iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Gemma Abbott @gemabbott.bsky.social · 20/03/2026

Hi @phillm.bsky.social - I’m the Legal Director at the Howard League, would be great to chat more if you are happy to

Gemma Abbott @gemabbott.bsky.social · 07/06/2025

Book 71/? - Fair Play by Louise Hegarty I don’t know if I entirely enjoyed it but I couldn’t stop reading. It’s undoubtedly very clever, weaving together a pastiche of/ homage to golden age murder mystery with a modern telling of the mundane horror of grief. Impressive (if a tiny bit disjointed?)💙📚

A screenshot of this book cover. It is neon green, with a blue, pink and green picture of the back of a person who looks like the king in a pack of playing cards. They have their fingers crossed behind their back.

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Gemma Abbott @gemabbott.bsky.social · 07/06/2025

Book 70/? - The Coin by Yasmin Zaher I listened to this on audiobook and was transfixed. It was funny but also so very sad. It left me feeling a bit raw. Loneliness, displacement, class, beauty, nature… it is disgusting at times and moving too 💙📚

A screenshot of this book cover - a gold yellow with a contorted body on the front, wearing pressed, crisp cream clothes and an elegant snakeskin high heel. The person is on one leg and the other is raised high above them to the front, like they’re dancing.

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Gemma Abbott @gemabbott.bsky.social · 07/06/2025

Book 69/? - Consider Yourself Kissed by Jessica Stanley I succumbed to the endless promotion of this (despite the grating name) It was genuinely funny - and pretty devastating on the furious resentment that can brew between couples when it comes to making space for parenthood 💙📚

A screenshot of this book cover -
bold yellow with the title in red. The cover has a pigeon carrying some red cherries at the bottom

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Gemma Abbott @gemabbott.bsky.social · 07/06/2025

Book 68/? - The Unicorn Woman by Gayl Jones The story-telling is irresistible - it meanders and flows, sometimes almost dreamlike, always interesting I hadn’t read Gayl Jones before - glad to have realised my mistake 💙📚

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Gemma Abbott @gemabbott.bsky.social · 07/06/2025

Book 67/? - Gunk by Saba Sams So good - this had me racing to download the author’s first book (Send Nudes). It’s somehow both tender and acerbic - and funny too. Highly recommend 💙📚

A copy of this book sitting on the stones on Brighton beach. The cover is royal blue with the title in large neon green writing, below a fried egg. This photo came from the Amazon page for this book but you should buy it from anywhere else ideally 😆

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Gemma Abbott @gemabbott.bsky.social · 07/06/2025

Book 66/? - The Homemade God by Rachel Joyce I loved this. On siblings, on family, on those tiny resentments and assumptions that might suddenly collapse under their own weight The indie hardback is a feast for the eyes too - hunt it down if you can! 💙📚

Copy of this hardback book - the cover is cream with a picture of an apple and its leaves. The title is a bold orange. The edges of the book are the same gorgeous orange with white apples and leaves.

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Gemma Abbott @gemabbott.bsky.social · 25/05/2025

Thank you. I hope you have many, many years together 🥰

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Gemma Abbott @gemabbott.bsky.social · 25/05/2025

My mum died three years ago. I don’t really know how I got to the end of it - I found myself stricken with great gasping sobs at times - but there was something cathartic too. Somehow I was ready, I think. It’s just beautiful, isn’t it?

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Gemma Abbott @gemabbott.bsky.social · 25/05/2025

Book 65/? - The Salt Path by Raynor Winn I enjoyed the nature writing and it’s set in a favourite part of the world. But I don’t think it goes much further than memoir - eg I found it quite shallow on its broader themes of homelessness (& don’t get me started on her take on refugees 😳) 💙📚

A copy of the book cover, which is a lovely pencil drawing of a cliff bath and sea, with scrolling waves, a diving dolphin, swooping sea birds and two shadowy people on the path.

