Tuesday, September 30, 2008

Homework Week 2

Here's my links for interesting news articles. I know one is another blog, but cross-blogging is like, the new thing, right? Anyways, this way I have local, national, and international covered. It was hard to do without just linking to thinks Sara already has up... she's thorough. Anyways, enjoy:

Austria exhorts UN to take lead in fight to reduce violence against women

Town gets immigration lawyer (see part about immigration and domestic violence.)

A Culture of Violence Against Women: More Than Rape Kits

~Channing

Homework #2

Happy Valley Man Charged with Alleged Sexual Abuse Of A Child: Investigators say the suspect was a long time friend of the victim's family and well acquainted with the 5-year old reported victim in this case.

Unwilling Teenage Wives make Polygamy Child Abuse: Recent cases of child abuse were reported from Utah, the cases of John Daniel Kingston and his brother David O. Kingston. John Daniel Kingston forced his 16-year-old daughter into a both incestuous and polygamous marriage to her uncle, David O. Kingston. She would become his 15th wife. According to the girl, when she tried to escape the relationship her father beat her with a belt and left obvious bruises on her back arms and legs. She said that her father also punched her in the f ace and bloodied her nose. David Kingston received time in prison for sexual abuse and incest.

Cambodian Acid Violence Against Women: it would seem that around 50% of attacks are the consequence of real or perceived extramarital affairs or other aspects of life leading to seeking of revenge. This is an extreme and tragic consequence of men seeking to control women.

Monday, September 15, 2008

Sara's Weekly VAW Reader

In Madison, WI, judges threw out a tape that proved a husband raped his comatose wife because it violated his 4th amendment rights (unreasonable search as seizure). To no surprise there were headlines like: "Court: Cops illegally taped nursing home sex" and "Coma sex gets husband accused of rape." (By the way, the comments on these articles are atrocious.) A comatose person does not have the ability to consent to sex, regardless of the person's marital status. A wedding ring does not give a partner unlimited sexual access to the other. A ring should never imply ownership.

As the Mayor of Wasilla, Alaska, Sarah Palin charged rape victims for their own rape kits, despite the fact that the Democratic Governor in 2000 passed a bill to change that policy. Dorothy Samuels of The New York Times points out that when Joe Biden wrote the Violence Against Women Act (1994), he included provisions that would make states ineligble for federal funds if they made victims pay. And John McCain voted against it....

A CodePink protester at the Democratic National Convention is forcibly knocked to the ground while the police officer clearly states "Back it up, Bitch." (Trigger Warning)

6th defendent admits role in the rape and torture of Megan Williams.

Taliban kills a top female police officer
which is yet another death in a string of murders of women in Afghanistan.

Violence against women impacts growth and health of infants according to a study in Sweden. To some, this finding is obvious, but to other it raises awareness about the range of effects violence can have for the woman and her family.