnational social workers. The chapter questions the extent to which the global definition and international ethical code and education standards are widely understood or applied, weakening their possible utility for transnational social workers. The chapter goes on to acknowledge that many social problems are international in nature and that social workers would recognise the issues and client groups common across national borders. However, the way that services are organised and the expected responses of social workers show significant variations between countries, with implications for local practices. Finally, the chapter identifies some of the commonly reported strengths of transnational social workers but argues that these are often undervalued due to their positioning as incomers to a system and, therefore, as learners.

It has been a difficult year to be a woman. We have seen the murders (and hideous disrespect) of Nicola Smallman and Bibaa Henry, the ‘unexplained’ death of Blessing Olusegun and the killing of Sarah Everard by one of those we are supposed to trust. Alongside police manhandling of women at her vigil and the true picture of sexual violence committed by officers, we have had to accept that the justice system cannot be relied on to protect any of us, especially women of colour.

The Media Sigils are part of the Violence Against Women and Girls Research Network (VAWGRN). We are a group of PhD students with a shared interest in media representation of violence against women. In April, we held our first event: a panel discussion on Michaela Coel’s riveting drama ‘I May Destroy You’.\ud \ud I May Destroy You, as well as being a captivating piece of television, explores sexual consent, different forms of sexual violence and the intersections between sexism, racism, homophobia and structural inequalities, providing a refreshing escape from generic rape narratives and stereotypical representations of Black trauma. The show has been deservedly lauded for its nuanced exploration of complex and deeply impactful events, and does so with humour and deep authenticity, as Michaela Coel explores her own experiences of sexual assault through the central character, Arabella. The issues tackled in IMDY also reflect the raison d’être of our special interest group: if media portrayals of sexual violence, gender inequalities, racial and homophobic discrimination contribute to the harmful myths and stereotypes which enable these social ills to flourish, can progressive and challenging messages be conducive to social change?

Popular culture shapes us in many ways, and concerns have been raised about ‘sexualised’ messaging in TV and film, advertising, magazines, gaming, music videos and social media. In mainstream media, women are often depicted as submissive objects for heterosexual male consumption and regular exposure to sexist stereotypes has been linked to depression, low self-esteem and eating disorders, as well as sexualised attitudes and behaviours in young people, primarily girls.