Archive for the 'violence' Category

No license to abuse in anyone’s culture

Published by
Sarah
at June 7, 2007 in Politics, Uncategorized, law, media, race, racism, violence and violence against women. 0 Comments

The issue of violence against women, and particularly violence within certain cultural and religious communities have characterised some of the most heated debates on race, culture , immigration and women’s rights in recent times.

Wo! magazine interviews two academics- Dr. Christina Ho, a lecturer in Social Inquiry at the Faulty of Humanities and Social Science, and Penny Crofts a senior lecturer in law, at the University of Technology, Sydney- at the “No license to abuse” conference in Bankstown. The forum was a one-day event which aimed to address awareness about racialised violence against women survivors of domestic violence in particular the access women from diverse backgrounds have in accessing protection from the law.

We talk Dr. Chris Ho to on her address “Hijacking Feminism- The politics of Women’s Rights in contemporary Australia” in which Dr. Ho looks at the representation of violence against women in Australian politics. Dr. Ho argues that violence against women is a global issue but many Australian commentators portray it as a problem of cultural minorities; in particular within the Lebanese or Muslim communities. She addresses why conservative commentators are only concerned with violence against women when men of minority backgrounds are the perpetrators. Dr. Ho analyses the politics behind these current debates and offers some thoughts on how advocates of women’s rights can respond.

We also have a chat to Penny Crofts, a specialist in criminal law theory. In her address “Tolerating intolerance: Liberal Culturalism and Ethnicity in Provocation” Penny discusses the legal principles relating to the cultural defence in domestic violence cases. In her overview of the use of the Provocation defence in law she refers to theoretical framweorks which argue that liberal cultures are not ‘colour-blind’ and she poses such questions as: is the court truly neutral? If so, what capacity does the court have to recognise cultural differences; and how far should cultural differences be recognised if at all where there are values of bodily integrity to be resolved.

Save Iranian Teen Prisoner on Death Row

Published by
Sarah
at April 24, 2007 in Ayatollah's Theocracy, Politics, World, fundamentalism, law and violence. 2 Comments
COURTESY OF LILY MAZAHERY- President of the Legal Rights Institute, Washington DC.
Approval of Delara’s Death Sentence in Distinction Branch of the Supreme Court

A source familiar with Delara’s case reports that Delara’s death sentence has been approved and the order will be soon issued to her lawyer.

Delara Darabi, accused of murder, has spent the past 3 years in prison. Recent beatings in prison have left her with a broken arm and she is not feeling well.

Yesterday, Delara’s father filed a letter with the head of the judiciary, seeking a transfer of prison for his daughter. In this letter, Delara’s father states: “Delara is in dire condition and is suffering greatly. She is only accused. We have reasons to show that she is not a murderer. However, even if she were guilty, she has a basic right to be treated fairly in prison, not to have her arm broken. If Delara is a murderer, she should be executed once, not a thousand times. Yet, in Rasht prison, she is executed a thousand times a day. I need your help to save my daughter.”

According to our reporter, given the approval of Delara’s death sentence by the Distinction Branch of the Supreme Court, the only person who can commute this sentence is the head of the judiciary, Ayatollah Shahroudi. By finding fault in the case, he can issue a new trial.

Click HERE to view the original report in Farsi.

Please take immediate action to prevent the execution of Delara Darabi by taking the follwing steps:

1. Sign the petition objecting to the impending execution of Delara Darabi and encourage your friends, colleagues, associates, and family members to do the same.

2. Contact the office of Ayatollah Shahroudi by fax or mail to voice your objection:

Head of the Judiciary
Ayatollah Mahmoud Hashemi Shahroudi
Ministry of Justice,
Panzdah-Khordad Circle,
Tehran, Islamic Republic of Iran
(From United States, dial 0 first)
Phone: 98 (21) 391-1109
Fax: 98 (21) 390-4986
You can also send your appeals electronically via the judiciary website:http://iranjudiciary.org/contactus-feedback-fa.htmlNote: The fields are written in Persian. 1st line is for your Name; 2nd your Email; 3rd the Subject (which should read “URGENT LETTER TO AYATOLLAH HASHEMI SHAHROUDI REGARDING DELARA DARABI“); 4th is for your Comments.

Should you have any questions, please contact info@SaveDelara.com . For more information, visit: www.SaveDelara.com

Gang rape filmed on mobile phone

Published by
Sarah
at April 6, 2007 in rape, rape culture, violence and violence against women. 1 Comment

From the Herald

A TEENAGER was brutally raped by a gang of boys who filmed the scene on their mobile phones, then sent the footage to school friends, police said yesterday.

Five boys have been charged with aggravated sexual assault of the 17-year-old girl, and distributing a video of the attack.


Why?

For Lorraine Corne, a Sydney clinical psychologist, the seeds of that answer might be found on our televisions.

