A Letter to the Guy Who Harassed Me Outside the Bar

There has been a trend in the past few decades…or, you know, forever, to see women as nothing more than sexual objects. It does not matter who the woman is, how smart she is, where she came from, what she does, if she is married, has children, is Jewish, is Catholic, worships the devil, those things do not matter if she is “sexy”. Emily Heist Moss wrote A Letter To The Guy Who Harassed Me Outside the Bar as a way of describing how many women feel on a daily basis. Is it fair that women are talked to, looked at, and described in this way?

Rape Culture

Royal Baby: Forever Tied to Tragedy

The unfortunate events of the suicide of Kate Middleton’s nurse, has left the two radio show host to be reevaluated themselves for psychological reasons. Both host have gone incognito and have isolated themselves from work, the media, and even family. According to Mel Greig’s family and friends, they have no clue as to where she is. It’s sad that Kate and her family, especially her unborn child now will be forever tied to such craziness. It is too early in the investigation to show whether or not the radio station host are solely to blame for this tragedy but according to Time in Scrutiny Builds at Radio Station that Prank Called London Hospital, the overwhelming national publicity has shown their dislike for the two hosts. Like mentioned before it is a little to early to place blame. We don’t really know this woman’s state of mind prior and after the incident. To solely blame these too are just absurd. The media overall needs to take responsiblity of how they go about to acquire information. The lengths some will take to get the scoop is frightening. This unfortunate event, I hate to say, is an eye opener, example and a warning to all. We should be cautious in the way we report, investigate etc to get the top news. We never know people’s mental state.

Beauty. Drugs. Death.

Maria Susana Flores Gamez, beauty queen, was competing for Miss Mexico but her fight fell short when her body was found in the middle of a drug war. Flores Gamez was enrolled in a local college and had been modeling and completing pageants for three years. According to the Associated Press beauty queens and Mexico’s violence involving drugs is a common trend, and this is the third instance. “Miss Bala” was arrested for drug acts that were forced on her by gang members.  While in 2011 former Miss Sinaloa Laura Zuniga was arrested for suspicion of drugs and weapon infringements.

Javier Valdez is an author of book “Miss Narco” which evaluates the recent trend for young women in Mexico. Valdez says, “It is a question of privilege, power, money, but also a question of need,” said Valdez. “For a lot of these young women, it is easy to get involved with organized crime, in a country that doesn’t offer many opportunities for young people.”

Even young women who are attempting to head down the proper path seem to get held up with major obstacles: drug, violence and war. How can these women better their lives if they do not have opportunities after they win pageants and earn a college degree? These women attempt to use all the resources they can to further themselves from their environment, but it seems to be a pattern that they will fail.

Judged on Character

In the 21^st century, your life is under a microscope. Your deepest thoughts are posted on Twitter. An iPhone can pin point your direct location. Your face is splashed on the largest social network, Facebook, for the world to see. So I was not surprised that a political figure’s scandal was exposed this weekend.

David H. Petraeus is a well-respected military figure and never fell short when it came to his job, yet his marriage was another story. Petraeus was a four-star general and a heavily involved leader in both Iraq and Afghanistan. He was also appointed by President Obama to be the director of Central Intelligence Agency. Regardless of his career once his affair was revealed he resigned.

There has been a stir of conversation to whether a public figure’s personal life should affect their job. Personally, if you become a public figure whether you are a general or a talk show host, you are a role model. Your actions regardless if they are in front of a camera or in a closed off room should be ethical. I think resigning was the best action because your character should be reflected in both your public and personal life.

just read it…

There is a reason that I adore John Scalzi.  He doesn’t mince words.  (Warning:  triggers for victims of rape/sexual assault.  He gives the same warning and he’s not joking.)

A letter from a rapist.

 

 

Ever wonder why feminist movements are important? I wil give you a reason…..

A recently published study in the “American Political Science Review“, shows that the mobilization of feminist movements has been one of the leader factors in ending violence against women. The study has been conducted over four decades and in 70 countries. 

Feminist movements have challenged mainstream frames about violence against women and redefined violence against women as a social problem. In the redefining of violence against women, feminists have demanded that the state and general public respond to this violence in a more concerned and meaningful way. Traditional concepts and frames of violence, were and still are, thought to be matters that are generally private and in instances of rape, very rare. This is why so often victims of violence are blamed for the act of violence. Ever heard these expressions: “Well, she was asking for it….look at what she was wearing. She should have known better to be out that late. She should just leave him. She should have known that it was going to be dangerous.” These expressions and many others produce a framework within society that leads to problematic views on what constitutes as violence against women and who is ultimately to blame for these acts of violence. Often the root of the violent behaviors is ignored and thus, the systematic structure of violence continues…even if some abusers and rapists are put behind bars. Feminists continue to make violence against women a personal issue, by identifying violence against women as a product of gender inequalities. By having feminists reject society’s normalization of abuse, feminists have come together to continue to push for change and progress all over the world.

Judge Tells Woman to Adjust to Domestic Abuse

In India, a woman recently filed for divorce from her husband who had been abusing her. Her attorney presented photographic evidence of the abuse and was able to prove the abuse had indeed been going on. The judge however does not want to grant the divorce. He basically blamed the woman for provoking the abuse. He claimed that the woman should have to adjust to the abuse and accept it because her husband financially supports her. This judge has been know to make sexist remarks and rulings. Things like this go on in other countries all the time! Even in this country, women are sometimes blamed for domestic abuse. Do you think the woman has the right to her divorce? Should the husband be prosecuted? Should this judge lose his job? I think that he should! This woman is trying to remove herself and her children from an unhealthy situation. This judge has no right to stop her. Domestic abuse is never ok! What are all of your thoughts on this story?

http://www.womensviewsonnews.org/2012/09/judge-tells-woman-to-adjust-to-her-husbands-domestic-abuse/

 

 

 

 

When A Man Is the Victim

I am currently in Family Law or Political Science 241, and this is a class that cultivates a lot of very interesting discussion. Also, wanting to be a family lawyer makes this class extremely interesting to me.

Recently, the class got on the topic of rape and the difference between men and women under this subject. Since talking about it in class, I have done quite a bit of searching, hoping to find interesting articles or stories pertaining to men who have been raped. However, normally it will be said that the male was “sexually assaulted.”

I’m bringing this up because often we focus on how women are treated differently than men and not taken as seriously, but what about the man? I do not agree with the belief that a man cannot be raped. Respectfully, in my opinion, they absolutely can. It may not happen as often, but unfortunately, it is happening.

 

What do all of you think?

a wake-up call

In light of the national conversation about rape – and while it’s an ugly topic, it is a very real topic for all women and deserves the national dialogue – this is the first I’ve heard of another side to the story.

What laws are in place to protect the woman pregnant as a result of a rape after the child is born?  As Shauna Prewitt so heartbreakingly writes, in 31 states, not many.

A must read.  And a wake-up call to those 31 state legislatures.  And time for women to start insisting – loudly – that these legislators need to do just that.