16 Days of Activism - Day 10

The Other PTSD - Sexual Assault of Women in the Military

16 Days of Activism - Day 9

Gender violence is an issue that permeates many facets of society, but a significant case is sexual assault in the military. According to a CBS News article, one in three female soldiers will experience sexual assault while serving in the military, compared to one in six women in the civilian world. The Pentagon released a disturbing report on sexual abuse in the military, saying that more than 2,900 sexual assaults were reported last year, up nearly 9 percent from
the year before. Nearly two-thirds of the cases involved rape or aggravated assault.
     The article also notes that in 2006 there were 2,974 cases of rape and sexual assault across the services. And of those, only 292 cases resulted in a military trial. Statistics like these deeply disturb me. Women sacrificing their lives to serve our country should not have to worry about being assaulted by those who are supposed to be fighting on their side. To learn more about issues of gender violence in the military, check out the following links.

http://womenandwar.wordpress.com/2007/04/20/rape-statistics-and-what-the-us-military-should-be-doing/

http://www.feministe.us/blog/archives/2009/03/18/new-statistics-on-military-rape-and-reporting/

http://www.stopmilitaryrape.org/

16 Days of Activism - Day 8

MEN SPEAK UP

Are you a man who wants to be part of the solution to ending violence against women?

5 Things you can do today

1. Re-Think | Rather than assuming the attitude that you are not part of the problem, take some time to think about the ways in which your interactions with women or other men might contribute to a culture in which violence against women is considered normal or excusable.
2. Speak Up | If you have a close friend who brags about abusing, pressuring, or forcing himself on a woman, then let him know that he has at least one friend who doesn’t approve of his behavior.
3. Be More | Encourage positive change by building friendships with like-minded men, mentoring young men, and holding yourself and others to a higher standard.
4. Stand Up | If you are ever in a situation where you observe potential violence against a woman taking place (e.g. you hear someone planning to take advantage of a nearly unconscious woman), then do your best to interrupt the behavior. Recruit others to help if you are afraid to do so by yourself.
5. Be the Solution | Join MenSpeakUp by creating a user account and signing the pledge. Registered members can lend their voice to the cause, and the site, by appearing in the upper right section of the home page, contributing and commenting on blogs, and taking action on campus while holding each other accountable. Join now!

Become more involved:

If you feel passionate about gender equality and sexual respect contact us to sign up as a contributor and email us if you want to be in upcoming videos, blog, or just want to connect with MenSpeakUp about this very important issue. For more info visit menspeakup.org

16 Days of Activism - Day 7

WHAT COUNTS AS "VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN?"

Resource Spotlight: INCITE! Women of Color Against Violence

INCITE! Women of Color Against Violence is a national activist organization of radical feminists of color advancing a movement to end violence against women of color and our communities through direct action, critical dialogue and grassroots organizing.

From the INCITE! website…

INCITE! identifies "violence against women of color" as a combination of "violence directed at communities," such as police violence, war, and colonialism, and "violence within communities," such as rape and domestic violence. 

We are told to call the police and rely on the criminal justice system to address violence within our communities. However, if police and prisons facilitate or perpetrate violence against us rather than increase our safety, how do we re-imagine a radical anti-violence movement?

Fact: Although the US has the highest incarceration rate in the world, the mass proliferation of prisons has not lead to a decrease in crime rates, or to a decrease in the amount of violence perpetrated against women. Prisons have never had an effect on decreasing crime in society.

Fact: Over $100 billion is spent each year to support a prison industrial complex from funds that could otherwise go to support education and social services. This money almost equals the amount spent to support the US military industrial complex.

Fact: Communities of color are disproportionately impacted by the criminal justice system. People of color constitute over 70 percent of state and federal prisoners. Over 2/3 of men of color in California between the ages of 18 and 30 have been arrested.

For more information on INCITE! visit: http://www.incite-national.org/index.php?s=53

Also, check out the INCITE! Anthology at the UCSD Women’s Center library….