“The first thing that occurs to me is that in our society we allow people to be videoed in all sorts of degrading ways,” she said.

“For example, in Big Brother, in internet porn and in Funniest Home Videos. In all of these there is humiliation. And there are no boundaries.”

“Our Nights are Nightmares”

Published by
Sarah
at March 4, 2007 in Iraq, Politics, Saddam Hussein, World, death, imperialism, law, struggle, violence, war and women in power. 2 Comments

A brilliant documentary (Part One, Part Two) aired on the American Al-Jazeera channel today called “Everywomen”- an account of Iraqi women’s experiences under occupation.

Four brave Iraqi women talk about their experiences in Baghdad and the daily struggles to survive, take care of their families and work as the world around them descends into civil warfare, sectarian violence and chaos.

They are not without humour- the most compelling interviewee Iraqi television journalist Amna Frayeh amusingly reflects on the normalisation of her insane daily reality.

“I wonder what the French talk about. We talk of explosions and car bombs. I expect they have nothing to say and that’s why they are such quiet people.”

Continue reading ‘“Our Nights are Nightmares”’

A Moment for Alia Ansari

Published by
Sarah
at November 7, 2006 in religion, violence and violence against women. 1 Comment

Alia Ansari was a mother of six and wore a headscarf. She walking down the street in Fremont, California when she was shot randomly on the street, in what can only be described as a religiously motivated attack. She is my mother. She is your mother.

Groups in California have come out in support of Mrs. Ansari in a “Wear a headscarf day” for November 13.

I recommend everyone get involved in at least remembering her and what she represents.

It seems it’s not the powerful mullahs who have to suffer for their stupid statements. It’s always women who must pay. Innocent women like Mrs. Ansari, an Afghani immigrant, who unwittingly bear the brunt of media frenzies and demonising that have become regular public fare.

The recent deaths of the five young Amish girls in America, in what also appears to be a hate crime, reflects the way in which women- particularly from ethnic and religious minorities- have become the sacrificial pawns in the game of politics and prejudices.

These women face a triple brunt- first from superheroine feminists who want to ‘rescue’ them, then pressures from their own communities, and lastly being the vulnerable and visible targets of those who wish to inflict harm.

This kind of thing- violence against women, immigrants, minorites- it’s the death of liberalism and the worst kind of cowardice.

woman-hating is not just a muslim thing

Published by
Anna
at October 27, 2006 in Islam, rape, sexism, street harassment, violence and violence against women. 11 Comments

One thing that often happens when a prominent muslim cleric preaches woman-hating and rape-apologising is an obligatory round of muslim bashing, and a reignited “values debate”. So on the back of Sheik al-Hilaly’s comments that hit the news stands yesterday, we have Paul Sheehan doing his thing [his thing being pointing out that muslim values just aren’t reconcilable with Australian culture in his opinion columns]. And what gets lost in these public exchanges is that many men in Australian culture who aren’t muslim have expressed the same or similar sentiments about rape victims. Our defense lawyers certainly do, as Paul Sheehan knows too well.

The following is an extract from Sheehan’s book, Girls Like You, that details the line of questioning that gang-rape victim Tegan Wagner was subjected during cross examination:

[Trigger warning]

Continue reading ‘woman-hating is not just a muslim thing’

“Anyone who thinks this is a bit of a joke perhaps must have a good look at themselves…”

Published by
Sarah
at October 25, 2006 in rape, violence and violence against women. 1 Comment

So says Detective Inspector Simon Clemence from the Sex Crimes Squad on a graphic DVD showing a teenage girl allegedly being assaulted by group of boys.

According to the report the video “includes footage of the men urinating on the girl, setting her hair alight three times and throwing her top and jacket into the river.”

I wonder how very much different this is to sadistic images in commercial porn which millions of men download everyday? (which links again to the idea that culture’s impact on reality, relationships, perceptions of women and crime.)

Anyone who gets off on violence, sadism and humiliation is sick- they deserve the Putinesque award for callousness.

Such activity is not “normal”, “funny” or “sexy” (wherever the hell that construction comes from.)

As Detective Clemence said, “I can tell you I have seen the video and there is no humour in it. The girl is the victim of a serious crime, she’s very traumatised, the parents are very traumatised, and anyone who thinks this is a bit of a joke perhaps must have a good look at themselves.”

Absolutely Hilarious!

Published by
Sarah
at October 24, 2006 in Politics, law, media, rape, violence and violence against women. 1 Comment

A microphone has picked up off-the-cuff remarks by Russian President Vladimir Putin in which he comments on what a “mighty man” accused rapist Israeli President Moshe Katsav is.

 ”10 women! I would never have expected that from him. He surprised us all. We all envy him,” says a jocular Putin in talks with Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert.

Apparently it was all in good fun. Just a bit of a laugh between mates eh?

