• Raise awareness about Domestic Violence (DV) and other forms of Violence Against Women (VAW) around the world.
• Raise voices for our global “Wall of Support” YouTube chorus speaking out against VAW.
• Raise funds for The Pixel Project, our partners and participating VAW organisations around the world.

We are leveraging the U.S.’s National Domestic Violence Awareness Month to spread awareness about DV and other forms of VAW in communities worldwide.

How “Paint It Purple” Works

The “Paint It Purple” campaign comprises two initiatives:

1. An Online Social Media Campaign (starting 1 October 2010) to inspire volunteers, partners, supporters, bloggers, friends, family and the global public to help The Pixel Project “paint” the Internet purple (the colour of the VAW and DV cause) through a viral and very visual campaign using twibbons, buttons, banners and blogskins.

• “Paint it Purple” badges, banners, buttons, blogskins and other virtual goodies will be available on the Pixel Project website starting October 1, 2010.

2. An On-the-Ground, Media-Friendly Event – “Paint It Purple” Parties (2 October 2010). “Paint It Purple” Parties will be held by The Pixel Project in conjunction with our partners and any other VAW organisation or grassroots community group who wish to:

• Support the global fight to end DV and all forms of VAW
• Jointly raise funds and awareness for their chosen VAW/DV charity and The Pixel Project.

The “Paint It Purple” party is designed to be an easy-to-organise awareness-raising and fundraising event all rolled into one featuring two core activities:

• Raising advocacy – Getting everyone to record their video endorsements for The Pixel Project’s “Wall of Support” – a global YouTube chorus of people from all walks of life standing up to call for an end to violence against women.
• Raising funds – A global Charity Cupcake Bake Sale featuring special “Paint It Purple” cupcakes

All official parties will be held on 2 October, 2010 at 2:30pm local time.

Private “Paint It Purple” Parties can be hosted and held throughout October 2010.

The virtual “Paint It Purple” Blog Party will be held on 2 October 2010 with participating bloggers posting their “Paint It Purple” blog posts through the day.

Full support is available in the form of media kits, ribbon stencils for the cupcakes, a full organiser’s checklist and a sample programme! (You can even customise your event by adding your own activities.) VAW organisations  who host a party will share in the proceeds from the event.

We currently have parties confirmed in Toronto, Kuala Lumpur, Singapore, Wales (UK) and Denver, CO (USA).

Visit our “Paint It Purple Parties” page for all the details on hosting your own “Paint It Purple” party!

Any further queries? Email the “Paint It Purple” campaign team at PaintItPurple2010@gmail.com.

And be sure to stay tuned to The Pixel Project blog, Twitter feed and Facebook page for more information on this exciting campaign!

There has been an increase in headline news tying sports with domestic violence. In the United Kingdom, many counties are reporting that there was a significant increase in cases reported when the World Cup games were being broadcast in June and July. In the United States, domestic violence charges against professional athletes are being put to the forefront of sport news.

An alarming trend in schools in the United Kingdom should make anyone think seriously about the way we are raising our children nowadays. There has been a significant number of teachers being sexually harassed by their very young students. The youngest case involved a six year-old making sexual remarks to a 49 year-old teacher. Most sexual harassment incidents being reported by schoolteachers involved the threat of rape.

It is encouraging to see how local and national governments all over the world are increasing their efforts to protect women’s rights. But despite all these wonderful efforts, there are still many instances where women are not being provided adequate services and sometimes none at all. In Uganda, women who are made handicapped by armed conflict cannot get proper health care because, in addition to suffering from their injuries, people also see them as monsters to be avoided.

Every contribution matters. If you have any news you’d like to share concerning violence against women, reach Karina at karina.tayag@gmail.com. If you prefer to follow up-to-the-minute news concerning violence against women, follow us on Twitter at http://twitter.com/thepixelproject.

We can stamp out violence against women, together.

Regards,

The Pixel Project Team

_________________________________________________________________________________

General Violence Against Women News
Churches in West Africa Urged Not Condone Gender-Bases Violence
UK Teachers Being Sexually Harassed By Students As Young As Six
Nigeria: Harmful Traditions Against Women
Stopping Violence Against Women Takes a Whole Community
Malaysia: Sisters Doing It For Themselves
Violence Against Women: The Perspective of Academic Women
Stop the “Pornification” of Women
Fashion Collaboration Cancelled Over Scandalous Labels
Indonesia: Commission Screens Films on Discriminatory Bylaws
Sylvester Stallone Won’t Tolerate Violence Against Women
Female Genital Mutilation Rising in London
Canada: Women’s Group Urging Further Probe Into Serial Killer’s Investigation
Maria Bello To Make Documentary of Violence Against Women in Haiti
Philippines: Provincial Government Backs Advocacy for Women and Kids
Uganda: Disability for Women Becomes Barrier
Afghanistan: Man Who Impregnated Widow is Under Taliban Detention
New Mexico: Tragedy Focuses Businesses To Averting Violence At Work
Human Rights Watch Says Women Need More Protection in US Detention
Come Forward To Stop Violence Against Women
Women Gaining More Rights in West Bank
UN Chief Announces Plans To Curb Violence Against Women
Did the “Craiglist Killer” Change Media?

