notes found in the girls bathroom on my campus
The last one! I heard an anti-feminist argue that our “don’t teach women not to get raped, teach men not to rape” was anti-male, implying that all men are rapists but tell me, does the implication that a woman must cover-up as to avoid ‘tempting’ a potential rapist not imply that all men are rapists more-so? To imply that a man raped a woman because she was wearing revealing clothes and thus that all women can and should avoid rape by not wearing revealing clothes, is to imply that men cannot handle their urges if turned on or attracted to a woman. That is far more of a negative implication about men then teaching boys at a young age to respect women. Far more negative. That’s why it angers me when people imply feminism is sexist - no! Men suffer from the patriarchy too as it is because of the gender roles that come with it. You can take down patriarchy without it having to crush the freedom of men and to think otherwise is actually the sexist thinking because some men cannot accept the idea of living without privilege as opposed to actually living as equals with us, which is what bringing down the patriarchy would do (create equality).
Charities are attacking the government’s decision to effectively change the definition of domestic violence
Half of all women who are victims of domestic violence will no longer qualify for legal aid under government proposals, leaving hundreds of thousands at greater risk of abuse, according to charities.
Ben Jamal, chief executive of the charity Domestic Violence Intervention Project, said analysis of their case files indicated that 50% of women victims would lose out.
Despite David Cameron’s identification of the issue as a priority, experts say the government’s proposed legal reforms run contrary to its pledges to tackle domestic violence. The Home Office action plan to end violence against women promises to “provide adequate support where violence does occur” and “take action to reduce the risk to women and girls who are victims.”.
Three million women a year experience violence in Britain, a significant proportion of them domestic abuse, according to the government. Yet a coalition of specialists and women’s rights groups say that proposals in the legal aid, sentencing and punishment of offenders bill, which has a third reading in the Commons this week, will seriously undermine its strategy on reducing violence against women.
Emma Scott, of campaign group Rights of Women, said the planned reforms to save £350m a year in legal aid would have a “devastating and disproportionate impact” on women. She added: “In his press conference announcing the legal aid bill David Cameron said that he wanted families to feel safe in their own homes, yet it will leave many at greater risk of violence and abuse, trapped in violent and abusive relationships and at greater risk of post separation violence.”
“The reforms demonstrate a total lack of awareness and understanding of the dynamics and nature of domestic violence and the experiences of women affected by it.”
Officially the government’s position is that legal aid will be available to victims of domestic violence. But groups point to the government’s decision to effectively change the definition of domestic violence by upping the type of evidence required to substantiate allegations, making it harder to qualify for legal representation.
Under the proposals “only women who can prove a high risk of violence” such as having secured a conviction against their perpetrator or have been referred for a risk assessment will be eligible for legal aid.
“They will put legal aid for family cases out of scope for the majority of women who have experienced violence and abuse,” said Scott.
Jamal added: “Officially the government says one thing, but in reality they have drawn down the definition so narrowly that significant numbers of women are no longer eligible.”Experts argue that other evidence including GP records, 999 call outs, social services and information from housing agencies should also be allowed.
Jamal also warned that alleged perpetrators will lose legal aid, raising the possibility that victims of domestic violence abuse will be cross-examined in court by their alleged attackers.
This makes me so angry I can’t even handle it.
Announcing SlutWalk London 2012
Slutwalk London: The radical notion that nobody deserves to be raped.
On 11th June 2011, SlutWalk came to London. Thousands of people of different races, genders, sexualities, classes and occupations came together to protest the silencing of our voices, the repression of our choices and the violence against our bodies. The word ‘slut’ carries a history of assault, shaming, insults and degradation, where women are forced to remain silent about their assault through a society and legal system which all too often places the blame on the victim. But those who came to SlutWalk were far from silent and ashamed. As much as SlutWalk was a direct challenge to the attitudes and practises which allow rape to continue in society, it was a celebration of our bodies, identities and choices, and an affirmation of our commitment to continuing the long struggle towards a world without assault.
