Matilda Davies
@matildakdavies
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Award-winning Data Journalist @thetimes | Send tips + data to [email protected] | @JSchofieldTrust Fellow 2025 | Views my own | She/Her 🏳️🌈
Joined February 2011
🪩 PSA for anyone that likes to stay out past 2am. I've built maps to show you every pub, bar and club that's open until a reasonable hour. They're free & interactive. London: Manchester: Edinburgh:
🚨 NEW: Where's the UK's worst night out? . London was once a world-class nightlife destination, but the data shows it's now the worst night out in Britain. @EdHalford1 and I decided to find the best places to party. Here's what we found 👇🧵. 1/.
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Literally everyone is asking for it, so here it is: the gay housing index. Now you can see how much the average monthly rent is in every local authority compared with how many LGB+ people live there. Use it wisely. #Census2021
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🚨 NEW: Where's the UK's worst night out? . London was once a world-class nightlife destination, but the data shows it's now the worst night out in Britain. @EdHalford1 and I decided to find the best places to party. Here's what we found 👇🧵. 1/.
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Ok so I missed pride month, but I'm coming out: I'm bisexual.
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We scraped Google Maps to find out the closing time of every pub, bar and club in 12 of Britain's biggest cities. Then we averaged out the proportion of venues that opened after 2am, and ranked them. London came dead last. Under 6% of venues are open on a Fri/Sat night. 2/
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Possibly the most distorted election result in history, because of First Past the Post. Quite shocking that (as it stands) smaller parties' seat share is 22% lower than their vote share, and Labour's seat share is 29% higher than its vote share. #GE24
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🚨 NEW 🚨. Meta's chequered past with users' privacy is well documented. I wanted to find out everything it knows about me since I created a Facebook account aged 11. Now, I'm sharing everything I found out. Read the scary truth here 👇🏻.
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as both a gay and a big data geek, today has honestly been like a second christmas.
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After two years on @thetimes brilliant grad scheme, today marks my first day as a grown-up data journalist 📈. So excited to officially be a permanent member of such a brilliant team. Here's some of my favourite pieces I've worked on over the past two years 🧵👇.
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If you look at how many venues are open after midnight (which honestly, is a low bar for the weekend), Edinburgh blew the other cities out of the water. Over 44% of venues are open after midnight at the weekend, and 25% on a Thursday . 3/
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Digital nomads! . I'm writing an article about people using remote working to live/go abroad or travel around. Have you tried it? Did your employer know you were doing it? I want to hear from you. DMs open 📩 #journorequest #digitalnomad.
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BOYFRIEND UK RELEASE IN 1 HOUR . never ever been so pumped for a new Bieber release #UKCOUNTDOWN.
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Quite the legacy for our first night czar.
BREAKING: Sadiq Khan's night czar, Amy Lame, is standing down after eight years at City Hall. She says it's “the right time” to “move on”, but it's been “a real privilege to serve Londoners”. It's unclear if the £132k role will be given to someone new.
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So honoured to have my work recognised by the @MHPC #30ToWatch for my work reporting on Science, Environment & Technology 🔭. Huge congratulations to my incredibly talented colleagues and fellow winners @tomjs and @KatieTarrant_ 🎉.
This year's #30ToWatch Journalism Award winners in the Science Environment & Technology category are:. 🏆 @matildakdavies, @thetimes.🏆 @nimrashahid_, @TBIJ. Thanks to our category judge @shivalibest, @MailOnline. See the full list of winners here:
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To put our findings to the test, @EdHalford1 and I went out in Soho last week, and by 1am, it was a struggle to find anything open - particularly if you didn't want to pay £10+ entry. Let's look at what happened to our once vibrant city nightlife. 4/.
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Lots of people got in touch with me after this article came out to ask for advice on protecting their privacy online and avoiding Meta (and other Big Tech) tracking you across the web. Here's a quick thread with some tips 🧵.
🚨 NEW 🚨. Meta's chequered past with users' privacy is well documented. I wanted to find out everything it knows about me since I created a Facebook account aged 11. Now, I'm sharing everything I found out. Read the scary truth here 👇🏻.
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Beyond excited to have been nominated for the @newsmediaorg's Making a Difference Award for my investigation into Meta's data harvesting practices in The Sunday Times. @thetimes .
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Absolutely delighted to have been selected as a @JSchofieldTrust Fellow for 2025. Can't wait to get started 💫.
