Welcome to the WomanStats Blog!
The WomanStats Blog is an offshoot of the WomanStats Project. This project, begun in 2001, has both a research and a database component. Our research explores the linkage between the security of women and the security of states and the international system. To that end, we have constructed the largest compilation of information on women in the world: over 290 variables for 174 countries. The WomanStats Database is freely accessible online; click on our homepage link above. The purpose of creating a WomanStats blog was to allow project personnel to bring to the attention of readers interesting (and sometimes appalling) facts concerning women, and also to allow them to reflect upon their experiences extracting data for the project. Use the links to the right to access our RSS feed, sign up for email updates, and add our feed to your site. Other functions on site include search, comments, and ShareThis. The posts below are for 2009 and are listed newest to oldest, and we have archives and categories links to the right to assist you in finding particular posts. Enjoy!
Yeah, Yeah . . . Leave the Women and Kids
Thirty-five articles into my theory class and we finally read one that deals with women and children! But please, hold the applause… It explains that aid workers should not evacuate women and children first in crisis/war situations. Now that’s refreshing! Yes, please, let’s make life a bit harder for those women. The logic of course was that adult males were more vulnerable and more likely to be killed in war ravaged areas because they would appear as a threat. Thus, they should be evacuated first as they had more to lose, the women after all would probably only be raped not killed, well maybe…but at least initially they would just be raped.
Am I reading this right? This is a woman author?
Well, thank you Ms. Carpenter for this prolific contribution to the world of academia, now we have a woman publishing an article about how rape isn’t so bad and that we should yet again put those men to the top of the list to help. Well, forgive me, but I had a few things to say about this in my predominantly male class. So I asked the question, why is death the ultimate vulnerability? And how can the author say that these women who were raped did not die in every way except physically? The responses were interesting to say the least, but there are two that I found most memorable. The first comment: rape cannot be used to define vulnerability because men cannot be raped! Setting aside that in reality this is not true, the deeper question I need answered is why men must feel that we can only define things in terms of what they are familiar with. Second, another person in my class pointed out that the men in this study were being killed, they had no choice about their death, but the raped women could use their agency in deciding whether or not to kill themselves after the fact…they got to choose whether to commit suicide! So my second question is when did the agency to take your own life become superior to another person taking your life? And aren’t lives being taken in any way just bad? Why do we feel this need to categorize levels of badness?
I for one am grateful that the aid workers who are saddled with such a terribly difficult choice opt to evacuate the women and children first. I am grateful that we are not so focused on the present that we lose sight of preserving our future too. I do not envy the choice they have to make, but I am grateful, so very grateful, that in this one thing, they see what I do, that preserving life is not about who lives and dies, but preserving the decency of a life worth living. In the end, the dead move to a new phase of existence, but those left to live had better feel they have a great deal to live for. Taking away the will to live is far more corrosive than progressing on to the next phase. Certainly that is just my opinion, but if the world says we have to level on the issue, that is where I stand.
Posted by RB on 30 June 2009; Women (General); Thinking About Men
Authority-Sanctioned Abuse of Women's Sexuality: Cyprus
So many of the major problems affecting women worldwide are related to the authority-sanctioned abuse of a woman’s ability to control her body and sexuality. This abuse is often the result of government officials’ greed and pressure from outside economic interests. This issue is typified in the sex traffic trade in Cyprus.
In Cyprus, while the government has passed some laws to discourage sex trafficking, it has also either not enforced the laws, or has made laws that make it easier for sex traffickers to import women. For example, the issuance of “artiste” and “entertainment visas” to female immigrants contributes to the ease with which women are trafficked from Europe and Asia through Cyprus and into the Middle East. These laws stem from the attitudes of those who are elected. According to the Mediterranean Institute of Gender Studies’ report “Mapping the Realities of Trafficking in Women for the purpose of sexual exploitation in Cyprus,” the former Minister of Justice, Doros Theodorou stated that “The dream of 45% of women is to become prostitutes.” He purported that “the Commissioner for Administration’s conclusion that the majority of women were blackmailed and forced to provide sexual services simply didn’t stand.” He made these statements in defense of his claim that many women brought to Cyprus as ‘artistes’ willfully engaged in prostitution and therefore there was no need to change the laws concerning work visas. This claim is clearly connected to the millions of dollars worth of sex trade money brought to Cyprus each year.
This justification of sexual violence against women by a government official is representative of the corruption of government officials who turn a blind eye to women who are powerless victims of exploiters. If the culture of a country is to change, the attitudes of those who represent the country must change. Women will continue to loose control of their sexuality as long as the government is more interested in economic growth than protecting basic human rights.
Posted by CJ on 25 June 2009; Women (General); Insane Laws
Gender, Education, and Wages
I was talking to my friend the other day about her plans after graduation. She told me that she intends to return home to Venezuela. She asked me if I thought it would be hard to get a job. We discussed a few things like the economy and the level of education a person has. She went on to say, “Especially since we are women.” I was shocked. Not that it is true, but that it had not even occurred to me. I read articles about the status of women in other countries, but neglect to research the same issues within the United States. I came home and started looking for more information.
I came across a brief article, Women Hogging Diplomas (http://economix.blogs. nytimes.com/2009/06/04/women-hogging-diplomas/?scp=1&sq=gender%20inequality&st=cse), concerning the increasing number of women pursuing degrees in comparison to the number of men. Now don’t get me wrong, I think it is wonderful that women are getting an education and pursuing higher degrees. I do not, however, think it is ok for women to pursue these degrees because it is the only way they can compete with their male counterparts. The article, written by a woman, implies that by “hogging” diplomas, women are selfishly taking more than their share. Women deserve as many degrees as men. If they chose to, men could have just as many degrees as women. Perhaps the reason that they don’t pursue higher levels of education is because they don’t need to. If men are able to obtain the same job at a higher salary than a woman without all of the education, why do it? Why do women have to go to through more schooling to attain the same career opportunities as men?
My research brought me to another article, Washington’s Working Women: Not Equal Yet (http://www.eoionline.org/state_economy/reports/WA_Working_Women-Mar09.pdf). While this is just one state, it still says something about the situation of American women. The most recent data (for 2007) showed that on average, men earned $4, 596.75 per month, while women only earned $2, 924.00. Further data shows that from the ages of 19-65, men consistently earn higher monthly earnings than women.
This is the United States. This country has declared that all men are created equal. It is time that we live up to that. Women should have the same wages and job opportunities as men.
Posted by KA on 23 June 2009; Numbers; Even in America; Education, Please
Pro-Choice in Birth
Last semester I took a women's health course where students had the privilege of reading an educational book regarding issues related to women's health. I selected a booked entitled Pushed: The painful truths about childbirth and modern maternity care, by Jennifer Block. This intriguing book dramatically describes hospital births gone bad and complicated home or doula births gone smooth. Though potentially biased, Pushed provided an important analysis of the hyper-medicalized birthing process and raised questions that most healthcare providers and seekers fail to address.
I would like to focus in on an abstract issue that Block addressed in her investigation: pro- choice. Today women are supposedly given protection and freedom to choose what does and does not happen to their bodies. Thanks to Roe v. Wade this principle of self-governance has the strongest association with abortion rights, possibly because this is the most controversial and heated debate surrounding women's choice. The point that Block argues is that there are so many essential rights granted under women's choice that all women should support the rights to their body. Basically, women can be morally opposed to abortion but support pro-choice because without abortion rights women loose other necessary rights. For example, "Many illegal home-birth mid-wives, even those who are vehemently opposed to abortion, defend their criminal activity in terms of protecting women's choices." A woman's right to give birth where she wants under the conditions she claims are best for her child is fundamentally her choice. To forfeit women's choices because of the legality of abortion hands all control to healthcare providers. Women have the right and obligation to take control of their birthing process, to monitor and have control over medical intervention, and these rights seem to be a package deal accompanied by pro-choice.