Today, we are asking you to join with us for SlutWalk 2012. We need to continue the pressure we have put on those who would allow sexual assault and victim blaming to continue and welcome the silencing of those who are raped. The courts and police stations are still dismissing women’s reports of assault, losing crucial evidence or twisting the facts to render the victim responsible for their own assault - while as many as 95% of cases go unreported. In a worsening economic climate, people are being made more vulnerable to sexual violence by poverty, unemployment and drastic cuts to services for women - whether they be youth services, rape crisis centres or benefits to disabled women. Sex workers - a group especially vulnerable to sexual assault - still live in fear of reporting sexual assault lest they be persecuted by police or lose their livelihood through the closing of premises. Undocumented immigrants are still unable to report sexual assault for fear of imprisonment and deportation, making them easily exploitable. Sexual assault is often ignored or misunderstood in LGBTQ communities, where people face intrusive scrutiny over how they express themselves. We are asking you to join with us to continue fighting against sexual assault, slut shaming and victim blaming - and to recognise the racism, homophobia and class oppression which leave us more vulnerable.
There is one unifying factor in the language of those who are anti-woman and pro-rape: rape doesn’t happen. We were asking for it. We changed our minds the next morning. We were lying to get one over on our attackers. Men ‘can’t’ be raped. It wasn’t ‘proper’ rape. We deserved it. We secretly enjoyed it. Our partner did it, so it doesn’t count. We were dressed in such a way to be responsible for the violence. SlutWalk came out of a long movement against this attitude, and our voices are louder and clearer than ever. We invite you to march with us again in 2012, and organise with us in the months leading up to the march. We will not be silenced.Facebook | Twitter
Statements from our supporters and from organisations we work with:
“I am marching because my best friend still thinks that her rape was her fault, because the authorities never looked into it, and because it will always haunt her. And that is not okay.” - anonymous supporter
“We are not victims. We were victims, for a moment in time. Now, we are survivors.” - Emily Jacob, supporter
“Whatever I wear, however I act, as a woman, there is always the possibility that I will be deemed a ‘slut’” - Rosa, supporter
“Believe it or not, not one of us is dressing for anyone other than ourselves.” - Kelly, supporter
“I will be on the Slutwalk to help make visible the many ways in which we women of colour have been abused by those who want to justify our rape and exploitation. In the UK and across the globe, women of colour face racist and sexist violence. Women of African descent have always been considered sex objects, perpetually available to white men. The police are too often not responsive to any rape survivors, but even less so if we are women of colour. I’ll be marching along with other Black and immigrant sisters, with white sisters, and with men who support us, to break down the barriers which divide us. Either we are all sluts or none of us is.” - Cristel Amiss, Black Women’s Rape Action Project
“Since 1976 we have been campaigning for all rape to be taken seriously. The anti-rape movement has shifted public opinion and won changes to the rape law and to prosecution policies. But implementation is still appalling. Only 6.5% of reported rape leads to a conviction. While most rapists get away with it, we face an increasing trend towards jailing rape victims accused of lying after a negligent and biased investigation into their rape. The organisers of Slutwalk London are determined that this movement be inclusive and make concrete demands.” - Women Against Rape
“How many of us have been unable to report violent attacks for fear of criminalisation, deportation or losing our anonymity? How many of us have been told by police we will be disbelieved and even arrested if we report? How many of us have been prosecuted when we did report while our attackers went free? We face criminalisation for trying to make a living and moralism from women who call themselves feminists, who claim that all prostitution is violence against women and that all immigrant sex workers are trafficked. Whether on the street or in premises, we are being driven further underground and into more danger. SlutWalk is another confirmation that people are really with us for an end to criminalisation and poverty everywhere.” - English Collective of Prostitutes
“All over the world women experience sexual violence, displacement, torture, feminicide and kidnap but the needs, realities, experiences and perspectives of women are often excluded from consideration. When women’s voices are not heard, women’s needs are ignored. When women are marginalised and excluded from power, men think it’s okay to say things like ‘women should avoid dressing like sluts in order not to be victimised.’ We believe that you can’t build peace by leaving half of the people out. No women, no peace.” - Chitra Nagarajan, No Women No Peace
“As disabled people, as children, we are vulnerable to violence from people we know, in the family and in institutions. We are not supposed to have a sex life, but we are often sexually exploited by the men around us. Did we provoke it? Did we dress like sluts? As women with disabilities, as single mothers, we have fought to have an income – so that we are not at the mercy of partners and family for our survival. That is being taken away from us. We are being driven back into dependence by the cuts in benefits, housing and services.” - WinVisible (Women With Visible and Invisible Disabilities)
“In Britain, the release of an official report declaring that girls are being too “sexualised” has coincided with parliamentary lobbies for young women to be “taught to say no”. Join the dots with police officers telling women that “no” is insufficient if they happen not to be dressed like a nun and an ugly picture begins to form. Young women, in particular, are expected to look hot and available at all times, but if we dare to express desires of our own, we are mocked, shamed and threatened with sexual violence, which, apparently, has nothing to do with the men who inflict it and everything to do with the length of skirt we have on. Now, more than ever, it’s time for “sluts” to walk - and walk tall.” - Laurie Penny
[TW: Rape]
…
There’s a poster I see at the station which reminds me, and all other travellers on the rail network, that violence against rail staff is not acceptable. I have never yet complained that it doesn’t contain a disclaimer to point out that not everyone assaults ticket collectors. I haven’t complained about the one that asks me not to eat smelly food on the tube either. I know that it doesn’t apply to me. I already don’t do that. The Drink / Drive campaigns don’t rile me either because I don’t drink and drive. So why do some men get so cross about posters intended to send a supportive message to women that rape or or other violence against them are not the woman’s fault, but the responsibility of the perpetrator, whose attitudes need to be changed.
