Posts Tagged ‘ rape ’

Women in Peril

November 3, 2009

According to a recent report from the Parents Television Council, the incidence of violence against women on television (including an increase in female victimization as a punch line in a comedy series) is up significantly since 2004. (An incident is defined as a storyline that includes victims of violence.) Consider these statistics based on primetime television (excluding news and sports programs):

*Violence on television in general is up 2% since 2004.

*Yet violence on television against women is up 120% since 2004.

*There was a 400% increase in the depiction of teen girls as victims from 2004 to 2009.

*The most frequent type of violence on the screen was beating followed by credible threats, shooting, rape, stabbing and torture.

Television is not reality. We get that. But when you consider the studies that show exposure to filmed violence against women leads to decreased perceptions of violence, you see just how damaging this sexist programming is. It desensitizes society to violence against women. That is irresponsible. The television industry is trading the value and the safety of women for ratings.

What can you do? When you see gratuitous violence against women on television, or you notice a disproportionate number of storylines victimizing women, let the shows’ advertisers know how you feel. Women control at least 85% of consumer purchasing power in this country. We can make a difference.

Rape is Rape, With or Without Bystanders

October 29, 2009

By Hello Ladies

stop (Trigger Warning) There was nationwide outrage and heartbreak yesterday as more details emerged and several arrests were made in the case of the 15 year old girl who was raped and beaten outside a high school dance. Due to the fact that many (10, 12, 20?) onlookers watched and cheered while the girl was attacked, the incident has grabbed our attention.

Sadly, this was not the only case of gang rape in the news. Several others were written about, mostly in local newspapers, but will probably never make the national spotlight or will fade away as soon as a different story takes their place.

-A 16 year old girl testified she was kidnapped and raped in Santa Rosa by three men.

-Earlier this month, three men were sentenced to life in prison for a gang rape in Florida.

-And then there was the woman who was raped by her Halliburton/KBR coworkers in Iraq. Apparently, she was not the only defense worker attacked. But this story made headlines when Senator Al Franken proposed an amendment that would withhold defense contracts from companies that restrict employees from bringing charges of assault to court. Read more here about Franken’s amendment and the 30 Republican senators who opposed it.

The presence of bystanders in the Richmond rape scares us and makes us question humanity. But every violent attack, including this one, calls for outrage –regardless of the headlines. One in six women and one in 33 men will be sexually assaulted in their lifetime.

As parents, we wonder how we can protect our children and how we can raise our sons and daughters to have compassion and respect for human life. For more facts on rape and information on prevention and victim support, visit RAINN, The Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network. For information on violence against women, visit the U.S. Department of Justice Office of on Violence Against Women.

Drained, Denied, and Dance

October 22, 2009

By Hello Ladies

Denied

Writing about women can be challenging sometimes because you hear about so many things that drain your energy. For example, there was a story in yesterday’s USA Today about a gay high school girl who wore a tuxedo in her yearbook photo. Girls at the school are traditionally photographed in drapes and boys in tuxedos. However this girl feels more comfortable in a tuxedo. Officials in the Copiah County School District in Mississippi refuse to put her photo in the yearbook. It is hard to understand why these school administrators hold so tightly to their rigid definitions of what is and is not okay. What are they afraid of?

And then there was this sad tale from RH Reality Check: insurers denying women health insurance based on a pre-existing condition – rape. Many think healthcare reform is a political issue and many more are making it a political issue. But for women, healthcare reform is an equity issue. Learn more about women and health insurance. If you’ve ever been unable to afford treatment, if you’ve ever had a c-section, if you need or needed maternity care, if you’ve been a victim of domestic abuse, if you are a woman, you need to know.

And now, because you have read this far when all we’ve offered you is draining news and a plea to stay informed, please accept this small gesture as a token of our appreciation. It is intended to bring a smile to your face and recharge you. From Glee, enjoy.