I am personally morally opposed to abortion. I maintain a pro-life perspective and find abortion to be, in most cases, a selfish and horrific act. It is, however, necessary to provide that choice to women. If not, we enter a world where women seeking abortion are in danger of the law and medical abuse- similar to women seeking home births today. Collectively and individually women need to better understand the privilege it is to govern their body and what implications such rights, or lack thereof, present. At that point we begin to defend what we are more in tune with than any physician--our bodies.
Posted by ALA on 18 June 2009; Maternity Matters; Even in America
Breast for Baby
The other day I walked into a “pulpería” (a really small store) in Tegucigalpa, Honduras, where I am currently on a three month internship. I chose what I was going to buy, walked up to the counter… and then purchased it, helped by a woman who had casually laid both breast and breastfeeding baby on the counter as she worked the till. This was not an isolated occurrence, either; I have seen mothers breastfeeding their babies in church, in school, in the Career Resource Center where I work and even, once, in the middle of the street while simultaneously holding what appeared to be a very pleasant conversation with a man. There are never any cover-ups. There is never any hiding in a corner, and never any shame.
It is so… refreshing. I am not necessarily advocating the free breast-baring, which certainly is not for everyone and at times probably not all that appropriate (Sunday School?). I’m sure there is a happy medium between baring all, anywhere, and being too worried about covering up at the expense of a baby’s needs. Yet each and every time I see one of these women doing what is best for her baby, no matter what the effort and cost to her plans, her schedule and her sleeping patterns, it just makes me so happy. And if this means a few more breast-sightings than I’m used to… I’m really ok with it.
Posted by VN on 17 June 2009; Positive Change; Maternity Matters
Breasts Uncovered
As I was researching breast cancer one day on the internet, I came across a curious website that I found to be very interesting. It’s called “007 Breasts” (www.007b.com). In a short paragraph, the website explains its purpose: “The number 007 (read as ‘double-oh-seven’) is normally connected with the thought of intelligence work and spies. Here at 007b.com the 'B' doesn't stand for "Bond" but for BREASTS. Our goal is to get people to use their intelligence, so as not to fall prey to the typical ‘007 - James Bond’ type of thinking, which is so prevalent in many countries of our world today.” In other words, it’s a site that demonstrates the importance of understanding breasts in their true light so as not to be deceived by culture and the media, which so often (and so easily) skew our perception of breasts (and if you haven’t noticed just how skewed, take a look at the blog for May 25 of this year, “The Sexualization of American Girls”).
The website appears to have been created by a group of women who got sick of people mistaking the purpose of breasts, and did something about it. I admire them for that. From breastfeeding to breast health to body image, the website has a variety of topics that explore a fairly taboo and misunderstood subject. The part of the website I most appreciated was the gallery, where women (and even some men) have posted bust shots of themselves anonymously, volunteering information about their ethnicity, age, weight, genes, thoughts of their own breasts, etc. as they desired. Page after page, normal, non-sexual breasts are carefully documented, proving the point that there is “enormous variation in what is normal”—that breasts come in all shapes, sizes, and colors. The truth is I was fascinated. I had no idea there was such variation. I wished that every woman—especially younger girls who are curious or confused about the changes in their own bodies—could see this website. Some women’s remarks on the site are statements of assurance, while others write of how ashamed they have always been of their breasts. However, some of the best remarks are those from women who explained how they, after viewing the website, found comfort and confidence in how normal their breasts are. That is what I call progress.
Since running into the website, I have shared it with various friends of mine. Some find the site intriguing, as I did, and have been appreciative of the information. But others seem to question my sanity: “You were looking at pages of what on the computer?!” I wonder if it’s possible that they have honestly never been at least a little curious about their own breast appearance. Anyhow, I send out a big KUDOS to those who have created and contributed to the 007b website!
Posted by ASF on 15 June 2009; Positive Change; Education, Please
The Will and the Way
One thing that is important for governments to consider is the vast gap that comes between policy setting and policy implementation. At the same time, it is important for the individual to realize this gap that comes between theory and action, and recognize the power and ability they have to create change.
In reading so many CEDAW reports being a coder with the WomanStats Project, it is obvious that there are people in each country across the world that want change to happen. They recognize that there are problems within their societies and sincerely wish for a good solution. However, those who are empowered may not share those ideals or have a willingness to enforce them, meaning that their policy agendas are filled with political fluff meant to patronize people for a time and continue with the status quo. Unfortunately, there are also individuals who think like this as well--theorize, deliberate, discuss solutions, but let it all remain a thought.
It is the responsibility of both citizens and governments to realize this gap and mend it. There are two ways to do this: first, develop a will, second, develop a way.
There are many ways that countries and individuals alike have tried to inspire a will to change. If you do a search on the Woman Stats database for the ways governments have worked with NGOs in their countries (NGOFW-PRACTICE-1), you will see the numerous ways governments and NGOs have worked together, almost in every case holding awareness meetings for the public to teach them about women's issues and health. In all the last three CEDAWS I have done - Guatemala, Ethiopia, and Finland, each country has used the media to spread information, trained various workers to be aware of the needs of women, and generally tried to help others realize the importance in all aspects of society it is to pay attention to women and their issues. On an individual basis, grassroots organizations hoping to increase literacy rates and health knowledge to the public. In Guatemala, there is a program to teach children to teach their mothers to read. Religious organizations in Finland have adopted gender quotas to encourage women to become religious leaders. In Afghanistan, the Ministry of Women's Affairs is making women's shelters more acceptable and known about through informing the public about the problems with physical abuse.
In first world countries, we are so unimaginably blessed with rights and freedom and prosperity. It is the responsibility for those of us in that position to refocus our priorities on what really matters: helping elevate others. In 2003, Representative Frank Wolf "berated the media for failing to cover humanitarian issues such as sex trafficking. 'When I look at the coverage media has given to 'Joe Millionaire' and 'The Bachelor' and 'Bachelorette' and other stupid shows, and how little they've given to starving people and the people in Africa today who are dying of HIV and AIDS, I say the media on this issue gets a big, fat F.'" (http://www.unwire.org/unwire/20030224/32207_story.asp). If more people stepped back and realized the uselessness of gluttonous entertainment and opened their eyes to the trials of others, much more would get done in the world. You say you want world peace? Turn off the TV and start really getting informed. Create in yourself the will to create change, and help inspire that same desire in others.
The next step is to understand what you can do and how you can do it, which quite often is the most difficult part of the process. I can sit all day wishing that I was in Ethiopia armed to the teeth so I could protect girls from being assaulted and raped on their way to school. Realistically, that is not something I can do. It is not my role. I can wish I were in Bangladesh slapping men who beat their daughters and sell them as property, but quite honestly, they're not going to be too intimidated by a pregnant, angry white lady. Each person must realize their options from the position that life has given them. Each government must do the same.
When implementing change, remember to act first on the sphere you have most influence in--your own circle of peers, your own community. Inform and inspire other people about problems. Form a support group. Help each person to become motivated to create that change and inspire others. From this one step alone you can create huge tidal waves of impact in your area, and have a lot more power to do more. Your next step is to get involved with other organizations that address the issue you're interested in. 99% of the time there are other people out there who are interested in solving the same problems you do, and most likely have good ideas on what you can do. As you get involved yourself and have the backbone to motivate others as well, you will notice the fruits of your efforts grow, slowly at first, then explode. If you want to do something with the life you have been given, if you want to make a change in the lives of others that are suffering, if you want to inspire others to become actively involved in making the world a better place, develop a will and develop a way. Realize your potential as an individual; those who do are the real heroes of this world.