Sports and Domestic Violence
World Cup Attacks Increase In Calderpale
A Double Standard When It Comes to Athletes and Domestic Violence
Portsmouth, UK: World Cup to Blame in Increase in Domestic Violence

Domestic Violence
Using Shakespeare To Combat Domestic Violence
Utah: Event To Benefit Victims of Domestic Violence
Family Urges Victims of Domestic Violence to Take Certain Steps
Rihanna & Eminem on Domestic Abuse
New Jersey: Phone Giant Verizon Offers $150,000 for Domestic Violence Victims
Haitian Forum Addresses Domestic Violence and Trauma
Arizona: Report Cards For Domestic Violence? Brazil: 10 Women Killed Daily As A Result of Domestic Violence
Mel Gibson Domestic Violence Case
New Zealand: Abused Women Asked For Help But Don’t Get It

Rape
China: Taoist Priest Under Probe Over Rape Claim
New Jersey: Suspect Denies Gang Rape of Seven Year-Old
Texas: Man Executed Over Gang Rape and Murder of Two Teens
Tennessee: Three Teens Charged With Toddler Rape
Greece: Man Seized in Mountain Hideout for Rape of Four British Women
Congo Rape: What Should We Do Now?
USA: Rape Kits Not Being Tested By Crime Labs
Congo: Army Needs Help To Stop Mass Rape
UK: Former Police Charged With Rape On-Duty

Sex/Human Trafficking
UK: Nicholas Kristof of the New York Times and Co-Author Interviewed on Book on Women Slavery
Indonesia: Government Urged Not To Forget Sex Slaves
Nigerian Women Sold a Dream of Migration But Ended Up in Hell
Rape Victims Applaud Stieg Larsons’ Film

Dowry Death
India: Man Arrested For Dowry Harassment After Wife’s Death
Housewife Beaten Over Dowry

They are the on-the-ground aid workers and peacekeepers.

They are the advocacy and campaigning groups.

They are the medical professionals of every level.

They are the researchers, scientists, teachers and mentors.

They are the priests, monks, nuns working amongst the people in the field.

They are the volunteers, professionals and vocationals.

They are white-collar, blue-collar, no collar.

They work to broker peace, eradicate disease, purge hunger and end violence against women (sometimes, at the cost of their own lives).

This UN-sponsored YouTube Public Service Announcement shows all this beautifully (please take 5 minutes of your time today to just watch this video):

In a world where many human rights causes (including Violence Against Women) are still seen as a taboo…

In a world where many human rights causes (including Violence Against Women) are still seen as a non-issue…

In a world where many human rights causes (including Violence Against Women) are still seen as “not my problem”…

We would like to thank:

• All our volunteers for donating so much of your time and skills to stand together with us to try to end violence against women worldwide (even if it seems too vast, too futile or too deranged a goal).
• All our partners for all their many decades of hard work to end the cause and their open arms in welcoming The Pixel Project (while we are still in our infancy) to the cause.
• All our supporters, many of whom are survivors who lived to tell the tale and to advocate and campaign against violence against women so other women and girls would not face this in their future.
• All our male supporters who very bravely stepped up to say: “Enough is enough” to the violence against the women in their lives and around the world.
• All our fellow humanitarian workers worldwide who exhibit grace under pressure to face down atrocities, heal wounds of all kinds, rebuild lives and livelihoods and speak up for those who can’t speak for themselves even in the face of violence.

Thank you all for being who you are, for being there, for supporting us in our humanitarian cause to end violence against women.

We quote:

“If to be feelingly alive to the sufferings of my fellow-creatures is to be a fanatic, I am one of the most incurable fanatics ever permitted to be at large.”

- William Wilberforce, Humanitarian and Abolitionist, 1759 – 1833

We wish all of you “Happy Humanitarian Day 2010″ and as per William Wilberforce’s quote, let us continue to be “incurable fanatics… at large” together.

It’s time to end violence against women. Together.

- Regina Yau, Founder and President – The Pixel Project

The world has made some progress in protecting women’s rights but violence against women is still increasing. Time magazine has put an 18-year-old Afghan girl Aisha with her disfigured nose on the cover of the August 9, 2010 issue. The image’s main purpose was to point out the debate over the United States’ occupation of Afghanistan but it has evolved into a general symbol for women’s rights.

On the issue of female genital mutilation, Mali has 400 villages that have stopped the practice and an American surgeon is reconstructing in women what has been misshapen by circumcision. Sex trafficking awareness is increasing with American actress Susan Sarandon campaigning against it and British actress Emma Thompson sponsoring a play that focuses on the issue in Scotland.

