Episode details

Radio 4,14 Sep 2012,58 mins
Martina Cole, the Rochdale grooming trial, women's golf, and when are you a grown-up?
Woman's HourAvailable for over a year
Martina Cole has made a name for herself as a best selling crime writer. Her nineteenth novel, "The Life" has just been published and it's the story of the Bailey brothers. From the late seventies they rule London's East End and when their sons join the business, they seem unstoppable. But in that kind of world things never run smoothly and the novel portrays a family which becomes torn apart by violence and betrayal but also bound by family loyalty and a burning desire for revenge. Martina joins Jenni to talk about her career and her new book. In May this year, nine men were convicted of sexually exploiting young girls in Rochdale. One of the five girls who helped to bring the men to justice was described as Girl A in the court. She told how she was lured into trusting the men who offered her free alcohol but this led to her being repeatedly raped by different members of the group and following threats to kill her, she was too terrified to flee. Eventually the men were arrested. For the first time on Radio 4, the girl talks at length to Jenni about her ordeal. At what age do you feel like a genuine grown up? It's a bit of a fudge these days - some teenagers celebrate 18 as their official coming of age whereas others make 21 the big landmark . Some say it has nothing to do with age and would argue it's when you own the key to your own house or car or perhaps attending your first funeral. Others might argue it's the day you leave home. As many teenagers prepare to leave home for University, no doubt never to return the same, we discuss what being a grown up means. The Women's British Open began on Thursday at the Royal Liverpool Golf Club in Hoylake. Organisers say that this year's tournament will be the biggest ever and are expecting 60,000 visitors. So can women's golf benefit from the wave of enthusiasm for female athletes that we saw over the summer? Jenni talks to former professional golfer and Radio 5 Live Commentator, Maureen Madill, about the women to watch and the state of the game. Presented by Jenni Murray.
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