Posted by GDK on 8 June 2009; Positive Change
Femicide
I read an article this week published close to twenty years ago in Ms. Magazine. The article introduced the concept of “Femicide,” the idea that women are killed solely on the basis of them being female. Essentially, it is terrorism aimed at females. As I read the article, the authors reported a succession of terrible atrocities women in the United States had suffered in the early nineties. Tears filled my eyes as I read about the mistreatment of so many in our human family. Some of the violence explained had never even occurred to me. I was awed at the total disregard for life. It was so upsetting to me in fact that I stopped reading it altogether; I was simply too depressed about lack of humanity in our species.
But, as I sat contemplating the events related in this article, I gathered my composure and worked up the compunction to finish. The parting words of the authors were, “A femicidal culture is one in which the male is worshipped. This worship is obtained through tyranny, subtle and overt, over our bruised minds, our battered and dead bodies, and our co-optation into supporting even batterers, rapists, and killers. "Basically, I worshipped him," said Hedda Nussbaum. "We do not worship them...we do not trust them," wrote Alice Walker. In a myriad of ways, let us refuse nurture, solace, support, and approval. Let us withdraw our worship” (Caputi and Russell 1990).
The finish was even more depressing than the start. This is a call to hatred. But, I am grateful for the insight it gave me into the war between the genders so popular in today’s society. Hate will never bring a solution to the problem. Further, a simple tolerance for the other gender will never bring a solution to the problem. Mutual respect must be the solution. I am sad for those that feel they have lost the fight by seeing ‘good’ in the enemy. There would be no fight if both genders could be seen as equally good. To refuse nurture, solace, support, and approval sounds very much like refusing all that separates our species from others in the animal kingdom, but I suppose that viewing the opposite gender as animals or beasts necessitates that our gender must fall in that category as well from time to time. The way to win the fight is not to become what is expected but to help others expect what we in the human family can become. The solution will come in approaching both genders with respect and love.
Posted by RB on 6 June 2009; Coping Strategies; Thinking About Men
Grbavica
Currently much of my work within the WomanStats project deals with countries of Eastern Europe. During my research into the area, I came across a news article about the film, Grbavica, which article made reference to a recent protest about the film within the capital of Serbia, Belgrade. The movie portrays Esma (Mirjana Karanovic), a Bosnian woman who lives in the area of Sarajevo called Grbavica. Esma was the victim of repeated gang rapes during the Balkan war and became pregnant with her daughter Sara. The rapes have left hidden scars upon her life; for example, she visits mandatory group support meetings, but refuses to express her feelings. Now as Sara approaches her end-of-school trip, Esma is forced to take a job at a local bar in order to pay for the trip. During Esma’s time working, she is constantly reminded of the horrors she went through as the soldiers from the base come to enjoy the party life with the local women. Even though the truth is never told, the audience can feel the pain and the confusion of Esma as she struggles with daily interactions with her relationships with men. She fears all relationships with men, and with women she constantly feels judged and different. All the while, Sara begins to also have trouble in school as her classmates make fun of her rebellious behavior and lack of father. The constant tension of the truth comes to fruition as Sara demands to know the identity of her father to end what she feels is a lack of love from her mother. The result is the violent confession of Esma and the outpouring of tears as she finally tells her story of the daily and multiple rapes; however, she tells of how she found happiness in loving the child she had given birth to. In a beautiful performance, Mrijana Karanovic expresses the pain that comes from a moment of force and violence on another can last well into a lifetime, but the joy that comes from loving that which is divine…life.
The article I read dealt with the protesting of the film within Serbia, due to the fact that Serbia authorized the use of rape as a tool of war during the Balkan War. Many within Serbia expressed disgust with a Serbian woman, Mirjana Karanovic, portraying such a role. After viewing the film, I believe the film is not about the countless acts of rape in the past, but rather one woman’s struggle to love a child she felt was not hers. I highly recommend this movie to anyone. http://www.truveo.com/Bosnian-rape-film-shown-in-Serbia/id/3180669434# Title: Grbavica (2006) Director: Jasmila Zbanic
Posted by MGH on 28 May 2009; Women (General)
The Sexualization of American Girls
Like me, you may not have noticed, but females are increasingly absent from the movies we watch. Of the 4,000 characters in the 101 top-grossing G-rated films from 1990 to 2004, 75% overall were male, 83% of characters in crowds were male, 83% of narrators were male, and 72% of speaking characters were male. As pointed out by the researchers of this study, "this gross under representation of women or girls in films with family-friendly content reflects a missed opportunity to present a broad spectrum of girls and women in roles that are nonsexualized.
I came across this alarming study while reading the American Psychological Association’s Report on the ‘Sexualization of Girls’ (http://www.apa.org/pi/wpo/sexualizationrep.pdf). I highly recommend this recent publication which covers a broad range of influences leading to the sexualization of American girls, including: toys, clothing, advertisements, movies, magazines, sitcoms, pornography, and beauty practices.
Here are some of the report's points that stuck out to me:
- Our multi-billion-dollar beauty industry boasts: a tripling (from 2002 to 2003) in the number of girls 18 and younger who got breast implants (from 3,872 to 11,326); for older women the stats include: a 388% increase in botox injections (from three quarters of a million to almost 4 million annually), a 115% increase in tummy tucks (from 62,713 to 134,746 annually), a 283% increase in buttock lifts (from 1,356 to 5,193 annually), and a 3,413% and 4,101% increase repectively in upper arm and lower body lifts.
-The blurring of ages among females, revealed in advertisements and the toy and clothing industries. Some examples include: dolls wearing black leather mini skirts, thongs for 7-11 year old girls, and advertisements with adult women in pigtails and kneehighs, provocatively posed. Could such trends be responsible for our nation's increasing desensitization toward promiscuity? sexist paradigms? childhood pornography?
- Studies show that higher-level thinking skills in women are impaired by their self-perception of sexual objectification. One such study assigned girls to wear either a sweater or a swimsuit, and while they sat alone in a changing room they took a math test. The results showed that young women in swimsuits performed significantly worse on math problems than the sweater-wearers. No differences, however, were found in men. Could our society's sexualization of girls be responsible for the high numbers of girls who drop out of upper-division math and science courses? These numerous studies seem to say yes.
-This objectification is not just harmful to women. The report states, "Exposure to narrow ideals of female sexual attractiveness may make it difficult for some men to find an “acceptable” partner or to fully enjoy intimacy with a female partner." One particular study reporteds that, "Across several studies, women and men exposed to sexually objectifying images of women from mainstream media (e.g., R-rated films, magazine advertisements, music videos) were found to be significantly more accepting of rape myths (e.g., the belief that women invite rape by engaging in certain behaviors), sexual harassment, sex role stereotypes, interpersonal violence, and adversarial sexual beliefs about relationships than were those in control conditions,"
The APA's report thankfully assures us that we can rise about the degrading influence of media. Research shows marked success in teaching media literacy skills to children and adolecents. Kids who learn to see through the prevelance of the media's gender-lies are more skeptical about the realism of images, are less likely to internalize the "beauty ideal," and are less likely to hold stereotypical gender views. In addition, athletics and extracurricular activities can increase a child's selfesteem, and give her an opportunity to build a self-concept based on what she can do rather than how she looks. Other important influences include parents (especially parents voicing ideas of media literacy while co-viewing media with their children), religion, spirituality, alternative media sources, and encouraged activism. We need not be passive consumers, subconsiously swayed by all we see and hear!
