Welcome to the 59th edition of The Pixel Project’s VAW e-News Digest.
A Maldives court sentence on a 15-year old girl ignites debate on floggings, fresh protests have erupted in New Delhi over the alleged rape of a 7-year old girl in a public school, and a photojournalist became an accidental witness to an incident of domestic violence that became part of a powerful photo essay in TIME’s website. These are just some of the events related to violence against women that have captured the world’s attention over the past two weeks.
We also highlight the work of individuals who seek to eradicate violence against women. On The Huffington Post, Philip Martin posts a five-part series on human trafficking (particularly sex trafficking) that provides an in-depth look at sex trafficking across international borders. In Malaysia, a survivor of an attempted rape designs a mobile phone app that allows victims of abduction to be traced via GPS.
Our most encouraging news this week comes from India, where, in an effort to reduce the stigma of birthing girl children, a doctor offers waivers for maternity fees if the mother gives birth to a girl.
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 News
- WORLD – From 4th to 15th March, various people will be gathering at the United Nations 57th session of the Commission on the Status of Women
- BANGLADESH – Bangladesh raises voice to end violence against women
- INDIA – Fresh Delhi protests due to sexual assault of a seven-year old at school
- LIBERIA – Liberia vows to end violence against women
- MALDIVES – 15-year old girl sentenced to 100 lashes for fornication
- SOUTH AFRICA – Op-ed on the Pistorius case
- SOUTH AFRICA – High profile cases highlight the ugly truth about violence against women
- UNITED STATES – House Republicans vote to renew Violence Against Women Act in surprising about-turn
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
Domestic Violence
- CHINA – Death sentence highlights case of domestic violence in China
- IRELAND – Domestic violence victims turned away 2537 times in 2011 from overcrowded refuges
- JAMAICA – Jamaicans urged not to ignore domestic violence
- RUSSIA – The silent nightmare of domestic violence in Russia
- UNITED STATES – Vivid photo essay capturing incidences of domestic violence stirs backlash, photographer responds
- UNITED STATES – Aforementioned photo essay, ‘Photographer as witness: a portrait of domestic violence’.
- UN ITED STATES – Domestic violence among the wealthy hides behind veil of silence
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
Rape / Sexual Assault
- CAMBODIA – UN official welcomes genocide court’s decision to prosecute rape
- INDIA – Three boys, all below the age of 10, accused of raping a 7-year old girl
- INDIA – Rape in Bhandara: mother of three minor girls who were raped and murdered threatens to return the compensation of Rs 10 lakh and protest if police fail to arrest the culprits in two days
- INDIA – Violent protests in Delhi over minor’s rape
- MALDIVES – Government to appeal flogging of rape victim
- UNITED STATES – Fund for New Orleans rape survivor set to help others in city
- UNITED STATES – Kansas moves towards removing time limit for rape prosecution
- UNITED STATES – Colorado congress passes Bennet Bill to cut lags in rape kit analysis
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
Sex Trafficking
- WORLD – Huffington Post special on the underground human trade (includes sex trafficking). Link points to part one. Included here are links to part two, three, four and five.
- AUSTRALIA – Asian ‘madams’ the new face of sex trafficking
- AUSTRALIA – Brothels rorting student visas to secure Asian workers
- CANADA – Canada’s dirty little secret: the buying and selling of our youth
- UNITED STATES – US sex trafficking victims are mostly American kids
- UNITED STATES – Human sex trafficking in Houston’s spotlight
- YEMEN – Slaves and slavery – Yemen needs to turn the corner
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
Forced Marriage and Honour Killing
- AUSTRALIA – New laws to clamp down on forced labour and forced marriage
- CAMBODIA – Tribunal to look into cases of forced marriage that happened under the Khmer Rouge
- CHINA / MYANMAR – The Burmese brides trafficked into China to marry total strangers
- INDIA – Author and activist speaks out against honour killing
- ISRAEL / PALESTINE – “I saw death” – the lives of Arab women forced into marriage
- NEPAL – Couple foils forced marriage attempt
- UNITED KINGDOM – Banaz Mahmod’s love story to look at honour killings in the UK
- UNITED KINGDOM – Survivor of forced marriage to share her story in Tower Hamlets
- UNITED KINGDOM – Campaign against forced marriage targets South Asian residents
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
Female Genital Mutilation
- EUROPE – Meeting on female genital mutiliation – by the European Institute for Gender Equality
- AUSTRALIA – Couple who took their child to Bali for female genital mutilation to stand trial
- BURKINA FASO – Film festival to include ‘The Cut’, a film on female genital mutilation
- UGANDA – The fight against female genital mutilation is everyone’s responsibility
- UGANDA – Campaign against female genital mutilation gaining ground support, results
- UNITED KINGDOM – To stop female genital mutilation in the UK, follow (and invest) the money
- UNITED KINGDOM – Behavioral change is best solution to female genital mutilation
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
Activism
- GENERAL – Humanitarian Sally Armstrong examines oppression of women in new book
- CANADA – Powerful play sheds light on domestic violence, raises funds
- INDIA – To fight social biases and prejudices against girl children, Dr Ganesh Rash waives maternity fees if the child delivered is a girl
- INDIA – Student returns from India with resolve to help
- NEPAL – The Right to Information (RTI) act can be used to curb crimes against women
- MALAYSIA – Survivor of attempted rape creates mobile phone personal safety app ‘Watch Over Me’
- THE PHILIPPINES – One Billion Rising described as a definitive advance for women
- UNITED KINGDOM – Trust set up to take on forced marriage
- UNITED STATES – ‘Girl Rising’ film to showcase power of education to change the world