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Gemma Abbott @gemabbott.bsky.social · 25/05/2025

Book 64/? - Water by John Boyne This popped up on my Audible, one of Boyne’s ‘elemental’ series I loved the writing as it dealt with nature; I was left a bit cold by the characterisation… Not sure I’ll read the others but I did like the setting of an isolated and unyielding Irish island 💙📚

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Gemma Abbott @gemabbott.bsky.social · 25/05/2025

Book 63/? - The Names by Florence Knapp I succumbed to the unrelenting coverage of this, which made me - wrongly - think this was going to be light and fun. It’s not! It’s much more interesting, and harrowing, than I expected - and better for it 💙📚

A lovely cover - there are two pinky/peach triangles mirrored top to bottom and meeting in the middle (looking like a sky and a path) and dark teal green triangles mirrored left to right and meeting in the middle. There is a man with his back to the viewer in the middle, with a white shirt and shorts, casting three shadows. The title is embossed gold and the author’s name is white along the bottom

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Gemma Abbott @gemabbott.bsky.social · 25/05/2025

Book 62/? - On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous by Ocean Vuong I’ve been meaning to read this for a while, prompted by his new book arriving. It’s poetry masquerading as a novel, and it’s both agonising and beautiful. I loved it 📚💙

A copy of the book cover - a dark blue sky with a smattering of white stars, which is the background to a branch of orange leaves, given the impression you are staring up at them from the ground. The author’s name and title are in white text

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Gemma Abbott @gemabbott.bsky.social · 25/05/2025

Book 61/? - Days of Light by Megan Hunter I listened to this on audiobook - beautifully written, lyrical & evocative. I found myself a bit frustrated by the passivity of the main character - & the religious underpinnings didn’t really chime from my atheist perspective. But I enjoyed it anyway! 📚💙

A screenshot of this book cover, which is a beautifully painted window with warm light streaming in and casting shadows of the window frame. The book name is written across the painting in a white serif font; the author’s name in caps along the bottom

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Gemma Abbott @gemabbott.bsky.social · 09/05/2025

Book 60/? - Flesh by David Szalay I read a review that advised not to “pigeonhole Flesh as a novel about masculinity…” - but I’m not sure I found much universality in the experience of the unemotional, unflinching, strangely passive protagonist Excellent, but not a pleasure 💙📚

A copy of the hard back cover of this book. It is white, with the title in huge caps, as if cut out from a photo of a snowy landscape with small red houses and fields. The author’s name is above in black.

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Gemma Abbott @gemabbott.bsky.social · 04/05/2025

Thank you - I haven’t read anything by Jean Hanff Korelitz, or Remarkably Bright Creatures - will check them out! Have a lovely weekend 😊

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Gemma Abbott @gemabbott.bsky.social · 03/05/2025

Oh I haven’t! I shall - thank you 🙏

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Gemma Abbott @gemabbott.bsky.social · 03/05/2025

Book 59/? - Crying in H Mart by Michelle Zauner Another audiobook, which I thought was excellent, if pretty tough to listen to (I hadn’t quite realised I was embarking on a story about motherhood and death - I’d have done so *much* less casually had I known) Beautiful though 💙📚

Screenshot of the Audible book cover. It’s bright yellow with the name in white and the author’s name above in black. There is a person drawn in pale yellow against the yellow background - only her face, hair and arms are filled in. Her hair is black and her skin pale. She may be half-Korean, assuming she is the author/ narrator. She is looking down, sadly, and clutching armfuls of groceries.