Posted by AML on 25 May 2009; Even in America
Changing Diapers and Other "Guy" Things
Recently I was walking with a friend near an empty grass field. The field was full of abandoned cars and other junk. I commented to the friend, who is a boy, that the air smelled like shotgun smoke. He turned to me, surprised, and asked me how I knew what shotguns smelled like. I am from Idaho and I think people there just know such things, but I asked him why he was surprised. He said he thought it was cool when girls knew “guy things.” I immediately got defensive, but stayed calm as I asked what “guy things” were. He said it was things like cars, guns, hunting, sports, things that guys do. And then he said, “it’s okay. I know how to do some girl things- like changing diapers.” I have to admit, I kind of blew up at that comment. I told him that changing diapers is not a “girl thing,” it is a “parent thing”- which means both parents- and that if he was not willing to change diapers he was not being a good father. I may have taken that comment too far, but I really believe my basic point was correct. There are not “guy things” or “girl things,” there are just “things.” Girls, simply because they are girls, should not be forced into being interested in something or not interested in something else. I am involved in a college jazz band, and I am usually one of only 2 or 3 girls out of the 17 members of the band. Why is it that girls are not involved in jazz? Is that one of the “guy things”? The ridiculous notion that there are interests or hobbies or talents that are specific only to girls is just wrong and is an inherent flaw in society. Society may teach that girls are not interested in sports, but the biggest and smartest sports fan I have ever met has been a girl. Society may teach that girls are not effective managers or leaders, but some of the most able leaders I have seen have been women. Society may teach that girls cannot play jazz, but I have known girls who could play just as well as their male counterparts. On the flip side, society may teach that boys cannot play the flute, or be a nurse, or be sensitive and caring, but I have met great guys who have done all of those things. Of course , women are able to be mothers and that does give them some specific responsibilities, but so many of the chores that are traditionally delegated to women could and should be completed by men as well. And that includes changing diapers.
Posted by BP on 21 May 2009; Thinking About Men
Lessons from Slovakia
Sometimes finding solutions takes creativity. Slovakia has become innovative in its efforts to encourage businesses to support workers with families. In 2000 they started a competition called the Family-Friendly Employer “with a view to motivating Slovak employers to develop activities for the reconciliation of work and family life and actively promote equality between women and men. Within the competition 3 categories are evaluated: the family policy, the introduction of measures to promote equality between women and men, and the most original measure to benefit the family. The number of contesting organisations has been annually increasing.”
In comparison, First Lady Michelle Obama gave a speech just last week (May 8) about the state of the American workplace. She said, “Workers should have paid sick days, schedules that give them time for their family responsibilities, such as picking up children or taking them or parents to doctors' appointments, and quality child care on the job. Also needed is paid leave for the birth or adoption of a child, or to deal with serious illness.” She goes on to say that there are about 22 million women in the US labor force who do not have paid sick days, and the Family Medical Leave Act does not allow for paid maternity, adoption, or sick leave.
Maybe we should start our own Family-friendly Employer competition here to draw attention to the challenges of being a working parent, because both mothers and fathers need support from their workplace and from society in order to have successful family and work lives. Mrs. Obama said she wants to focus on the issue of balancing work and family while she is in the White House—I hope the US sees some new legislation and more family-friendly practices in the near future.
Posted by MIR on 19 May 2009; Maternity Matters; Positive Change, Women (General)
Eliminating Demand for Sex Trafficking
For work last week, I went to lecture at the Woodrow Wilson Center on sex trafficking. The panelists included Ambassador Swanee Hunt, who is one of the best speakers I've ever listened to on women's issues. The discussion was focused on eliminating demand, particularly focusing on punishing the "johns" who visit prostitutes rather than punishing the prostitutes themselves. A few very interesting points were brought up that have stuck with me:
1. Boys in our society are acculturated to judge a woman by how she looks. This can begin at home a very young age when they hear their father criticize their mother or even their mother or sisters criticize themselves based on their appearance. It's a simple statement that we think is harmless, but then these boys grow into men who value women for their appearance and their bodies, thus objectifying them as objects which they can buy and sell without treating as human beings.
2. Prostitution is rarely about sex; it's about power and violence. Men who visit prostitutes usually have steady sex partners as well; they use a prostitute because they do not have to treat her as a human being but rather as an object that can be abused and used to live out the man's most salacious fantasies. Because the men are paying, they feel like they can do whatever they want to them without repercussions.
3. The average age to begin prostitution work in the US is 12. A good percentage of these girls were sexually abused, many from foster homes, and quite a few are runaways. Prostitution is choice of desperation, not a meaningful choice a woman makes as a career choice, contrary to popular belief. Congresswoman Smith read for us a case of a 12-year-old girl who was solicited for sex by a 48-yr-old man. Since money was exchanged ($40), the girl was automatically the perpetrator while the man was let off the hook. Once money enters the equation, the dynamics of criminal investigation and prosecution change. If it had been in any other circumstance, if the man was simply having sex with the girl, be it consensual or not, would be statutory rape and he would be going to jail. Instead, the 12-yr-old prostituted girl was arrested. There is absolutely no deterrent for johns in the United States. In most states, it is not a criminal act to solicit sex but it is a criminal act to the girl or woman offering it.
4. Entertainment, especially the Hip Hop/rap industry, could have a huge impact on how women are viewed in our society. They need to make it clear that a "pimp" is not a hero, but a violent exploiter.
5. Porn on the internet. Free speech vs. damaging to society. When 9-yr-olds can visit internet sites easily and men can access salacious material without impunity, the attitudes about women being objects prevails. Should we restrict access to porn? Make it illegal? When are we overstepping the boundaries of free speech?
These were a few issues that were brought up that left me thinking. The entire focus of the lecture was about combatting trafficking by eliminating the demand; we can pass laws (like the TVPA) and create agencies (TIP, for example) and spend lots of government money regulating countries and policing trafficking around the world but until we learn how to address the problem of demand, trafficking will still be lucrative and will still prevail.
Posted by CPC on 18 May 2009; Insane Laws; Even in America; Thinking About Men
My Education as a Man on the WomanStats Project
At the beginning of 2009, an event occurred that has brought me both joy and burdens: I became a research coder for the Woman Stats Project in the hope of informing others about the need to promote gender equality issues around the world. With excitement and enthusiasm I went out and told everyone of the new and gratifying work in which I was involved.
The reaction I have received has been mixed. I think this is because of the simple fact that I am a man who works for an institute that promotes gender equality. After explaining my job, young men I talk to react with either praise for attaining such a research position (that is, overlooking the gender issue and praising me for finding a job), while others look at me as if I have defected and joined the other team.
Women, also, have reacted quite strangely. Many are happy to see I am informed and working to promote the issues they feel are ignored. Other women feel that I am a far extreme feminist who, ironically, is promoting an ideal which I can never fully understand because I am a man.
Finally, the most common question I have received is whether or not I am homosexual. It has gotten to the point where I think not to tell people what I work on, or they will conclude I am homosexual!
The reality is that I am proud to be working on this project--in a sense, because of the reactions I have received. These reactions are evidence that much about gender issues are misunderstood--many think I should not be a part of the WomanStats project because it is a woman’s issue or that I will never fully understand the issues because I am a man. Already, by these attitudes, society has created barriers that would prevent me from becoming informed about these important issues. Thus, I am strengthened in my resolve that I can be part of the solution of gender equality. I know that true peace comes from understanding, and that one cannot create peace withou equality between woman and man. I am a feminist, a man, and heterosexual. Men and women should bothbecome informed about many issues, especially the issues facing women today--because if we stay ignorant, in my opinion, then there will be no hope for the future in any aspect of society.
Posted by MGH on 5 April 2009; Education, Please; Thinking About Men
Why the Family is Essential to Halt Child Sex Trafficking in Sri Lanka
A few weeks ago I read a report about child sex trafficking in Sri Lanka that left me depressed, but which also made me think and gave me some ideas. The report highlighted a paradox that faces Sri Lankan women, many of whom travel abroad as domestic servants to make money to send home: “Sri Lanka has the highest proportion in South Asia of females working abroad for employment, and these comprise primarily women who have young children.” Not only do some of these women end up in bad situations abroad, such as being trafficked themselves or being forced to work for abusive employers, but their very act of leaving may spell doom for the children they left in order to help. One of the findings indicated that children whose mothers went abroad were more vulnerable to sexual abuse and trafficking at the hands of their fathers, uncles, grandfathers, friends, neighbors, etc.