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Absolutely thrilled that my investigation into Meta has been shortlisted for a @pressgazette Future of Media Award 🏆. Read the full story here:
@reachsolutions @Telegraph @sprylabTech @FT @hantschronicle The Digital Storytelling (National) finalists are:.@EBU_HQ.@FT x 2.@TheNationalNews.@SkyNews.@thetimes.#FutureMediaAwards
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Happy #BiVisibilityDay from your fave recently out bisexual. I'm attracted to approximately two cishet men, but you know what? Still bi as fuck. 🏳️🌈
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In comparison, Manchester's nightlife is thriving. @Sacha_Lord said 24-hour transport options has been key. He told us exclusively that he's taking up an independent national night-time adviser position to feed into policy for the sector across the UK. 7/.
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can't even begin to explain how unreal it feels to officially be a journalist for The Times. still pinching myself.
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Today is the day coal dies in Britain 💡. Britain becomes the first major developed country to quit coal to generate electricity – ending 142 years of coal power. This is the story of how we got here – and what's next. @adamvaughan_uk @thetimes . 🧵1/.
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We all know Covid was a struggle for hospitality particularly. @wearethentia has been studying the slow decline of our venues, and puts it down to two key factors:. 🪩 The cost of living crisis.🪩 Difficulties with transport home. 5/
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look at how god damn adorable we are. congrats to the @PrideInLondon team - another fab event #YouMeUsWe
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Officially a whole ass writer for @gaystarnews - let me know what you think of my first piece #lgbt #journo.
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Incredibly proud to have received the Gold Award for the @MHPGroup_ #30ToWatch in Science, Technology and Environment. Huge congratulations to my colleagues and fellow journalists recognised at the awards. I was so grateful and honoured to stand up there with you 🏆.
Congratulations @matildakdavies, @thetimes, who is our #30ToWatch Journalism Awards Gold Winner in the Science, Technology & Environment category 🏆. Congratulations to @nimrashahid_, @TBIJ, who is also a Science, Technology & Environment #30ToWatch winner 🏆
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@confusedophan @BiPrideUK Passing for straight does not always mean you're lying for safety. Sometimes it just means you don't fit the image of what people think 'queer' looks like. I pass for straight but that doesn't mean I'm lying. I'm just a queer femme.
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I spoke with @JeremyJoseph about his decision to close G-A-Y Late last year, and he told me that spend per head across his venues is at the lowest it's ever been. Combined with noise complaints, licensing issues and skyrocketing crime, it's made running a club tricky. 6/.
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Doing this data analysis for @thesundaytimes was depressing, although the results weren't all that surprising. .
Strange to think that when the Tories chose to raise taxes they did so in a way that would hit billionaires much less hard than the middle classes.
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There are more women in parliament today than ever before. The UK has elected 264 female MPs - .🔴 191 Labour.🔵 29 Conservative.🟡 32 Lib Dem.🟤 12 across the other parties. #GE24 #generalection2024
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Will the sector survive in London?. Read the full article here, or in @thetimes tomorrow:. 8/8.
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Check out my spread today in The Times Money about how the tax office is letting down customers. @thetimes
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It's been a huge week for social media news. I spoke to @katierazz on yesterday's episode of The Media show on @BBCRadio4 to talk about my investigation into Meta's data harvesting and the potential US ban on TikTok. Listen now:.
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Super excited to be speaking at DataWrapper's Unwrapped conference in a couple of weeks, alongside an incredible line up of journalists and fellow data nerds. Register for free at 📈.
📊 New Unwrapped speaker! @matildakdavies, data journalist at The Times, will share how her team created a Datawrapper workflow that upskills the whole newsroom. See some of the amazing visualizations The Times created & learn more about Matilda here:
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After Glasgow's 13th Note closed this week, I went behind the scenes to find out what happened. The owner blames the "baffling" actions of a militant union official, saying he "bullied" and "intimidated" to get his way. Turns out, she's not alone.
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Need some Thursday optimism?. Deforestation in the Amazon may finally be turning a corner 🌴. I spoke to experts and indigenous people about what's changed, and what's still left to do 🧵👇. In today's @thetimes, with @BenCooke135 .
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We all know that 40 degrees in the UK is absolutely not normal . So, @thetimes data team and @rhysblakely dived into the science behind this week's hot weather - and what we can expect in summers to come. @annalom87 @narottammedhora .