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Gemma Abbott @gemabbott.bsky.social · 03/05/2025

Book 58/? - Detransition, Baby by Torrey Peters A bit trite to say perhaps but this book made me both laugh and cry. It’s brutal at times; I realised I kept on taking breaks when reading to catch my breath Has anyone read Torrey Peters’ new book, Stag Dance? It’s gone straight on my list! 💙📚

Copy of the paperback of this book against a grey marbled background

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Gemma Abbott @gemabbott.bsky.social · 03/05/2025

Book 57/? - My Name is Lucy Barton by Elizabeth Strout Working my way through Elizabeth Strout’s works to get to her most recent on the Women’s Prize shortlist! I listened to this on audiobook and really enjoyed it. I love the simplicity of her storytelling - it’s so humane and compassionate 💙📚

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Gemma Abbott @gemabbott.bsky.social · 03/05/2025

Book 56/? - Perfection by Vincenzo Latronico No need to add to The Discourse on this. It’s a short read, sharp and unrelenting in its skewering of a gentrifying, hipster generation. Deadpan and ultimately quite depressing, I’m not sure I quite enjoyed it as much as admired it… 📚💙

Gorgeous Fitzcarraldo Edition of this book. It’s a glorious peacock blue, with very simple white text with simply the title, the author and ‘Fitzcarraldo Editions’ at the foot

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Gemma Abbott @gemabbott.bsky.social · 03/05/2025

Oh wow! That is spectacularly kind. I’m not able to make it sadly but THANK YOU 🙏

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Reposted by Gemma Abbott

Gemma Abbott @gemabbott.bsky.social · 25/04/2025

A long-ish thread on racial disproportionalities in the use of force in prison - and why this makes yesterday’s decision to authorise the use of PAVA spray in children’s prisons all the more appalling - please do read and share 🙏

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Gemma Abbott @gemabbott.bsky.social · 25/04/2025

Final post in 🧵 (for now!) - here is the Government’s use of force evaluation as cited above Read it and weep 😭 assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/680933...

assets.publishing.service.gov.uk

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Gemma Abbott @gemabbott.bsky.social · 25/04/2025

🧵 And watch this space for updates on work @thehowardleague.bsky.social is doing more broadly around the use of force in adult prisons - including in relation to PAVA use against young, Black men

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Gemma Abbott @gemabbott.bsky.social · 25/04/2025

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Gemma Abbott @gemabbott.bsky.social · 25/04/2025

🧵 It is almost unfathomable that - on the same day as publishing research laying bare the racial disproportionalities of the use of force in adult prisons - that Govt would authorise the use of PAVA spray against children in prison www.theguardian.com/society/2025...

theguardian.com

Use of pepper spray authorised at young offender institutions in England and Wales

Decision by Shabana Mahmood, the justice secretary, means Pava spray could be used on children as young as 15

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Gemma Abbott @gemabbott.bsky.social · 25/04/2025

🧵Black children are significantly over-represented in youth custody - especially those on remand (i.e. awaiting conviction or sentencing)

Graph showing disproportionally high numbers of Black children in custody

Figure 7.6 https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/youth-justice-statistics-2022-to-2023/youth-justice-statistics-2022-to-2023-accessible-version#children-in-youth-custody

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Gemma Abbott @gemabbott.bsky.social · 25/04/2025

🧵 Govt’s own evaluation on the use of force - published yesterday - states “prisoner behaviour does not fully account for the levels of PAVA or Baton use experienced by black men in prison”

Paragraph from this evaluation https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/68093394e4d2b76ccfb527a0/Use_of_Force_Evaluation_Report.pdf

Which states “Responses to assaults and/or fighting may need particular attention, given that it is these incidents which tend to lead to more force on black or mixed ethnicity men. Our research indicates that officers are more likely to use high-impact techniques when responding to these incidents, and that more black and mixed men are experiencing more high-impact techniques. Research may be needed to better understand, even in situations where it is deemed necessary for some level of force to be initiated, why the type of techniques used appears to differ depending on the ethnicity of the prisoner. Indeed, this research signals that prisoner behaviour does not fully account for the levels of PAVA or Baton use experienced by black men in prison.”