In many parts of Sri Lanka girls who have been sexually abused are considered unclean and are forced to leave their homes and families as they are considered a bad influence on other children. Often rape and trafficking victims will end up in state children’s homes for their “protection”. They may have been rescued, but as prostitution can be treated like a crime and the court system is slow it may take years for children to get out of these remand centers. Yet another problem is lack of knowledge about trafficking among children, adults, and even police and other officials who are supposed to help victims. One of the saddest issues the report mentions is that the exploited often become the exploiters because the system does not give them justice and the cultural setup alienates them from returning to a normal life.
So what can be done to change this? The report outlines many factors that affect children being trafficked, such as parents being detached, a lack of sexual education, the incentive of money, etc. There are many ways to address these issues, some of which require fairly simple measures like education programs, training, and new legislation, but deep societal change is also necessary, which is much harder. Beyond educating school children about sexual abuse and trafficking, more fun and creative measures can be applied such as extracurriculars and vocational training: the report cites music, English, and computer classes as ways that children can gain skills to keep them from being lured into prostitution and also to help them reintegrate into society if they are victims. Harder to solve are the problems that involve the family and communities. It appears that mothers are vital in keeping their children safe, but the economic situation forces many abroad. Another related problem is alcoholism among fathers. The report suggests economic workshops, help finding employment, and welfare programs to help parents.
While the report emphasizes that mothers should stay in Sri Lanka to protect their children, I think the real issue here is that when they do leave, people these children should trust are violating their rights. It would be ideal if mothers did not have to leave their children and go abroad to find work, but that is the current economic reality of Sri Lanka. What must change is relatives, friends, neighbors, and communities seeing these children as easy targets to manipulate instead of vulnerable children who need their help more than ever. The support structure of the family and community is where it seems like the focus is really needed in order to help Sri Lankan children stay safe from sexual abuse and trafficking.
Posted by MIR on 2 April 2009; Women (General); Education, Please
Who Will Do It?
Every week the coders get together for a meeting where we go over what we've been up to. Additionally, we discuss articles, news, and books pertaining to gender issues. A few weeks ago, our discussion led us to women in legislature. We talked about the need for women in legislative positions to help influence the laws being made.
We discussed how countries with women in high-ranking government positions are better off than those without. One of the coders pointed out that there are more women in the Iraqi legislature than there are in the United States. As we were discussing this in our meeting, someone asked how we thought we could get more women involved in the US legislature. Who would balance family life and policy-making? As I looked around the room, I thought to myself, “Are you going to do it? Is she going to do it? Am I going to do it?” Working on this project gives us the knowledge that so many people do not have. It also gives us the responsibility to do something with it. I left the meeting that day frustrated. What was I going to do with the knowledge that I have acquired?
As I walked across campus to my next class, I passed a young couple with their little baby. She had come up to campus to meet her husband with some food. With thoughts from the meeting still on my mind, I couldn’t help but wonder if that would be me some day, or if I would be the one trying to balance legislature with family. Not to say that we all have to become congresswomen or senators, but what are we going to do with what we know? This project uncovers the plight of women throughout the world. How are we going to use it to make a difference?
Posted by KA on 28 March 2009; Women (General); Positive Change
The Women of Tel Aviv
In my experience, both as a woman and a Latter-day Saint, the topic of pornography has always been a very hush-hush one. Of course, I have been taught all the dangers and terrible consequences of this addicting problem, but I have always been assured that it is a problem that men have and that men therefore have to solve. In my research this week, I was impressed with a group of women in Tel Aviv, Israel, who took the problem of pornography into their own hands, and I realized that because most pornographic material objectifies and abuses women, it is important for women to be involved in this issue, instead of leaving it solely to men to solve. The women of Tel Aviv sent a powerful statement as they walked the streets, tossing huge piles of pornographic magazines from streetside vendors into black garbage bags. They sent the message thay they are offended and disgusted by pornography and that they would not stand by and watch while men indulge in these materials without speaking up and voicing their distaste. It is a message that women need to send all over the world. "The public's indifference is saddening," says Ronit Ehrenfroind- Cohen, director of the department for the status of women in Tel Aviv. "I am learning that people are not aware, that they are cynical and have no desire to take a stand and do something. They walk by and leaf through 'Banana,' and for a moment they might actually think that this isn't okay. That's why there is no alternative but to take to the streets, initiate campaigns and promote awareness of the issue." When we, as women, stop looking the other way while men indulge in harmful pornography, we can effect a strong tide of change in our societies, making it widely known that pornography is harmful to women and unacceptable to us. We need to send the message that we will not tolerate such materials being sold in our cities, at our convenience stores. We need to be involved in the fight against pornography.
Posted by LJL on 27 March 2009; Women (General); Pornography
Of Women and Wheels
One of my favorite quotes is by Sid Caesar: “The guy who invented the first wheel was an idiot. The guy who invented the other three, he was a genius.” Sometimes the most ingenious examples that we see in all aspects of human science are not by those who make never-before-seen discoveries, but those that put two and two together to enhance each one’s inherent capabilities and usefulness. In my experience with WomanStats as well as other research I have seen, this is just the case in the global realm with poverty and the role of women.
When dealing with such a complex and difficult problem as poverty, it is easy for someone to focus on merely one problem or one solution. From such narrow viewpoints, there are many examples of failed attempts to alleviate poverty (such as investing money to the point that the poor are sponsored in their lifestyle, monetary gifts or other donations of machinery are exploited or used the wrong way, etc.). What occurs from this perspective are not solutions for the problem, but superficial pain killers. It is more like a doctor who reinspects a deep wound every week, puts antibiotic ointment on it, and sends the patient away hoping the wound will heal without the necessary surgeries and stitches.
I was able to go to a Hunger Banquet a week ago. During this dinner, tickets were randomly given out, with 10% assigned to first world tables, 30% to second world chairs along the wall, and 60% to third world seats made of cardboard and newspaper on the ground. The food quantity and quality coincided with where you sat. It was very enlightening. The speaker for the night was Lynn Curtis, founder of ProLiteracy Worldwide. This organization is one that was able to “use all the wheels” by teaching literacy and showing its usefulness in the realms of health, human rights, peace, education, etc.
Paul Polak, the author of “Out of Poverty” was able to do much the same thing, by teaching the people he invests in how to use the resources available to them, advertise, and find sustainable solutions based on real-world need.
Women are one wheel of the vehicle that is constantly passed over. While the other three wheels may be in functioning order, the car still cannot drive with one flat. Women serve both reproductive and productive roles in every society. Countries that focus on improving the quality of life and opportunities for men miss out on half the story. Women bear, and in many cases raise and solely provide for their children. Mothers are the number one candidates for volunteer labor and service, which is so essential for every community. Mothers educate their children, pass on culture and values, and find creative ways to work from their meager situation toward stability. Women are a powerful resource.
The alleviation of poverty, as I said before, is a multi-faceted issue. Yes, there needs to be a welfare system that keeps people from starvation. Yes, there need to be labor and training opportunities so anyone can find a marketable skill. Yes, credit and microcredit systems need to be in place for workers to build up capital and start up businesses. But don’t forget the women. Make sure that women and children can have access to welfare and health care. Make sure that women have the ability to go and get training, to have daycare as needed, and have enough rights within the workplace. Make sure women are able to get loans so they can have the opportunity to be productive. Those people who recognized women in the role of alleviating poverty, now they were geniouses.