After all Putin is only a leader of a state in which an “anonymous” contract-style execution of a female journalist, was recently carried out.

And Olmert not only has a President that is an accused rapist but he also recently presided over a futile war that killed two thousand civilians (mainly women and children.)

Knee-trembling laughs for all here!

We talk about violence against women- but then remove our gentrified leaders from scrutiny- who politely mutter on how it’s only those ghetto black and barbarous underclass muslim thugs who commit such uncivilised behaviour.

It never really stops.

Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf also thinks rape is just a bit of a publicity stunt- a way to get a green card. It’s better to jail such PR seekers with a neat little jail term. Even if she’s blind.

And who could forget Supreme Court Justice Bollen’s side-splitting 1993 comment that husbands are within their full right to use “rougher than usual handling” in convincing their wife to have sex? 

When men are in power- whether in law, religion or politics-women’s suffering will always be a joke.

Rape- what a lark!

 

 

Everybody must get stoned?

Published by
Sarah
at October 18, 2006 in Islam, World, law, religion, violence, violence against women and wtf?!. 0 Comments


They’ll stone you when you’re trying to be so good
They’ll stone you just like they said they would
They’ll stone you when you’re trying to go home
They’ll stone you when you’re there all alone
But I would not feel so all alone
Everybody must get stoned

They’ll stone you when you’re walking on the street
They’ll stone you when you’re trying to keep your seat
They’ll stone you when your walking on the floor
They’ll stone you when your walking to the door
But I would not feel so all alone
Everybody must get stoned

They’ll stone you when you’re at the breakfast table
They’ll stone you when you are young and able
They’ll stone you when you’re trying to make a buck
They’ll stone you and then they’ll say good luck
But I would not feel so all alone
Everybody must get stoned

Well They’ll stone you and say that it’s the end
They’ll stone you and then they’ll come back again
They’ll stone you when you’re riding in your car
They’ll stone you when you’re playing your guitar
Yes But I would not feel so all alone
Everybody must get stoned
Alright

Well They’ll stone you when you are all alone
They’ll stone you when you are walking home
They’ll stone you and then say they’re all brave
They’ll stone you when you’re send down in your grave
But I would not feel so all alone
Everybody must get stoned

Everybody Must get Stoned -Bob Dylan

I sweeten your palate with Dylan- as the only way you are going to be able to deal with this is if you’re high on some hashish…

7 women have been sentenced to death by stoning in Iran.

Now that you have read that sentence which should have no place in the 21st century- follow the instructions artfully arranged by an American blogger and sign the petitions. 

You will feel much better.

Domestic Violence Bill threatens apocalypse in Zimbabwe

Published by
Anna
at October 12, 2006 in World, law, sexism, street harassment, violence and violence against women. 0 Comments

Timothy Mubhawu, Zimbabwe: “I stand here representing God the Almighty. Women are not equal to men. This is a dangerous bill, and let it be known in Zimbabwe that the rights, privileges and status of men are gone.”

What Bill could he possibly talking about you may wonder. One which allows for the takeover of the world by women perhaps? Well, the Bill, being debated in the Zimbabwe National Assembly is the Domestic Violence Bill. Mubhawu believes that men have an inherent right to beat up on their wives and lovers because they are superior.

In a country where 60 per cent of all murder cases are linked to domestic violence, women’s rights activists are outraged. More than 200 people from the Woman’s Coalition, an umbrella organisation for 35 women’s groups protested outside parliament.

Meanwhile, in India, another country where violence against women is all too common, a group who have called themselves “The Blank Noise Project” is attempting to reclaim the capital, New Delhi from street harassment. In India, it’s called “Eve Teasing” and is thought of as harmless fun but this group of women is attempting to call it for what it is, sexual harassment. They organise reclaim the night marches and actions where they stencil their message over Delhi streets and they hope that their movement will catch on in other cities in India. (Via)

However, it’s not just the “eve teasing” they have to contend with- there were 18,000 reported rapes in India last year and it is estimated that a woman is raped every 30 minutes.

Speaking of Street Harassment though, has anyone thought of setting up an Australian “Hollaback”? Hollaback started in New York City, as a project trying to empower women to do something about street harassment. It’s something we often experience, and I don’t know about you but I try to avoid confrontation, mainly because of that lurking fear of violence, but much to my chagrin after the fact. This project allows women to do something that seems to have less of a potential to turn ugly (providing you have a camera or camera phone handy). And that is, take a photo of the ogler/ lurker/ lech/ sleaze/ harasser and post it on the internet with an explanation of what he did. Kind of like a name and shame board but it also provides a platform for women to share their experiences of sexual harassment too, without necessarily having to have a photo of the perpetrator.

Is anyone interested in starting a “hollabackoz” page? If so contact me (editor@wo-magazine.com). I’m willing to be involved but not in any co-ordinating role, merely a, perhaps, helping with the upkeep of the blog part.