International Day Against Violence Against Women

on November 25, 2007
Category: Gender Violence

A reminder to everyone that the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender Violence begins today.

Violence against women is something that cuts across all ages, nationalities, religions and cultures. Most of us have either experienced violence or know someone who has but still there remains a SILENCE around violence against women mainly because it more often takes place in the domestic sphere. I spoke about my own experience here

One fundamental problem is that because gender based violence is so common across the world that it has been “normalised” - through actions, language, imagery, pornography - and it is this “normalisation” that has to be broken. I spoke of my own personal experience of domestic violence. But the violence didn’t start there. I have had a life time of it from my child hood, of sexual harassment - touching, misogynist language, presumptions, jokes, looks, homophobia - it becomes a constant battle not to internalise the abuse. As a teenager I used to think it must be my fault - I am to sexual and that’s why this is happening. There was also the added racial element which expressed itself differently depending on whether in Africa or in the West. I did not know where to turn or how to deal with any of this. All of us girls were experiencing similar abuse. With my father acting like a prison guard when it came to boys/men, I was way too scared to talk to my parents about it - even too my mother. The strict environment left no doors open in which to try to discuss this with family members for fear of being grounded to the house. Looking back I probably thought it was normal - we girls and women are the one’s responsible for arousing men who then cannot help themselves. Unfortunately much of society still believes and accept this ridiculous explanation for acts of violence against women.

All our denials - women, men, parents, families, communities - will certainly not protect us. On the contrary it sustains and even encourages acts of violence against women………Continue

Estimates are one in three women have experienced beatings and or sexual abuse. Violence against women

It is a scourge that preys on women and girls of ALL nations, of ALL cultures. It is gender-based violence — and it continues to grow, encouraged by the silence surrounding the issue and excused by reference to cultural norms. At the dawn of the 21st Century it is a very negative reflection of global society that violence against women is increasing throughout the world. Gender-based violence is the social, psychological and economic subordination of women and occurs in ALL societies. Violence against women is a complex phenomenon deeply rooted in the way society is composed — cultural beliefs, power relations, economic power imbalances, and the masculine ideal of male dominance

The 16 days will run from November 25th to December 10th and will incorporate the following:

November 25th: The International Day Against Violence Against Women
November 29th: International Women Human Rights Defenders Day
December 1st: World Aids Day
December 10th: International Human Rights Day

Local actions are taking place across the world -

Carnival Against Violence Against Women

To participate please fill in the Carnival form or email me at info at blacklooks dot org with the link to your post before December 6th. The post can be anything from a personal story, images, thoughts, a link anything that highlights and informs violence against women.

This year’s theme is “Demanding Implementation, Challenging Obstacles: End Violence Against Women”

Links: Gender Violence on Black Looks

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Carnival
Gender Violence

16 Days of Activism Against Violence Against Women

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14 Comments so far

1. 16 Days of Activism at THIS IS NOT MY COUNTRY

November 25th, 2007 at 2:52 pm

[…] Sokari at Black Looks Violence against women is something that cuts across all ages, nationalities, religions and […]

2. Feministe » 16 Days of Action Against Gender Violence

November 25th, 2007 at 4:38 pm

[…] very strongly recommend that you check out Sokari at Black Looks for more information about the 16 Days and for information about the Carnival Against Gender […]

3. 16 Days Of Action Against Gender Violence : The Curvature

November 25th, 2007 at 4:48 pm

[…] very strongly recommend that you check out Sokari at Black Looks for more information about the 16 Days and for information about the Carnival Against Gender […]

4. Bosse Hammarstrom

November 25th, 2007 at 8:29 pm

A luta continua - always, everywhere.

5. Rad Geek People’s Daily 2007-11-25 – International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women

November 26th, 2007 at 2:10 am

[…] for the Elimination of Violence Against Women) to December 10th (International Human Rights Day). Sokari at Black Looks (2007-11-25) has a good run down on the events of the 16 Days, and a powerful statement of what it’s all […]

6. mnemosyne » day one…

November 26th, 2007 at 2:52 am

[…] the Carnival Against Violence Against Women is being held @ Black Looks. deadline for submissions is Dec 6. please head over there for more info (additional info & […]

7. Del Hornbuckle

November 26th, 2007 at 3:18 am

If these concentrated days of activism inspire or motivate a girl or woman to think twice about getting in the car or going out with that jerk who’s dangling a carrot; purchasing and embracing “beauty products”, clothing, lifestyle, etc. because she feels the need to conform to a degrading “feminine aesthetic” or to “get a man”; dancing or appearing half-nude in a misogynistic video (not just hip hop or rap music videos!); saying YES when in her heart she wants to say NO; leaving that violent, verbally abusive partner, spouse, mate who mistreats, demeans her and her children; and doing anything that’s demeaning, hurtful, hateful because the “money is good”……

But also, to look at our passive participation; perhaps the 16 Days will cause us all to turn off the tv, media and entertainment that’s negative and say NO! to all violence, verbal abuse, disrespect and mistreatment for all living things. I firmly believe that the acceptance and complacency of all forms of abuse and violence on a passive level through media, entertainment and lifestyle are at the root of how widespread and under the radar gender violence really is.

8. dogonland

November 26th, 2007 at 4:36 am

I also wanted to share my friend Kevin Powell’s essay that he sent to me a month ago. He’s sharing some painful stories and heartful wisdom from of his past:

Ending Violence Against Women & Girls by Kevin Powell

9. International Day Against Violence Against Women « Questioning Transphobia

November 26th, 2007 at 7:32 am

[…] 25, 2007 at 11:32 pm (violence against women) (violence against women) Sokari of Black Looks posted this: A reminder to everyone that the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender Violence begins […]

10. Feminist Law Professors » Blog Archive » Today is “International Women Human Rights Defenders Day”

November 29th, 2007 at 3:52 pm

[…] It’s part of a “16 Days of Activism Against Gender Violence“ campaign that you can learn more about here. […]

11. Say No to Violence Against Women

November 30th, 2007 at 5:34 am

[…] to in the African blogosphere as a big sister and mentor - Sokari Ekine - is organizing the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender Violence. You really want to check it out and contribute meaningfully to this fight against gender […]

12. 16 Days Links : The Curvature

December 4th, 2007 at 5:36 pm

[…] please, use HTML to do it. And on a related note don’t forget to get in those links to the Carnival Against Violence Against Women — tomorrow’s your last […]