Posted by GKD on 17 March 2009; Women (General)
Interesting Information About Qatar
While at the Summit on Women in International Health and Development at Cornell, we also had the opportunity to sit in on a video conference with female medical school students at the Cornell campus in Qatar. Near the end of the call, we carped the diem and asked if we WomanStats researchers could stay on longer and ask them some questions (read: variables). So away we went. Here are some of the highlights, a snapshot of their perspective on the status of women in Qatar:
Polygyny: According to Sharia law, a Muslim man is allowed to have four wives, this is true also in Qatar. But in order to do this, the man must be able to treat all of his wives equally and the wives must determine if that is true, so in that sense, wives have a veto power in polygynous marriages. The practice and law, however, different greatly. Practice is that many men go behind their wife’s back to marry another wife.
Contraception: The Qatari government and society encourages childbirth. Most women have 4-8 children. Female doctors especially counsel family planning. Pill, shot, IUD, just about every form of birth control is available. Sometimes doctors will ask women who have had many children if they would like a hysterectomy.
Potentially Harmful Beauty Practices: In general, people in the Middle East, especially Qatar have lower levels of Vitamin D compared to people from other nations, stemming from the heat of the sun and the relative scarcity of milk and Vitamin D rich foods. Women, due to wearing the niqab or other such clothing that covers themselves, suffer from even lower Vitamin D levels. In a study done in Qatar, of 360 patients tested, 56% were found deficient in Vitamin D, with women fair worse than the average. Not only religion and heat, but preference for skin tone of women also adds to these deficiencies, as men generally prefer women with fairer skin because that is different from the norm of darker skin, so white is beautiful.
Breastfeeding: Breastfeeding is encouraged to 18 months, and many do breastfeed. One common reason for not breastfeeding is that the baby didn’t want to breastfeed. Because of the social segregation of the sexes, breastfeeding is easy for women to do as they are surrounded by women and don’t have to fear impropriety of baring themselves in the company of men. There are posters all over the hospital extolling breastfeeding. There are, however, no laws against formula being handed out in health care centers and hospitals.
Posted by CHB on 16 March 2009; Maternity Matters; Numbers
Whose Prisoner's Dilemma?
In one of my classes the other day, we played "Prisoner's Dilemma." This game required two teams and specific players on each team to act as negotiators with the same actors from the opposite team. This is a game of strategy and I had actually never played it before. While males in the class may have been more familiar with it, there were still females who understood the concepts of the game. During one match of negotiation, a male from my team saw that the three negotiators from the opposing team were all women. At the sight of this, he made some derogatory comments about their lack of ability to play the game competitively. Despite comments from myself and other males on my team that he was being sexist, his comments against these females continued throughout the remainder of the game. Every time this team of women came up against the other team, he made sarcastic comments like "Here comes their 'star' team." He didn't seem to notice the damaging effects of his comments. He also didn't seem to notice how wrong he was. I stewed over this incident for days afterwards.
I recently read an article about women joining the ranks of the Fijian Police Force and the issues there with discrimination towards women. The article discussed the stereotypical attitudes towards women and the “deeply entrenched beliefs that they are weaker than men and cannot perform the same duties as men.” How is the young man’s attitude toward and treatment of women in my class…. in the United States, different from the attitudes toward and treatment of Fijian women in the police force? Such discriminatory treatment stunts women's progression. Despite the laws on equality and societal views of those in the United States, I realize there is much work to be done here as well to implement changes in the way women are treated. These changes don't begin with the passage of equal rights legislation. These changes begin in the minds of each individual. It begins when women aren't abused verbally with demeaning words from men. It also begins when women realize their strength and have confidence in their abilities to equal that of men. The former Director of Training in the Fijian Police force was interviewed in the article and stated that women themselves could be a “major obstacle to gender equality.” Women feel pressure to live up to society’s expectations by appearing to be what is acceptable, especially to males. This includes the mindset that women have to act defenseless, submissive, or any other specific way, especially in the workplace or other unfamiliar areas where it’s “accepted” that men know more.
I think the attitude of the young man in my class is too common. Perhaps instead of labeling him as “sexist,” (although I feel it was incredibly appropriate), I and my fellow male teammates could have explained to him how damaging his demeaning remarks are. I wish the women he was referring to would have defended themselves. It doesn’t matter that they weren’t as familiar with the game as he was, perhaps they didn’t have it explained to them very well. I also wish the teacher would have pointed out the error with the young man’s remarks.
I'm grateful for experiences like the one in my class because it helps me see specifically where I can help change misled viewpoints.
Posted by ER on 12 March 2009; Thinking About Men; Police Business
The $100 Million Question
This past weekend, I, along with a few of my fellow coders, had the opportunity to attend the Summit on Women in International Health and Development held at Cornell University in Ithaca, New York. While the whole day was wonderful and insightful, the best presentation for me was that of Lisa Russell. She is a documentary film maker, focusing on making films about women's issues in Africa. She showed her film, "Love, Labor, Loss" about obstetric fistula in Niger. The film was raw and brilliant. She didn't make the women look like victims, rather they were real women with a very real disability but still could laugh, work, and build friendships. She filmed the documentary at the Niamey Hospital in the capital of Niger. There, they have a "home" of sorts for women with fistula to come and live together; while some women get repaired and go back to their villages, many are damaged to the a point that no intervention can help, and they are prone to stay within this little community for the rest of their lives. On the other hand though, they are the lucky ones. Many women with obstetric fistula live in isolation for the rest of their lives, and are not able to afford the journey to the capital in order to get a repair. Even then, repairs aren't always performed because of lack of funds and trained medical professionals. A typical repair costs $300, yet so women are not able to afford that. There is also a severe lack of doctors in Niger; since there is scanty opportunities for medical training, many young people leave for medical training and end up settling in the West and never return to their country or villages.
Lisa also showcased the preview of her newest film, called "Not Yet Rain" dealing with the issue of unsafe abortion in Ethiopia. The government there passed in 2006 a very progressive law legalizing abortion and providing it free at the clinic level, since there were so many women dying of complications due to unsafe abortion. In places of the world where women have no control over their sexuality, it is a difficult situation for them when they get pregnant unwillingly (whether due to rape or any form of sexual coercion). Many women, and girls, seek out back-alley abortions or perform self abortions, and consequently, many die. The Ethiopian government recognized this problem, and passed a law to combat it. Unfortunately, the legalization of abortion is not yet recognized by many tribal leaders and is not practiced in many rural communities. "Not Yet Rain" is a film made in collaboration with a group called Ipas to try to build awareness of this issue. If you want more information, you can check out the trailer at the website and learn how to get involved: notyetrain.org
At the dinner table later that evening, we sat with Lisa and discussed her films. An interesting question was posed, and I would like to see your suggestions. The question is: if you had limited funds (say, $100 million) to improve the lives of women in the world, how would you spend it?
Posted by CPC on 10 March 2009; Maternity Matters
National Security and Women
I have been living in Washington DC since the beginning of January for an internship at the Defense Department. I have kind of taken the semester off of coding, but I have quickly learned that I can’t really get away from WomanStats. My job at the DoD is not directly pertinent to women’s issues, but I have had some great experiences at work and other places that have really given me hope.
I deal mainly with peacekeeping operations, so I occasionally read reports from field commanders and other officials about the state of the mission or problems in the region. One of my supervisors is a high ranking Air Force officer. As I handed my summary to him he scanned through the headings and noticed the one entitled “Safety and Security of Women and Children.” I was surprised when he shook his head and said to me, “You know, it seems like these places that don’t treat women well don’t do too well themselves.” I of course agreed, but I asked what he meant. He told me that he had traveled all over the world on assignments, but whenever he saw women being mistreated or abused, he knew there were serious problems. I told him about WomanStats. He was impressed and said that this is the sort of research that will change the world; the government’s job would be easier if everyone understood that national security is not primarily the DoD’s responsibility, but the responsibility occurs on a smaller level within homes and communities.
This short encounter kind of shocked me; these ideas are all things that I completely agree with, but it was surprising to hear from a hard core military officer. He is right that the work of WomanStats will change the national security establishment, and if there is one officer that believes in the importance of women, the ideas will spread.