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Gemma Abbott @gemabbott.bsky.social · 25/04/2025

🧵 When Govt researchers spoke to people in prison about the use of force by officers, some identified “disgusting” targeting towards those from racialised minorities “They’ll go for the Black guy first”

Except from use of force evaluation that says “Prisoners from four sites,
including white prisoners, spoke of targeted force towards ethnic-minority individuals describing it as 'disgusting.' At least one prison had held forums with prisoners to further explore the issue.
They'll go for the black guy first. (Prisoner)”

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Gemma Abbott @gemabbott.bsky.social · 25/04/2025

🧵 Govt’s own data also shows that you are MUCH more likely to have PAVA spray (and batons) used against you in prison if you are young

Stats showing disproportionate use of PAVA spray and batons against young people in prison - figures 9 and 10 of the attached https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/68093394e4d2b76ccfb527a0/Use_of_Force_Evaluation_Report.pdf

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Gemma Abbott @gemabbott.bsky.social · 25/04/2025

🧵Racial disproportionality in the use of PAVA spray in prisons is profound - you are MUCH more likely to be pepper sprayed if you are Black than white (A reminder - these stats are from the MoJ’s use of force evaluation published yesterday)

Figure 7 from this document showing you are disproportionately likely to have PAVA used against you if you are Black https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/68093394e4d2b76ccfb527a0/Use_of_Force_Evaluation_Report.pdf

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Gemma Abbott @gemabbott.bsky.social · 25/04/2025

🧵 Yesterday Govt published an evaluation of the use of force - including PAVA spray - in adult prisons from 2018 to 2023 It shows - starkly - the fact that you are significantly more likely to have force used against you in prison if you are Black than white

Figure 4 from this document showing disproportionate use of force of all kinds against Black people in prison https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/68093394e4d2b76ccfb527a0/Use_of_Force_Evaluation_Report.pdf

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Reposted by Gemma Abbott

Lottie @sellottie.bsky.social · 24/04/2025

Important campaign against a barbaric decision which will - per the government’s own evaluations of PAVA in adult prisons - fail to deter violence in YOIs and instead further damage fragile trust between children in custody and staff

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Gemma Abbott @gemabbott.bsky.social · 24/04/2025

“Far from keeping children and staff safe, normalising the use of violence in this way risks making conditions even worse for those living and working in prison” - @thehowardleague.bsky.social Please support our campaign against this terrible decision 👉 www.crowdjustice.com/case/stop-th...

crowdjustice.com

Stop the use of PAVA spray on children in prison

The Howard League is a national charity campaigning for less crime, safer communities and fewer people in prison.

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Gemma Abbott @gemabbott.bsky.social · 24/04/2025

In adult prisons, Black men are significantly more likely to be sprayed with PAVA than white men - in fact, this is more than 5 times more likely for Black men under 25 We are deeply concerned that this disproportionality will be mirrored in children’s prisons

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Reposted by Gemma Abbott

The Howard League @thehowardleague.bsky.social · 24/04/2025

The Ministry of Justice has announced the introduction of PAVA spray for use against children in prison. The Howard League will take whatever steps necessary, including legal action, to challenge this decision. Please support our crowdfunder 🙏 www.crowdjustice.com/case/stop-th...

crowdjustice.com

Stop the use of PAVA spray on children in prison

The Howard League is a national charity campaigning for less crime, safer communities and fewer people in prison.

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Gemma Abbott @gemabbott.bsky.social · 24/04/2025

We can’t stand by and let this happen Please support @thehowardleague.bsky.social’s fundraiser to challenge this decision 🙏 www.crowdjustice.com/case/stop-th...

crowdjustice.com

Stop the use of PAVA spray on children in prison

The Howard League is a national charity campaigning for less crime, safer communities and fewer people in prison.

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Gemma Abbott @gemabbott.bsky.social · 24/04/2025

The Howard League will take whatever steps necessary, including legal action, to challenge the decision to introduce PAVA spray to children’s prisons - please support this crowdfunder if you can 🙏 www.crowdjustice.com/case/stop-th... @thehowardleague.bsky.social

crowdjustice.com

Stop the use of PAVA spray on children in prison

The Howard League is a national charity campaigning for less crime, safer communities and fewer people in prison.

