Welcome to the 112nd edition of The Pixel Project’s VAW e-News Digest!
The relationship between the refugee crisis in Europe and sexual violence emerges again as a series of mass attacks of sexual violence in Cologne, Germany captures global headlines. Following the attacks, Norway’s classes aimed at educating migrants on sexual etiquette and consent have also became worldwide news. In the wake of reactionary xenophobia following the attacks, it is important to remember that refugee women and children are at extremely high risk of sexual violence.
Persistent campaigning by former child brides has led to child marriage declared illegal in Zimbabwe. Gambia has outlawed female circumcision although laws governing women’s attire still exist. China takes its first steps in introducing law directly addressing domestic violence, and the governments of South Korea and Japan are starting to recognise the sexual violence against comfort women in World War 2.
We also highlight some significant civilian actions dedicated to eradicating violence against women from around the world: in the United States the Women’s Club is offering scholarships for survivors of domestic violence, in Kenya a village of women offers protection against domestic violence and rape. Male allies such as the Vice President of the Muay Thai Council and the Programme Director of Plan International Brazil remove the social stigma of men vocally supporting efforts at eradicating violence against women.
Every contribution matters. If you have any news you’d like to share about violence against women, please email The Pixel Project at info@thepixelproject.net. If you prefer to receive up-to-the-minute news concerning violence against women, follow us on Twitter .
It’s time to stop violence against women. Together.
Best regards,
The Pixel Project Team
General Violence Against Women
- EUROPE and SYRIA: UN Women assesses the needs of Syrian women refugees in Serbia and fYR Macedonia
- AFGHANISTAN: Afghan women demand role in peace process
- AUSTRALIA: Editorial – when will the media stop portraying violence against women as ‘crimes of passion’?
- CANADA: Ontario helping northern, remote and rural communities address violence against women
- CZECHOSLOVAKIA: Czechs to sign convention to combat violence against women
- GUATEMALA: After 5000 femicides, Guatemala creates body to tackle crisis
- INDIA: Hackathon to combat violence against women
- NEPAL: Police committed to tackling violence against women
- PAKISTAN: Workplace harassment – Balochistan moves to curb violence against women
- PORTUGAL: State Secretary for Equality wants better measures to tackle sexual violence against women
Domestic Violence
- WORLD: Toxic masculinity, domestic violence, and hockey
- AFRICA: Living in a resource-rich African nation increases odds of domestic violence
- AUSTRALIA: Former Labor leader says domestic violence a ‘coping mechanism’ for men
- CANADA: Aboriginal domestic violence rates much higher than for non-indigenous people
- CHINA: China’s first law against domestic violence – it’s no longer a private matter
- FIJI: Prime Minister calls for fight against domestic violence and sexual abuse
- GUYANA: Eradicating domestic violence requires study of causation – President
- KENYA: Kenya’s women-only villages offer protection from domestic violence and rape
- UNITED KINGDOM: Hidden rise in violent crime driven by growth in violence against women
- UNITED STATES: Woman’s Club offering domestic violence survivor scholarships
Sexual Assault and Rape
- WORLD: Lots of men don’t think rape is rape
- EUROPE: On perilous migrant trail, women often become prey to sexual abuse
- BURUNDI: Activists launch #Burundistoprape campaign amid increasing reports of offence
- CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC: The U.N. says that its peacekeepers were paying 13-year old girls for sex
- GERMANY: As Germany welcomes migrants, sexual attacks in Cologne point to a new reality
- IRAQ: A Yezidi woman who escaped ISIS slavery tells her story
- NORWAY: Inside Norway’s sex education classes for migrants
- RWANDA: Rwanda genocide panel highlights changing stigma of rape
- UNITED KINGDOM: Majority of sexual assaults on the Tube happen during rush hours
- UNITED STATES: Oklahoma City Cop will serve 263 years in prison for serial rape of black women
Sex Trafficking
- SOUTHEAST ASIA: ASEAN should stop human trafficking
- CANADA: Calgary judge hands down sentence in human trafficking case
- CHINA (HONG KONG): Human trafficking in Hong Kong – hidden in plain sight
- IRELAND: Immigrant Council of Ireland helped 31 ‘trafficked women’ last year
- MEXICO: Human trafficking survivor Karla Jacinto shares her story as a sex slave for 11 years
- NEW ZEALAND: Day for developing awareness of human trafficking
- SOUTH KOREA and JAPAN: Human rights justice served as Japan and South Korea address violations against ‘comfort women’
- UKRAINE: Ukraine’s sham – an epidemic of human trafficking
- UNITED STATES: The sex trafficking victim next door
- VIETNAM: Cross-border human trafficking reduced
Female Genital Mutilation
- ETHIOPIA: Ethiopia still far from eradicating FGM
- GAMBIA: Gambia bans female circumcision and then orders women to cover their hair at work
- INDIA: India urged to ban FGM as women break silence on secret ritual
- KENYA: One girl in Kenya finds a safe haven from FGM
- LIBERIA: Female circumcision on the rise in Twah River
- NIGERIA: Despite criminalisation of FGM, practice continues
- NIGERIA and CANADA: Nigerian mom of triplets flees to Winnipeg to avoid FGM
- SUDAN: Sudan’s midwives take on female genital mutilation
- UNITED KINGDOM: Outcry as London’s sole under-18s clinic for female genital mutilation closes
- UNITED STATES: Genital mutilation risk triples in the US, study finds
Forced Marriage and Honour Killing
- CAMEROON: Haunting portraits of girls forced to drop out of school, marry and give birth too young
- GAMBIA: She She She – ‘FGC, Early and Forced Marriage retard socio-economic development for women’
- INDONESIA: Government urged to issue Perppu to end child marriage
- IRELAND: Forced marriage to be made illegal under new category
- KYRGYZSTAN: Kidnapped and forced to marry
- PAKISTAN: Despite minor setback there is still progress on child marriage
- UNITED KINGDOM: Scottish government urged to reconsider criminalisation of forced marriage
- SYRIA: Syria’s ‘lost generation’ of girls
- TANZANIA: Girls struggle to avoid forced marriage, yearn to learn
- ZIMBABWE: Former child brides win case to make child marriage illegal
Activism
- WORLD: 13 portraits show domestic violence survivors will not be defined by abuse
- AFRICA: Local heroes – unsung women of Africa
- BRAZIL: ‘I challenge boys to see girls as equals’
- CANADA: Nathalie Godbout’s letter on domestic violence sparks dialogue
- INDIA: ‘After my garden grows’ – how gardening keeps girls out of child marriage in India
- INDIA and PAKISTAN: Two women are trying to combat gender violence through these murals
- KENYA: The real goal for these cricket-crazy Maasai men? Ending ‘the Cut’
- PAKISTAN: This Pakistani comic book brings the country’s issue of child marriage to light
- THAILAND: Vice President of World Muaythai Council supports the #HeforShe campaign
- UNITED STATES: Title IX – sexual violence awareness for middle and high school children