This past week, I was in a meeting with groups from the State Department, National Security Council, Treasury Department, and the UN. As I looked around the room and at the teleconference screen, I realized that women outnumbered men. Interesting concept: a meeting regarding national security that was not dominated by men. I am not saying that one gender or the other is more skilled at handling these issues, but I do think that, in general, men dominate the national security and foreign policy fields and this is not the way it should be. This was a fairly low-level meeting; there was nothing major accomplished at this meeting and there were no huge policy changes, but it was nice to see how both sexes were represented.
These are only a couple of the experiences that I have had here that have really shown me that things are changing. It is easy to see only the negative when studying women and equality, so I thought it was important to share these experiences. I have not been in Washington very long, but I have at least learned that things move very slowly in the government. So if ideas can change here, hopefully they should be able to change anywhere.
Posted by BP on 2 March 2009; Positive Change
The US Gender Wage Gap
This week I coded a report sponsored by the Center for American Progress Action Fund regarding the gender wage gap in America. The report stated the obvious: women in America are grossly underpaid annually. It also explained that the gender wage gap has devastating effects on America over a woman's lifetime. On average, over a 40-year career, women loose $434,000 compared to their male counterparts. The report addresses the gender wage gap in terms of education level, occupation, and state, however, it fails to addresses that mothers are at greater risk of wage disparity than even their no-mother coworkers. The report does mention that the disparity in pay impacts mothers making it difficult for them to provide "education, child care, and basic supports for their children." This seems like an obvious implication of the wage gap, however, it did not specify women leaving the workforce to mother children as a cause. We know that motherhood constitutes as a main contributor to the gender wage gap, yet Center for American Progress Action Fund minimized and even failed to address such points. (I don't know why they would do this.)
I feel so thankful to have a gospel perspective. I think about the message that America is sending its women in regards to economic policy: you have no economic value if you are only a mother and partial value if you have children and work. Obviously, Americans place value on motherhood and its foundational qualities, however, the fact that women don't receive economic benefits for parenting (and that men do) is a sickening. From my spiritual knowledge I know that being a mother is more important than any career I could pursue and that my economic value is priceless, however, my education, career decisions, and wages are equally important to those of fathers. Mothers are the foundation of this country. I believe that.
The report recommends government intervention through enacting and implementing new laws that bring equality to the work force. One of their recommendations was the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act, which Pres. Obama recently signed. I think that bringing accountability to employers will better implement equality in pay between genders and race, however, it could present some serious implications. Consider this situation: a white male may deserve a raise or a promotion more than an African American woman coworker. Would the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act have negative implications on such cases?
As a psychology major I am programmed to analyze human behavior and thought. The WomanStats project actively supports and utilizes the changing of gender-biased policies globally, yet at its core is the motive to change human behavior. By applying psychology to the gender wage gap I am suggesting that the solution is not only one of policy, but also a nation-wide change of thought. I believe that appropriate policy encourages thinking about change but central to changing the gender wage gap is changing how we, as a nation, view the role of motherhood. Once we can individually and sincerely believe that women and men are equal, that motherhood and fatherhood are equal, then we approach a time where discrimination in the work place, and everywhere else, ends. We participate in WomanStats because we believe that this can happen.
Posted by ALA on 1 March 2009; Even in America; WomanStats
The Power of One Voice
Speak Out!
I am currently writing from Washington D.C., where I have spent the week visiting with legislators about an issue dear to my heart. This hands-on experience with our nation’s democratic process has made me reflect on the power of speaking out.
For the Woman Stats Project, one of the many variables we code documents for is: “Societal Engagement with Gender Issues.” We want to find out who’s speaking out, what are they saying, and how are they received. Most frequently, I find heartbreaking information to fill in these datapoints, but every once in a while I come across absolutely courageous individuals who stand up against all odds and make a difference.
Just a few months ago, Noha Rushdi Saleh, a documentary filmmaker in Egypt, was groped by a man who reached out of his truck window to grab her breasts. Such sexual harassment is not unusual, but her response was out of the ordinary. Women in this patriarchal society usually just silently suffer the taunting and groping by strangers because police are indifferent to the issue and relatives fear inviting scandal. But Saleh did not stay silent! After she began screaming out in disgust, the driver of the truck, Sherif Gomaa Gibrial, tried to escape. But, Saleh jumped right on his truck, which was then surrounded by neighbors. The neighbors grabbed the driver and promised Saleh they would beat the man and send him on his way, but this 27-year-old girl wanted justice through the courts. The result? Gibrial was sentenced to three years of hard labor. This landmark case marked the first time in Egypt’s history that a man had gone to jail for groping a woman in public.
This courageous act didn’t just help out a 27 year-old girl; it set the ball in motion. Two weeks after Saleh’s verdict was handed down, four more complaints were filed at the women’s rights center in Cairo. Before this case, many years had passed by without a single filed complaint.
I thought about Saleh’s simple determination to assert her own worth today as I walked the streets of our Nation’s capitol. DC is lined with memorials, buildings, statues, and plaques dedicated to single individuals who spoke up in the face of adversity. I don’t know about you, but I’m inspired.
(Jeffrey Fleishman and Noha El-Hennawy, “Egypt's Sexually Harassed Women Begin to Speak Out”, Los Angeles Times, 17 DEC 2008.)
Posted by AML on 28 February 2009; Positive Change
The Movie "Taken," Sex Trafficking, and the Reaction of My Friends
A couple of days ago I went to see the movie "Taken" with a few of my friends. I’m a fan of action movies, and I went to see this one with a particular curiosity. I’d heard it was about a father rescuing his daughter who was kidnapped by a sex trafficking ring while vacationing in Europe. Since I had written a 20 page research paper on sex trafficking last semester, I had a lot more thought and emotion invested in the movie than I normally would.
That the father takes down a highly sophisticated sex trafficking ring singlehandedly was a bit of a stretch. However, the content of the movie confirmed much of what I had researched with realistic accuracy, opening the eyes of the public to a variety of horrific brutalities associated with the sex slave trade. After the movie, it was interesting to note the differences in attitudes that the males held versus the females in our group. Identifying themselves with the hero of the show, the guys were energized and talked animatedly about the explosions, car chases, shoot-outs and hand-to-hand combat we had just witnessed. The girls, on the other hand, seemed a little more withdrawn and reflective. Although they agreed with the guys that it was a good movie, it had left them with much deeper thoughts than the chivalry of blowing things up and wiping out bad guys. They identified themselves with the females in the show and were disturbed—almost agitated—comprehending the nightmarish reality of the sex slave trade on a far more personal level than did the guys. Part of their disconcertion came from the fact that the guys could not possibly view the movie with the same perspective as they themselves had.
I was led to reflect on my own feelings. While doing research I actually had had nightmares, especially after reading detailed articles of the atrocities of the sex slave trade. I often thought to myself, “That could easily have been me,” and pondered on the multiplicity of damages suffered by victims of the sex slave trade. I thought of the guys who had watched the movie with us. I wished for there to be a way that they could relate to the story as did the girls and therefore be impassioned and fully converted to the abolition of sexual slavery, or at least be recommitted to the better treatment of women in general. In the end, the theme of sex trafficking made an exquisite nightmare for Hollywood to exploit, and I had to recognize the fact that movies are generally meant more to entertain than to inform or evoke emotion.
While the movie did expose the ills and evils of the sex slave trade to some extent, it was only the females in my group who seemed truly disturbed and angered by it. I know if my father were to see the movie, he would be frustrated and saddened as well (he already sits uneasy with my un-chaperoned world travels). Men who have daughters are often the greatest advocates for women. But what about the youthful men of my own generation? What does it take for them to feel that way? I wonder if most of them will have to wait until they are fathers of daughters for those emotions to be stirred—to have a deeper love and concern for the females in their lives…?
