Woman's Hour - 22/07/2009

With Jenni Murray. The prominent human rights activist Natalia Estemirova was recently abducted from her Chechen home and murdered. She was a tireless campaigner for those in the region who were unable to speak up for themselves against a repressive regime. A friend and a former colleague join Jenni to share their memories of her. With more and more young people facing unemployment, the option of a career in the military may be an appealing one. Jenni speaks to two mothers about their response when their sons said they wanted to join up. Amid the grim statistics for the low numbers of rapists convicted, one woman's successful fight for justice should be a positive one. Abi Grant fought off a man who had broken into her flat and attacked her as she was sleeping. Thirteen years later, she saw him brought to court, convicted and jailed for attempted rape. The effects of the attack had cost her her home, her career prospects, and her health. She talks to Jenni about giving up her anonymity to talk about the case but why, given her time over again, she might have decided against going to court. The Spring-Summer 2009 fashion collections shone with sequins; now the High Street is awash with them. These shiny disc adornments used to be strictly for after dark and were often associated with outfits deemed cheap and nasty, unless skating on ice. What changed? Jenni discusses the allure of sequins.