There is a disappointing increase in the abuse of women but there are also some optimistic developments that can be celebrated in the protection of women’s rights. To end this maltreatment of women, the world must first see that men and women are equal. Only then will women be given rights and opportunities equal to their male counterparts in education, the workplace and the home.

Every contribution matters. If you have any news you’d like to share concerning violence against women, reach Karina at karina.tayag@gmail.com. If you prefer to follow up-to-the-minute news concerning violence against women, follow us on Twitter at http://twitter.com/thepixelproject.

We can stamp out violence against women, together.

Regards,

The Pixel Project Team

General Violence Against Women News

Lessons from Aisha – A Teachable Moment about Standing Up to End Violence Against Women

India: Latest figures on Violence Against Women in Sindh released by the Aurat Foundation should be more than just a reminder of abuse

Sudan: Activists denounce parliament’s call to introduce stoning for adulterous women

US programme to help Namibia tackle gender-based violence

Pakistan Introduces a New Bill to Reduce Acid Attack incidents

Public Shaming Incident Under Investigation in India

Africa: Women’s Rights – Mobilisation and Implementation

SADC women representation dwindling

South African Struggle Is Not Over Yet

Women’s lot in Togo is hard labour and few rights

Cultural Values Against Female
Hinder Education In Kenya

India: Violence Against Women Going Down?

The Hollow Language of Women Empowerment in India

Violence Against Women: Highest Number Reported in Punjab

Domestic Violence

Financial Stress Linked to Domestic Violence

Whoopi Goldberg Scolded Over Domestic Violence Comment

Toronto: Scarce Housing Mainly Goes to Abuse Victims

UK Domestic Violence Charity Gets Cash Boost

Funds available for GPS monitoring of domestic violence offenders

Asylum Granted to Mexican Woman in Case Setting Standard on Domestic Abuse

Sex/Human Trafficking

California Bill Add Penalties to Human Trafficking

UK Human Rights Group Slam Sentences Given to Sex Traffickers

Human Trafficking Awareness Walk in Sacramento, CA

UK CPS launches consultation on human trafficking public policy

Stars Lend Support to Child Sex Trafficking Campaign

Edinburgh Show Tackles Sex Trade

Susan Sarandon’s Child Sex Trafficking Crusade

Craiglist Respond to Sex Ad Accusations

Women Brainwashed Into Life of Prostitution

Rugby World Cup is Magnet to Sex Traffickers

Honour Killings

Only 10 per cent of Pakistan Law Enforcers of Honour Killing Laws

Ashtiani outrage spurs Iran to commute stoning sentences to hanging

Honour Killings in the UK

Female Genital Mutilation

Miss Africa USA to Raise Awareness about Female Genital Mutilation

Girls in Cameroon Face Mutilation For Protection’s Sake

U.S. surgeon starts giving circumcized African women their lives back

In this post we are highlighting the work of a remarkable woman, Betty Makoni, and the organisation she founded, Girl Child Network.

Ms. Makoni is a Zimbabwean child rape survivor who decided in 1998 to establish an organisation to champion the rights of girls and help them learn about their rights and how to defend them. The Girl Child Network (GCN) has established hundreds of girls’ clubs around Zimbabwe, a country where girls are extremely vulnerable to sexual abuse because of the prevailing myth that virgins can cure HIV/AIDS.

In addition to advocating for girls, GCN also offers them support and assistance when they are abused. The organisation has built several empowerment villages to provide a safe place for girls to heal from abuse. By offering girls legal, medical, and educational services, these villages “help to transform girl victims into survivors and leaders”. (http://girlchildnetworkworldwide.org/Programs.html)

GCN has also created a Girls Empowerment and Education Fund (GEEF) to respond to crises that affect girls. This program provides small grants that go directly to girls for GCN clubs and self-help projects. GEEF is currently in a fundraising campaign to raise US$3 million for initiatives that help a girl earn an income, pay school fees, start a girls’ club or fund its activities, and provide emergency support for girls who find themselves in violent situations.

An estimated 60,000 girls are members of GCN Zimbabwe. Ms. Makoni has shared GCN’s empowerment model with other countries, including Ethiopia, Swaziland, Malwai, and South Africa. In 2009, Ms. Makoni created Girl Child Network Worldwide (GCNW), based in the UK. There are now GCNW chapters in six countries—Uganda, Zimbabwe, Swaziland, South Africa, Canada, the USA and the UK.

In December of 2009, Betty Makoni was given a CNN Heroes award. To view the video about her nomination, visit http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/living/2009/06/04/cnnheroes.betty.makoni.profile.cnn?iref=allsearch.

Additional media about Betty Makoni and GCN can be found on the Media page of the GCN website.

We encourage all readers of our blog to visit the GCN site and learn more about the work they are doing to transform the lives of vulnerable girls around the world.