Posted by ASF on 21 February 2009; Thinking About Men
Stumped: Any Thoughts on This?
For the past few weeks, I have been coding the 2007 Gender, Poverty and Environmental indicators on African countries report published by the African Development Bank. This report is full of statistics on various development indicators for each African nation. Though the nations of Africa seem to be progressing (albeit slowly) in certain areas such as education, other areas are remaining stable or, in the case of maternal mortality rates, worsening. The report states, “The Millennium Development goal of reducing the maternal mortality ratio by three-quarters seems ambitious for Africa. Recent estimates continue to indicate that the highest ratios of maternal mortality are in Sub-Saharan Africa, with an average of 920 deaths out of 100,000 live births and there is no evidence that the ratios are declining”. In fact, maternal mortality rates have actually increased in 21 out of the 52 nations of Africa over the past decade. On the other hand, almost every African nation saw a decrease in infant mortality rates (0-1) over the same period (only 2 nations saw an increase). While I am delighted that infant mortality rates are decreasing in Africa, I am confused as to why there is a divergence between these two rates, when it seems as if infant and maternal mortality rates should go hand-in-hand (because the causes of both (such as poor nutrition and medical care) are similar).
The report does not discuss this divergence, so I open it up to all of you. First of all, why do you think this divergence is occurring? Also, why is it that one of the most easily preventable causes of death in lesser developed countries is so commonly overlooked?
Here are a few other statistics to illustrate the extent of the problem in Sub-Saharan Africa:
Posted by TS on 29 January 2009; Numbers, Women (General)
Reflections
For the most part, my work on this project has dealt with finding and coding information for the database. Many times I have felt a connection with the women and men I briefly meet as I read and search for data. These are people whose lives underlie the statistics, who live day-in and day-out with the reality of situations that I see only in poignant, but passing glances as I read.
Sometimes it is difficult to know of these challenging situations, but I remain hopeful that our efforts to raise awareness and gather information will help forge improvements in policies and actions across the world. I am furthermore grateful, realizing that these brief encounters with people I will never meet in real life have nevertheless shaped who I am and how I see the world.
I have reflected on the personal impact of this project in the last weeks, especially as my efforts have been more focused on training coders--new students joining our project. Eager and excited, these new fellow-coders bring energy and commitment to the project; I know they will be meaningful contributors. And I wonder if they will be as transfigured by the project as I feel I have been.
So, a welcome to new coders, and an invitation to others: if you've worked on this project, how has it influenced you? for all, what other types of perhaps similar experiences have brought meaningful insights to your life?
Posted by MMH on 25 January 2009; WomanStats
Sudan: Law Without Education Falls Short
A new law was passed in Sudan at the end of 2008, marking great strides in the improvement of the status of women, but more than a law is necessary for change. In Sudan, female genital mutilation/cutting (FGM/C) is now illegal and will no longer be a performed procedure at hospitals and clinics. But in a state where more than 2/3 of women have undergone the procedure, deep-seated attitudes and misinformation will have to be overcome for it to be completely abolished. In order for this practice to be put to a stop, the traditional beliefs that the cutting of the clitoris makes a girl clean and marriagable will have to be put aside by education about how it harms girls in Sudan. Although hospitals and clinics will cease the cutting, most procedures are not carried out by medical professionals, but by women in each village who have no medical training. So a law is simply not enough. They must be taught the harmful ramifications of the traditional circumcision in order for women in Sudan to be free of this mutilation. Who will do this teaching? Does the government have plans for this? These are the key questions now.
Posted by LJL on 21 January 2009; Women (General); FGM; Education, Please; Positive Change
US Southern Black Women Still Face Many Obstacles
It seems that racism and sexism often go hand in hand. Such is still the case in the United States, despite our advancements in both women's and minority rights in the last half century. Last year the Southern Rural Black Women's Initiative for Economic and Social Justice put together a report on the status of black women's human rights in the South, and the results are grim. These women, despite being US citizens, face the same problems seen in many places around the world, such as the feminization of poverty, a lack of education and healthcare, domestic violence, and high rates of STIs, teen pregnancy, and infant and maternal mortality. The report notes that during the 1990s "infant death rates surpassed those in Panama and Uruguay and percentage of births to teenage mothers was higher than in Uganda and Indonesia" among this population.
Moreover, "A child in the (Alabama) Black Belt is more likely to be born out of wedlock, more likely to come home to poverty, and more likely to die in the first year of life." One English teacher at a Mississippi High School noted in her class "a handful of girls who see getting impregnated by men of retirement age as a savvy move. In their minds…if having a baby is an eventuality, you might as well have a baby with a man who can afford to keep you. There are girls who … go out regularly looking for those men. I'd hear them saying 'That's So and So's baby daddy.' I'd see him, and he's 60 years old, in crazy old man clothes, plaid pants. Not cool at all. He could have, of course, been that girl's grandfather."
It is not hard to see how these problems combine: teen pregnancy and lack of healthcare can increase infant mortality. Not to mention that teen pregnancy makes it harder for girls to finish school. This, along with the high incidence of single motherhood, greatly increases women-headed families' chances of living in poverty since the report states that "the unemployment rate for women in the U.S. with less than a high school degree is 7.8, compared to a rate of 1.1 for women with a professional degree."
These are only a couple of the many problems touched upon in the report. It shows that even in the United States women's security is not guaranteed, especially when factors of race and class mix with gender.
Posted by MIR on 18 January 2009; Women (General); Even in America
Extend an Onion
What am I supposed to do about it? This question, in its varying forms, floats through my head whenever I encounter the injustices and inhuman behavior that is eventually posted on this website. The question flows sometimes silently, sometimes furiously. It nags. It inspires. It bewilders. We become witnesses, third-, fourth-, or even fifth-hand, as we read the atrocities that women endure. A link, a connection to others, often oceans and cultures away, forms while we absorb the descriptions of the frustrating and dangerous situations that millions experience daily.
Fyodor Dostoevsky writes regarding our linkage to humanity:
“For know, dear ones, that every one of us is undoubtedly responsible for all men and everything on earth, not merely through the general sinfulness of creation, but each one personally for all mankind and every individual man. This knowledge is the crown of life for the monk and for every man . . . Only through that knowledge, our heart grows soft with infinite, universal, inexhaustible love. Then every one of you will have the power to win over the whole world by love and to wash away the sins of the world with your tears.”
This affirmation of our attachment to all men and women initially feels terribly incriminating. Human choice seems to be an entirely individual, isolated action. Am I truly responsible for anyone besides myself? Can I really be guilty for trafficking in Laos or abuse in Latvia? I do not believe we are to raise our hands in innocence, nor are we to drop our heads hopelessly. The responsibility described means a recognition of the rippling effects of ignorance, complacency, and dishonesty, as well as engaged service and sincere concern. Assuming the burden of responsibility for the other allows us to discover why loving the neighbor as oneself is a central quest in our existence.
Dostoevsky also shares a folk story that tells of a wicked peasant woman who escaped the underworld because she once gave an onion to a beggar. The intent of Dostoevsky surely was not to provide an exact prescription of what specific deeds ensure our eventual happiness, but to exhibit the simplicity of how to “win over the world by love.” When we read about Zulhumor Tohtonazaroud of Kyrgyzstan, who was raped by policeman, gave birth prematurely while handcuffed to a bed, and was tortured by having pins pushed under her hails, or Elise from the Congo, who was threatened with death and then raped by soldiers, or women abused and killed by witch-hunting in India, what are we supposed to do about it?
Extend an onion. This offering may be a donation, a prayer, a vote, a reading selection, a career choice, or a renewed commitment to treating women as equals. I believe accepting responsibility for all is “the crown of life” and is realized in the giving of onions.
Posted by LW on 13 January 2009; Women (General); Coping Strategies
