TAG: sexual violence

Brazil and Argentina unite in protest against culture of sexual violence

Two different protests, two different countries, but the same continent and the same cause: violence against women in “macho” Latin America.

Four arrests of LGBT activists at Bangladesh celebration

Police in Dhaka, Bangladesh, today arrested four LGBT rights activists taking part in a traditional procession to celebrate the Bengali New Year.

Queer Wars

Queer Wars explores the growing international polarization over sexual rights, and the creative responses from social movements and activists, some of whom face murder, imprisonment or rape because of their perceived sexuality or gender expression.

Call for Papers: Displacement – Signs: Journal of Women in Culture and Society

Signs: Journal of Women in Culture and Society invites submissions for a special issue titled “Displacement,” slated for publication in spring 2018. The current refugee crisis gives new urgency to questions of gendered displacement. The United Nations’ most recent statistics place the number of registered Syrian refugees at 4.7 million, 50.7 percent of whom are […]

Nigerian lawmakers voted down a women equality bill citing the Bible and Sharia law

Nigerian lawmakers on Tuesday (Mar.15), voted against a gender and equal opportunities bill (pdf). The bill, which did not pass a second reading, was aimed at bridging the gap between the rights of men and women in Nigeria. It also sought to end questionable and unpleasant stereotypical practices that drive discrimination based on gender. While […]

‘Spotlight’ abuse scandal didn’t end in Boston. In South America, it’s still unfolding

The Boston Globe’s investigation busted open a massive Catholic Church scandal in the United States 14 years ago. But in remote parts of South America, GlobalPost discovered that the church practice of reassigning child abusers to another parish, instead of defrocking them, has continued.

The sexual politics in February 2016

In February, there were good news to report from both Haiti and Europe. In the case of Haiti, the Penal Code reform is underway and the draft document approved by a committee of juridical experts includes a provision that legalizes abortion on the basis of public health concerns and freedom of women. Although this is […]

Lesbian, Bisexual and Queer Women Speak Out in Kenya

Laughter, solidarity, and conviviality were in the air at a quietly remarkable event in a Nairobi hotel on February 12. Yet the subject matter discussed at the event was anything but light: depression and suicide, public stripping and rape. The Gay and Lesbian Coalition of Kenya (GALCK) was presenting its new report, “Research on the Lived Realities of Lesbian, Bisexual and Queer Women in Kenya.”

New IDS research reveals impact of militarism on violence against women in Gaza

This year’s 16 Days Against Gender-based Violence campaign focuses specifically on the relationship between militarism and the right to education. This right to education should include the availability of proper educational infrastructure and facilities as well as safe access. Unfortunately, however, this is not the daily reality of school-aged children everywhere in the world: discrimination, […]

How the West Undermined Women’s Rights in the Arab World

This article is based on some of the research that I have conducted over the past two years on women’s activism in Egypt, Lebanon, and Jordan, from independence until the Arab uprisings. I collected over one hundred personal narratives from middle class women activists of different generations.

With Sex Workers Too, Rape Is Still Rape

In the last several months, there have been a number of rape allegations involving sex workers in the news. Most recently, a number of sex workers accused porn star James Deen of rape. Several websites have since dropped Deen, including Kink.com. Also, Jonathan “War Machine” Koppenhaver is facing 34 counts of rape, kidnapping, and attempted murder (among others) against his ex-girlfriend and porn star Christy Mack, which reportedly left her with 18 broken bones and a ruptured liver, and her friend, Corey Thomas.

2015 Sexual Politics Round- Up

As the year heads toward its end, SPW recollects main trends and facts in sexual politics worldwide. January Pope Francis drew global attention after urging the faithful not to reproduce as “rabbits”. The remarks sparked reactions from the most diverse quarters actors (here and here). In Chile, a new law was approved that recognized civil unions […]