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As a kid, I was an absolute style icon. But I was also full of fear and anger and shame. #YoungerMe could really have done with better LGBT+ education, for myself and for the people around me. It's so wonderful to see @JustLikeUsUK making a difference for queer kids now. 🏳️🌈
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Want to hear more about how I created this story, and how Meta's data harvesting practices work? . Listen to the latest episode of The Story by @thetimes now, wherever you get your podcasts:
🚨 NEW 🚨. Meta's chequered past with users' privacy is well documented. I wanted to find out everything it knows about me since I created a Facebook account aged 11. Now, I'm sharing everything I found out. Read the scary truth here 👇🏻.
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hello I now write for PinkNews [insert shameless plug].
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finally donated all my little hairs to @LPTrustUK who provide free wigs to girls who've lost their hair from illness .plz support them if you're able to:
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Ok so today was both unbelievably fuckin stressful but also amazing. Thank you so much if you supported me despite my general response being one of disdain/annoyance/anger. I actually appreciate yall a tonne I’m just shite at showing it 💖
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I used to hate the label lesbian and then I realised that lesbians are powerful and magical and should definitely run the world. So happy #InternationalLesbianDay to all the incredible dykes in my life and also me 🌈💜.
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HEY I'm looking for female LGBTI influencers to get involved in a new campaign with an international fashion brand - if you know/know of anyone that may be interested please give me a shout! #LGBT #influencers #journorequest.
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Slowly starting to get semi okay at embroidery please validate me
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Police officers in the UK took the equivalent of one week off work each last year because of poor mental health, new data shows. I sent FOIs to every UK police force, and a hidden mental health crisis – and it's getting worse. Here's what I found out 👇🧵.
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I was honoured to tell the brave stories of @hannahr22x, @hannah_mclaugh and @JenniferMcCan20 earlier this year. I nominated them for ⭐ @thetimes Alternative Honours ⭐ for the incredible work they've done this year advocating for rape survivors. Check out the full list below 👇🏻
⭐️The Sunday Times Alternative Honours 2023⭐️. Each year our journalists choose who *should* get a NY Honour. While the official list rewards service to the state, many on our list have shown enormous bravery in spite of it. Here’s a selection… @thetimes.
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Big congrats to @jamie_wareham for sharing his wonderful documentary about the intersections between disability and LGBT+
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🪩 EUROVISION IS FINALLY HERE 🪩.So, of course, me and @thetimes' fantastic data team did a deep-dive into the history of the contest to answer one key question: What does it take to win #EUROVISION?. 🧵THREAD ⬇️ 1/?.
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I'm looking to speak to people who are for/against the UK going completely cashless 💸. Would your business be hurt if you couldn't access cash? Do you use cash for budgeting or saving? Do you find money easier to manage when it's fully digital?. DMs open📩.#journorequest.
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The first time I was followed home I was 13 and it was on a crowded bus in broad daylight. Every woman I know has had a similar experience at some point. Unfortunately, this is not out of the ordinary, it's just another instance of men making it fucking scary to be a woman.
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went to my first life drawing class today!! 2020 is for making art baby
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Go see A Midsummer Nights Dream at Bridge Theatre. I'm immediately quitting my job to become an aerial dancer.
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I hate that some LGBT media companies are still endorsing and platforming voices like these. As a lesbian, I am attracted to trans women because they. are. women. That’s it. #LwiththeT.
"Lesbians in 2019 are constantly vilified and excluded from the GBT community for stating their exclusive sexual preference." - @FrenchFem of #GetTheLOut .
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🎉 Go team! 🎉. I've had the privilege of working on @thetimes data team for over a year now, and I'm stoked to see its exceptional journalism being recognised.
🎉 Over the moon to see @thetimes data team shortlisted for a Sigma award!. A testament to the brilliance of @_mkeith_ @narottammedhora @venetiamenzies @annalom87 @matildakdavies @RachelLavin @GWJournalism @Cappaert1410 & my partner-in-crime @ryanleewatts .
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Absolutely overwhelmed by the response to this. Just wanna say a big thank you to everyone I've confided in over the past few months, and has reassured me that it's more important for me to be free and myself than to try and be what I thought other people wanted me to be.
Ok so I missed pride month, but I'm coming out: I'm bisexual.
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Five years on from Grenfell, people are still living in tower blocks with cladding that poses a serious fire risk. Yesterday, I spoke to Vista Tower residents - and many renters said they didn't know about the risks when they moved in. W/ @oliver_wright.
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so I wrote a thing for the Metro about mental health & personal finance. so bloody exciting!! give it a read:.
'I spent far more on alcohol, cigarettes, drugs and clubbing in an attempt to avoid dealing with my issues. I splashed out on expensive clothes. I bought costly face masks and moisturisers in the name of "self-care".'. @mattmodavies for @MetroOpinion .