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Gemma Abbott @gemabbott.bsky.social · 24/04/2025

I’m afraid I’m posting about children’s prisons in England

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Gemma Abbott @gemabbott.bsky.social · 24/04/2025

Govt has just has announced that PAVA spray will be authorised for use in children’s prisons Hard to imagine a more profound failure than arming prison officers in the name of keeping children safe Follow @thehowardleague.bsky.social for updates across the day howardleague.org/do-not-let-p...

howardleague.org

The Howard League | Don’t let PAVA spray be used on children

PAVA spray: Join the Howard League campaign against its use on children in prison

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Gemma Abbott @gemabbott.bsky.social · 18/04/2025

Catching up on my reading list - it’s been a while since I posted anything but I’ve enjoyed quite a few new books of late This was my favourite by far👇💙📚 Wondering what to start on next - anyone got any recommendations?

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Gemma Abbott @gemabbott.bsky.social · 18/04/2025

Book 55/? - Confessions by Catherine Airey I listened to this on audiobook and really enjoyed it. Sometimes I find it jarring to move between narrators but I liked (most of) the voices and how revelations were unfurled gradually and from different perspectives 💙📚

A copy of the hardback, sitting on a maple wood table. The book is black - on the left hand side the title runs down the page, in alternating green, pink and red colours. The rest of the book cover is a black and white photo of a young woman with cropped hair and big eyes, standing on a busy urban street at night, holding a kitten with a soft bag thrown over one shoulder.

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Gemma Abbott @gemabbott.bsky.social · 18/04/2025

Book 54/? - Universality by Natasha Brown This is smart and thoughtful but I was glad it was so short, when everyone was so utterly unbearable 😆 💙📚

Photo of the hardback of this book, resting on a white marbled surface. The book is a matte black, with a giant shiny cold bar across it. The title is in gold on the bar. The author’s name is in shiny embossed gold below.

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Gemma Abbott @gemabbott.bsky.social · 18/04/2025

Book 53/? - Greta and Valdin by Rachel R Reilly I absolutely loved this. It’s funny, smart, moving and interesting. It’s mostly about relationships - with family, partners, places, self. Highly, highly recommended 💙📚

A photo of this book resting on a pink surface against a dark teal wall. The book is pink, with a large mesh shopping bag - full of limes and starting to tear - dominating the page. The title is in bold letters above and below the lines. The author’s name is in red bold font below.

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Gemma Abbott @gemabbott.bsky.social · 18/04/2025

Book 52/? - Piglet by Lottie Hazell I found this suffocating- 266 pages of anxiety-inducing panic. Mostly unbearable characters. I wanted to finish it, for Piglet to find some peace, but I can’t say I enjoyed it! 💙📚

A screenshot of the book cover. It is a photo of a towering pile of five sugary doughnuts with icing, resting on top of one another on a small purple plate. The background surface and wall are sugary pink. The title is above the doughtnuts in black serif writing. The author’s name below in black bold caps. The caption reads “Her life is so full, why is she so hungry?”

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Gemma Abbott @gemabbott.bsky.social · 18/04/2025

Book 51/? - Olive Kitteridge by Elizabeth Strout I’m reading Elizabeth Strout’s back catalogue so I can finish the #WomensPrize long list! I don’t know why I hadn’t read Olive Kitteridge - late to the party so you probably already know how beautiful and tender and aching it is. I loved it 💙📚

A photo of the paperback, resting on a pale green surface against a pale green wall. The cover is cream, with a bold red stripe down the left hand side. The author’s name is in a simple serif font in black and below is the title in red. There is a simply line drawing of a lighthouse in black and some red lines for the sea. There are two endorsements:

- 'An extraordinarily rich and detailed portrait of both a marriage and a community'
David Nicholls
- 'Strout animates the ordinary with astonishing force'
The New Yorker

Along the top it says in red caps “Winner of the Pulitzer Prize for fiction”

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