Woman's Hour BBC Radio 4

Research by internationally-renowned sex expert Dr Debby Herbenick from 2020 found that 21% of women had been choked during sex, with this being nearly twice as prevalent among adults under 40. Why are more young people including this as part of their sex lives and what are both the short and long-term health consequences? Dr Debby and Medical Director of the Institute for Addressing Strangulation, Dr Catherine White, talk to Clare McDonnell.
As talks reach a conclusion in Ottawa this week on a legally binding global treaty on plastic pollution, we speak to film director and campaigner Eleanor Church. Her documentary, X Trillion, comes out this week, and takes the viewer on an all-female expedition to the North Pacific gyre, where much of the world's plastic waste ends up.
What sort of responsibilities do employers have towards women who are abused online because of their job? Dr Rebecca Whittington is the Online Safety Editor for Reach Plc, which publishes newspapers including The Mirror and The Express. She explains how she protects journalists from online harm.
Presenter: Clare McDonnell
Producer: Kirsty Starkey
Studio Manager: Neva Missirian

Catherine Carr has two teenage sons and, through talking to them and to other parents of teenaged boys, she became aware that boys were experiencing confusing and often troubling messages about their role in society. Catherine decided to speak to boys directly and, in a series which is running all week on Radio 4, About the Boys features the voices of teenage boys around the country discussing topics like sex and consent, masculinity, friendship, life online and education. She joins Clare McDonnell to talk about what she has learned.
The trial of three men charged with the murder of Belfast journalist Lyra McKee begins today. Lyra McKee died aged 29 in April 2019 after being hit by a bullet during rioting in Londonderry/Derry. Her death made headlines all over the world, and her funeral was attended by hundreds of people, while thousands more watched online. BBC Ireland Correspondent Jennifer O'Leary speaks to Clare from outside court in Belfast.
Perinatal suicide, while thankfully rare, is the leading cause of maternal death in the UK. A new study from King’s College London is the first of its kind to focus on the causes. The perinatal period runs from the start of pregnancy to a year after giving birth – and the suicide rates among these women has recently risen. Clare speaks to Dr Abigail Easter, the lead researcher, and Krystal Wilkinson, who shares her own experience.
This week marks 30 years since South Africa’s first democratic elections following the end of apartheid. Millions of South Africans braved long queues to take part after decades of white minority rule which denied black people the right to vote. Clare talks to the BBC's Nomsa Maseko about her own memories of 30 years ago, and what has happened in her country since.

The deaths of 21-year-old Diane Jones and her two young children, in a house fire in October 1995 shocked the community of Merthyr Tydfil. The police originally thought it was an accident - but in the days following the fire launched a triple murder investigation after petrol was found on the carpet. Just months later, Annette was charged with triple murder, manslaughter and arson with intent to endanger life. She was found guilty with the charge of arson and sentenced to 13 years. After two-and-a-half years, her conviction was overturned - but it troubled Annette until her death in 2017. Annette’s daughter, Nicole Jacob, is delving into her mum’s story in a new podcast, Wrongly Accused: The Annette Hewins Story.
We hear from the journalist and broadcaster Zeinab Badawi to discuss her first book, An African History of Africa: From the Dawn of Humanity to Independence. The book has taken her seven years to research, travelling across 30 countries. She explains how the female African leaders that shaped their countries have often been written out of history.
Ashley Mullenger's life changed unexpectedly when she signed up for a fishing trip on the coast of Norfolk. In her memoir, My Fishing Life, it follows her journey from a 9-5 office job, into the overwhelmingly male fishing industry to becoming Fisherman of the Year in 2022.
Rhianon Bragg spoke to Woman’s Hour back in February about her concerns for her safety regarding the imminent release of her ex-boyfriend from prison, despite the fact that a Parole Board ruled a few months earlier that such a move would not be safe. In February 2020, Gareth Wynn Jones was given an extended determinate sentence of 4.5 years in prison, with an extended licence period of five years for the crimes of stalking, false imprisonment, making threats to kill and possession of a firearm. Now two months since his release and coinciding with National Stalking Awareness Week, we hear from Rhianon and also Emily Lingley Clark of the Suzy Lamplugh Trust.
At the start of the year, acclaimed opera singer Sophie Bevan MBE took to Twitter to ask if other female singers also had voice struggles around the time of their periods. This led to her discovery of premenstrual vocal syndrome, which is when hormone changes cause vocal issues. She talks about the impact this has had on her career, alongside Dr Alan Watson, specialist in the biology of performance at the University of Cardiff.
Presenter: Anita Rani
Producer: Annette Wells

Women's voices and women's lives - topical conversations to inform, challenge and inspire.

The system of one word ratings for schools in England 'should stay' and has 'significant benefits' according to the government. It said the grades, such as 'Inadequate', 'requires improvement' 'good' and "outstanding" gave parents an important summary of local schools. Teaching unions have called for more nuanced ratings  Simon Kidwell  is the President of the school leaders union the NAHT and joins Anita Rani to explain.
The Internet Watch Foundation annual report has said that children under six are being manipulated into “disturbing” acts of sexual abuse while parents think they are playing safely on household devices. They say 2023 was “the most extreme year on record”, finding more than 275,000 webpages containing child sexual abuse with a record amount of “category A” material. IWF’s CEO Susie Hargreaves joins Anita to discuss the report’s findings.
The deaths of 21-year-old Diane Jones and her two young children, in a house fire in October 1995 shocked the community of Merthyr Tydfil. The police originally thought it was an accident - but in the days following the fire launched a triple murder investigation after petrol was found on the carpet. Just months later, Annette was charged with triple murder, manslaughter and arson with intent to endanger life. She was found guilty with the charge of arson and sentenced to 13 years. After two-and-a-half years, her conviction was overturned - but it troubled Annette until her death in 2017. Annette’s daughter, Nicole Jacob, is delving into her mum’s story in a new podcast, Wrongly Accused: The Annette Hewins Story.
Cassie Werber’s new novel Open Season features a romantic relationship between two couples who are exploring the possibilities of open relationships. It’s a world that Cassie herself in familiar with in real-life with her husband, and she joins Anita to discuss the inspiration for her book.
Beaux Harris lost her mother, grandmother and aunt to cancers caused by the same gene mutation – called BRCA1. Two years ago, Beaux discovered she has the same BRCA1 gene mutation. Anita talks to Dany Bell from Macmillan and to Beaux about her story and how she’s now chosen to fundraise to pay for preventative treatment.
Presented by Anita Rani
Producer: Louise Corley
Studio Engineer: Bob Nettles

The broadcaster Zeinab Badawi joins Krupa Padhy to discuss her first book, An African History of Africa: From the Dawn of Humanity to Independence. The book has taken her seven years to research, travelling across 30 countries. She explains how the female African leaders that shaped their countries have often been written out of history.
At the start of the year, acclaimed opera singer Sophie Bevan took to Twitter to ask if other female singers also had voice struggles around the time of their periods. This led to her discovery of premenstrual vocal syndrome, which is when hormone changes cause vocal issues. She talks about the impact this has had on her career, alongside Dr Alan Watson, specialist in the biology of performance at the University of Cardiff.
Democrats in the US state of Arizona are attempting to repeal a law from 1864 that bans nearly all abortions. Also the US Supreme Court will hear arguments in an Idaho hospital case, on whether hospitals can override state abortion restrictions in order to save a mother’s life. New York Times correspondent Elizabeth Dias explains how abortion rights are shaping this year’s presidential election and which camp could benefit from the abortion debate.
Presenter: Krupa Padhy
Producer: Olivia Skinner