…
From today, changes to the UK Immigration Rules, will make migrant victims of domestic violence more vulnerable to abuse. The changes mean that legal protection for migrant victims of domestic violence will no longer apply to applicants who have unspent criminal convictions.
Click through to read more.
In 2011, it’s still considered perfectly acceptable to attack women based on their supposed sluttiness.
Rachel Kramer Bussel at AlterNet tackles slut-shaming and its continued presence in modern society.
“1. Men rape
The great majority of all sexually violent crimes are committed by males. Even when men are sexually victimized, other men are most often the perpetrators.2. Men ARE raped
We don’t like to think about it, and we don’t like to talk about it, but the fact is that men can also be sexually victimized. Studies show that a staggering 10-20% of all males are sexually violated at some point in their lifetimes. Men are not immune to the epidemic of sexual violence, nor are male survivors safe from the stigma that society attaches to victims of rape. Male survivors are often disbelieved, accused of being gay, or blamed for their own victimization when they report an incident of sexual assault. Frequently, they respond, as do many female survivors, by remaining silent and suffering alone.3. Rape confines men
When some men rape, and when 80% of those who are raped know the man who attacked them, it becomes virtually impossible to distinguish men who are safe from men who are dangerous, men who can be trusted from men who can’t, men who will rape from men who won’t. The result is a society with its guard up, where relationships with men are approached with fear and mistrust, where intimacy is limited by the constant threat of violence, and where all men are labeled “potential rapists.”4. Men know survivors
At some point in every man’s life, someone close to him will likely disclose that they are a survivor of sexual violence and ask for help. Men must be prepared to respond with care, sensitivity, compassion, and understanding. Ignorance on the part of men about the situation of rape and its impact can only hinder the healing process and may even contribute to the survivor’s feeling further victimized. A supportive male presence during a survivor’s recovery, however, can be invaluable.5. Men can stop rape
Rape is a choice men make to use sex as a weapon for power and control. For rape to stop, men who are violent must be empowered to make different choices. All men can play a vital role in this process by challenging rape supporting attitudes and behaviors and raising awareness about the damaging impact of sexual violence. Every time a man’s voice joins those of women in speaking out against rape, the world becomes safer for us all.”Original article at feminist.com, link provided above.
(Source: okaypriscilla)
Our thanks to Jackson Katz (http://www.jacksonkatz.com) who has compiled and generously shared this list with the Violence Against Women community.
- Approach gender violence as a MEN’S issue involving men of all ages, socioeconomic, racial and ethnic backgrounds. View men not only as perpetrators or possible offenders, but as empowered bystanders who can confront abusive peers.
- If a brother, friend, classmate, or teammate is abusing his female partner – or is disrespectful or abusive to girls and women in general – don’t look the other way. If you feel comfortable doing so, try to talk to him about it. Urge him to seek help. Or if you don’t know what to do, consult a friend, a parent, a professor, or a counsellor. DON’T REMAIN SILENT.
- Have the courage to look inward. Question your own attitudes. Don’t be defensive when something you do or say ends up hurting someone else. Try hard to understand how your own attitudes and actions might inadvertently perpetuate sexism and violence, and work towards changing them.
- If you suspect that a woman close to you is being abused or has been sexually assaulted, gently ask if you can help.
- If you are emotionally, psychologically, physically, or sexually abusive to women, or have been in the past, seek professional help NOW.
- Be an ally to women who are working to end all forms of gender violence. Support the work of campus-based women’s centres. Attend “Take Back the Night” rallies and other public events. Raise money for community-based rape crisis centres and battered women’s shelters. If you belong to a team or fraternity, or another student group, organise a fundraiser.
