Does Duns Hate Women Part II

A few weeks ago, I wrote a post here about Jeremy Duns's championing of unauthorised phone taping. 

I happen to think that is wrong. After all, if Duns is allowed to tape people's phone calls without their agreement what is to to stop a political party, or an arms manufacturer, or the security services? It is important - I believe - to make make a stand.

Duns disagrees, arguing that he is justified in doing so to expose what he sees as unethical marketing, or the supporters of Julian Assange (a great exponent of press freedom). 

He has his view and I have mind. There is room here for legitimate debate in a civilised way.

What shocked me was the storm of violent misogynist abuse thrown at me for raising this issue.

I am aware that right-wing public schoolboys like Duns and his gang are not used to having their opinions questioned by a mere woman. Even so, the violence of the language suggests men with very  sexist state of mind.

One of Duns' followers called me a 'bitch' repeatedly - and a man's bitch as well.

Another - an unpleasant looking character with a shaved head and tattoos called Steve Mosby - tweeted that I would be 'very, very sorry' for the blog post. 

Duns himself started posting that he was tracking down my place of work - whether he planned to come and confront and threaten me he didn't say, but that seemed to me the clear implication (why else does he need to know where I work?)

It is incredible that in this 21st century men like this still think it is okay to threaten and bully women like this -and that we will put up with it. 

It set me to thinking about the rest of Duns's work. And what I have found it is series of articles with a level of hatred towards women that makes me sick. 

I will detail them in the next few weeks - because it is important the people who read his books are aware of this. 

I have to start somewhere, so I will start here - this article in The Times from 2009 (it is behind a paywall, but you can read it on this message board). In loving detail, Duns researches how many of James Bond's girlfriends have died. 

"Women! Are you thinking of having a relationship with James Bond? Think! Almost a third of Bond’s sexual partners have died since the British superspy began his adventures, and the death toll is rising sharply."
So that's ok is it Duns? You have sex with a woman and then she dies. And that is something you want to celebrate? Superspy? That's what killing women makes you is it. 

At no point is there even a hint that Duns thinks there is something sexist about this. 

As I said, shocking. 

We live in a world where violence and abuse against women is still very common - and growing worse with every year that passes. 

Women aged 15-44 are more at risk from rape and domestic violence than from cancer, car accidents, war and malaria, according to the World Bank - see more details here. 

In my view, there are a whole host of reasons for that. 

But right-wing, sexist articles like that one create a culture in which violence against women is seen as acceptable. The same culture in which you dismiss a woman who disagrees with you as a bitch.

It is disgusting - and it has to stop. 

Does Duns Hate Women?

It is probably not a surprise that Jeremy Duns and his little club of right-wing thriller writers have accused me of being a man.

Duns has stated clearly that I am Steve Roach.

I guess in his public school/spy circles, a women's place is in the kitchen, or the bedroom. It obviously has not occured to him that a mere women might be capable of having a debate, and even questioning a man on points of principle.

There is something very creepy about the attacks you have made on me. I have raised a legitimate issue about whether it was ethical or legal to record a telephone conversation with Steve Roach without asking his permission. You are perfectly entitled to argue that it is. I disagree. But it should be possible to have a civilised debate about that without stooping to personal abuse.

You - and your supporters - have threatened me with legal action, and you have yourself stated that you have been making enquiries about where I live. Surely you can understand that for a group of men who boast about their connections to the security services to demand the address of a women is in itself designed to be intimidating.

Your follower - Mr Cartright - refers to me as 'Leather's bitch'?

Do you condone that kind of language?

Are you in fact Mr Cartright and is that how you normally refer to women?


Violence against women - like unauthorised surveillance - is a serious problem in our society.

I refer you to this website - which has many of the relevant statistics.

A staggering 43% of young women in London (aged 18-34) experienced sexual harassment in public spaces over the last year.
One in 10 women has been raped, and more than a third subjected to sexual assault according to this research.

It seems to me that insisting that a women is a man when she raises a serious issue and then calling her a 'bitch' (a man's bitch at that) is directly creating a culture in which that happens.

There are serious, important issue, and you should answer them.