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lastest from isolation: ginger hair, red eyeliner, same chair I've been in for the past week
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Many thanks to @domhauschild for his help from Scotland, and @MickKill, @wearethentia, @Sacha_Lord, and @JeremyJoseph.
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📢 We're hiring! 📢. Any wannabe data journalists and developers - we have a new training programme!. You'll join our incredible team at @thetimes and get the opportunity to work on cutting edge data and visual journalism. Happy to answer any Qs 📧.
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The Duchy Files: The property empire that makes the royals millions, including from business deals with the NHS, military and schools. Another incredible investigation from @thetimes Insight team 👇.
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My sister and I were supposed to be flying to Thailand for three weeks tomorrow, so instead we've spent actual money on stupid pool party shit and are going to get very drunk in our garden in Kent and pretend we're not very sad™.
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NEW: Analysis for the Times Health Commission found maternity payouts cost the NHS twice the price of care itself. Here are the shocking facts we uncovered 🧵👇. @RSylvesterTimes @GLJourno .
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🧶 Fun evening read - I spoke to some Shetland lace knitters who have successfully brought the heritage craft back from the brink of extinction 🧶. #knitting @thetimes @timesscotland @heritage_crafts.
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My housemates are so lucky to live with someone so bored and unemployed
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is it hot to tell a girl you're gonna be late for your date because you spilt casserole down yourself? asking for a friend x.
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Ed and I's trip to Soho (for research purposes only. ) proved this absolutely true – Thursday at 1am and nowhere open but clubs. I rarely club these days, but would love it if there were bars/pubs open in London to a decent hour.
This is frankly embarrassing from London - just 24% of all bars, pubs and clubs are open past midnight on a Saturday night . (h/t @matildakdavies @EdHalford1)
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I'm writing a piece about the effect of COVID on UK theatre & I'm looking to get some insider perspectives. Do you work in the theatre industry (in any capacity/role)? Has COVID affected your job/livelihood?. DMs are open 🙏. #journorequest.
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Guess who's now freelancing for Digital Spy 👀.
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Election campaigns are finally drawing to a close after an obscenely long six weeks. This year's election materials ranged from the boring to the bizarre, so let's take a look back at the campaigns and the strategies - both new and tired - parties used to win your vote 🧵👇 (1/?)
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By popular demand, a zoomable version of the Manchester map: Unfortunately, Datawrapper doesn't allow both zoom + basemap, but hope Mancunians will find one of the options useful. @jackfifield.
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I am finally accepting that my birthday will be in lockdown, so despite the fact I probably won't leave the house, I've bought a ridiculously beautiful velvet suit to make myself feel better
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If you're not reading Ocean Vuong what the hell are you doing.
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Officially starting my transition from DIY lesbian to lesbian cat mum. Watch this space.
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After my #PeriodPower tweet yesterday, some wonderful PR sent me @MaisieHill_‘s new book. Let’s get educated, menstruaters
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So I just asked a woman on Tinder if she had any "fun and exciting allergies" and I'm realising why I'm single SUPER FAST.
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My mum's on the parish council in her village and they've posted flyers to everyone they're working with the local shop to deliver food packages to anyone that's self-isolating. The BBC are coming to interview people on Friday and her only response was "is kindness that rare?" 😭.
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I love my job primarily because I get to see typos like this
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My top takeaways:. ➡️ At 0.5% of the population, trans people aren't the major issue many seem to think they are.➡️ Bi/pansexuality is AS COMMON as being gay/lesbian, and should be recognised as such.➡️ Data about LGBTQ+ lives is cool and valuable.➡️ I need to visit Ceredigion??.
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🪙 "Invest, invest, invest" 🪙. We've finally seen the first Labour budget in 14 years, and the first ever made by a female chancellor. I'll dive into her announcements, and what they mean for you, in a thread of charts here 📈👇. (I'll continue updating through the day). 🧵 1/.
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Me and @TessaDeterding are finally living out our dream of being co-founders of a boutiqe online store that solely sells t-shirts with utterly idiotic slogans 🎉.
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Honoured that these incredible women shared their story with me - and how they're using that story to push for a fairer justice system for survivors. "Two and a half years ago we reported our abuser as victims, today we stand in solidarity as survivors".
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Looking to speak to people about what they're spending more on since the cost of living crisis began, with specific examples. DMs are open 📩. #journorequest #journorequests.
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