- Recognise and speak out against homophobia and gay-bashing. Discrimination and violence against lesbians and gays are wrong in and of themselves. This abuse also has direct links to sexism (e.g. the sexual orientation of men who speak out against sexism is often questioned, as a conscious or unconscious strategy intended to silence them and a key reason few men do so.)
- Attend programmes, take courses, watch films, and read articles and books about multicultural masculinities, gender inequality, and the root causes of gender violence. Educate yourself and others about how larger social forces affect the conflicts between individual men and women.
- Don’t fund sexism. Refuse to purchase any magazine, rent any video, subscribe to any Web site, or buy any music that portrays girls or women in a sexually degrading or abusive manner. Protest sexism in the media.
- Mentor and teach young boys about how to be men in ways that don’t involve degrading or abusing girls and women. Volunteer to work with gender violence prevention programmes, including anti-sexist men’s programmes. Lead by example.
Since the vision of the suffering immigrant or Third World woman and the liberated Western one has so strong a hold on the American imagination, I attempt to demonstrate that the presumption of Western women’s liberation depends upon the notion that immigrant and Third World communities are sites of aberrant violence. … I elucidate this fact by contrasting narratives of here versus there, of us versus them. Part of the reason many believe the cultures of the Third World or immigrant communities are so much more sexist than Western ones is that incidents of sexual violence in the West are frequently thought to reflect the behavior of a few deviants rather than as part of our culture. In contrast, incidents of violence in the Third World or immigrant communities are thought to characterize the cultures of entire nations.
Culture is invoked to explain forms of violence against Third World or immigrant women while culture is not similarly invoked to explain forms of violence that affect mainstream Western women.
…
The philosopher Uma Narayen has calculated that death by domestic violence in the United States is numerically as significant a social problem as dowry murders in India. But only one is used as a signifier of cultural backwardness: “They burn their women there.” As opposed to: “We shoot our women here.” Yet domestic violence deaths are just as much a part of American culture as dowry death is a part of Indian culture.
"(Source: boomvagynamite)
Have you ever walked past an accident or seen someone fall over and not stopped to help? Heard an alarm going off and not contacted the police? Or have you stopped? Asked what was going on? Most of us at some point will have been a ‘passive bystander’ and continued to walk on. Similarly, many of us know gender-based violence is wrong, but we might think that it’s not our problem or it’s not safe for us to challenge or intervene.
According to the World Bank, violence against women kills more women and girls worldwide than road accidents, cancer, malaria and war combined. A study commissioned by LGBT Youth found that 81% of respondents experienced verbal abuse and nearly a third had been sexually assaulted. Research consistently tells us that many people globally experience gender-based violence; that is they experience verbal or physical abuse on a daily basis purely because of their real or perceived gender or sexual identity.
Workers from LGBT Youth Domestic Abuse Project, Rape Crisis Scotland, Scottish Women’s Aid, White Ribbon Scotland and Zero Tolerance came together to develop the Get SAVI bystander programme for colleges and universities as we believe gender based violence is preventable.
Bystander programmes see the target audience as potential allies in preventing gender-based violence and support ‘bystanders’ to develop appropriate and safe intervention strategies.
Pioneering approaches in the US have shown that university-based bystander programmes have been extremely effective in reducing the incidence of rape and dating abuse, encouraging a sense of community, raising people’s confidence and reducing the sense of fear on campus. These approaches have been extremely effective, but US campus culture is very different to that which exists in Scotland, so we felt it was important to develop a programme that worked in the Scottish and UK context.
This approach not only works as a ‘secondary’ prevention technique, that is, to minimise harm, but in the long term, we believe this will work as a primary prevention technique. The students that will take part of this approach will go on to be teachers, hairdressers, doctors, nurses, lawyers, mechanics. They will be parents, aunties or uncles.
We’re also hoping that this approach will be supported institutionally. We know that one of the barriers to speaking up is that people often don’t live, work or study in a safe and positive environment, and it’s important that institutions take responsibility for cultures of sexism and homophobia.We’ve developed the programme so that students will be able to adapt and use the resources to fit their student communities best. We’re running the pilot this weekend (21-23 January) and hope to launch in March, after which point the resources will be available to download and used in colleges and universities by students or staff.
We believe that taking this approach to support people to think about safe and appropriate ways to challenge GBV is an important one to take. Together, we can stop it.
