Photo by Delia Giandeini Gisèle Pelicot demands to be heard in a system that stifles the voices of sexual violence victims. Now garnering attention from the world, Pelicot, 72, has become a hero and a symbol of resistance for many women, young and old, who see themselves in her. In Avignon, France, Pelicot insists she receives […]
30 Years of Progress: The Evolution and Impact of the Violence Against Women Act
Photo by U.S. Department of the Interior On September 13th, 1994, thirty years ago, the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) was signed into law. The monumental act has been a lifeline for women across the country, making history as one of the most influential pieces of legislation for women’s rights ever to be passed. Enacted and […]
The Impact of Gender Violence on Kenya’s Female Athletes
Photo by by Narnabi Ugandan Track and Field Olympian Rebecca Cheptegei was murdered by her partner, Dickson Ndiema, just weeks after returning from the Olympic games. The initial dispute between the couple concerned land she had purchased in Kenya to live closer to training facilities; Ndiema quickly turned violent and doused Cheptegei with petrol and set […]
Protests Surge Amid Growing Rates of Gender-Based Violence in Turkey
Protests have stirred across Turkey in recent weeks as thousands of women have taken to the streets to rally against gender-based violence. Wednesday saw some of the largest rallies yet in response to the rising femicide rates and violence against women in Turkey. Most recently, last month’s brutal murder of Pinar Gültekin, a 27-year-old university […]
U.N. Report Documents State Violence Against Repatriated North Korean Women
The U.N. human rights office released a report Tuesday showing women in North Korea faced violent human rights abuses in prison after being forcibly returned to the country when seeking employment abroad. The Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights report cites testimony from more than 100 women who escaped after their detention. Detainees […]
Cyntoia Brown, Victim of Sex Trafficking, Released from Prison after 15 Years
Wednesday morning, Cyntoia Brown was released from jail after being sentenced to life in prison for killing a man responsible for sex trafficking her when she was only 16. She was granted clemency in January by then Tennessee Governor Haslam. Her clemency came after high-profile advocates and popular celebrities highlighted the injustice she had faced. […]
Billionaire Jeffrey Epstein Indicted on Charges of Sex Trafficking
This week, federal prosecutors charged Jeffrey Epstein, a billionaire financier, on sex crimes, including allegation that he ran a sex-trafficking ring that involved underage girls as young as 14. Multiple women have come forward accusing Epstein of sexual assault and abuse. Prosecutors say that “thousands of sexually suggestive pictures of young women and girls seized […]
Pakistan will create more than 1,000 Courts Dedicated to Tackling Violence Against Women
On Friday June 21st, Chief Justice Asif Saeed Khosa announced that Pakistan will set up more than 1,000 courts dedicated to tackling violence against women in the country. Each court will deal specifically with cases of violence against women in the country to cultivate an environment where women can speak up without fear of repercussions. […]
Saudi Women Continue Finding Ways to Flee Violence
Once again the world is hearing reports of two women fleeing their home of Saudi Arabia, shedding light on the status of women in the country. The two sisters, Wafa and Maha al-Subaie, have fled Saudi Arabia to seek asylum in the country of Georgia. Saudi Arabian citizens do not need entry visas for Georgia, […]
Bipartisan Senators Introduce Legislation on Violence Against Native Women
Today, Senators Lisa Murkowski, Catherine Cortez Masto, and Jon Tester announced bipartisan legislation called the Not Invisible Act to address violence against Native American women and outline a federal strategy to reduce the skyrocketing rates of murdered, missing, and trafficked indigenous women in the United States. The Not Invisible Act would create an advisory committee, […]
President of the Philippines under Fire for Sexist Comments
*********trigger warning: sexual assault and violence************** On Monday, the Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte spoke at an event for the country’s National Women’s Month, that was meant to honor outstanding women in law enforcement and national security, but in his speech, Duterte referred to the women as “crazy” and “bitches” that deprive him of the “freedom” […]
Google and Apple Permit Saudi Arabian Women Surveillance App
Google and Apple are still offering an app on their platforms and in their stores that allows Saudi Arabian men to track and monitor women, despite previous backlash and investigations into violations of human rights and privacy. Absher, which translates to “yes sir,” is an app that lets Saudi Arabian men track and limit where […]
US Border Patrol Agent Indicted on Capital Murder Charge
Juan David Ortiz, A US border patrol agent, was indicted on capital murder charge for killing four women and kidnapping one woman. Ortiz was also indicted on one count of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, one count of unlawful restraint with reckless exposure to serious bodily injury, and evading arrest. His charges make him […]
Russian Official Calls for New Laws to Combat Domestic Violence, Regrets Decriminalization
Today, Russia’s human rights commissioner Tatyana Moskalkova admitted that she regrets Russia’s decision to decriminalize domestic abuse last year and called for new laws to protect women and children from domestic violence. Moskalkova stated today that she “believes that decriminalization was a mistake and we need to adopt a law to combat domestic abuse.” She […]
UN Report Finds Majority of Female Homicide Victims are Killed by Partners or Family
The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime released a report this week that found that more than half of all female homicides were caused by intimate partners or relatives, depicting the home as one of the most dangerous places for women. The report also found that legal efforts to decrease these homicides and protect […]
Puerto Rican Police Pepper Spray Puerto Ricans Protesting Violence Against Women
On Friday, Colectiva Feminista en Construcción, in collaboration with other Puerto Rican Feminist groups, organized a sit-in (un plantón) in front of La Fortaleza, Governor Ricardo Rosselló’s residence, to protest the killing of a woman by her husband, a police officer. During the protests, the Puerto Rican police peppered sprayed the protestors and videos surfaced […]
Harsh Anti-Abortion Laws in El Salvador Criminalize Survivors
On Monday, a criminal trial against Imelda Cortez, a 20-year-old woman charged with attempted murder after she gave birth to her abuser’s baby in El Salvador, began. Cortez has been in custody since April 2017 and may face up to 20 years in jail because doctors believe she attempted an abortion. The court ruling is […]
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Protests against Kavanaugh Continue in the Wake of Sexual Assault Allegations
Capitol Police arrested fifty-six people yesterday on Capitol Hill during a protest against Supreme Court Nominee and alleged abuser, Brett Kavanaugh.
2016 International AIDS Conference Focuses on Access to Treatment
South Africa is hosting the 2016 International AIDS Conference this week, bringing together policy makers, healthcare professionals and persons living with HIV to evaluate the current state of the pandemic and plot a course for moving forward.
Federal Court Rejects Title IX Claim Made By Columbia Student Accused of Sexual Assault
A federal district court judge dismissed a lawsuit on Friday from a former Columbia University student who claimed that the university had violated Title IX by failing to protect him after one of his accusers, Emma Sulkowicz, publicly protested the university’s failure to find him responsible for sexual misconduct.
