The Pixel Project VAW e-News Digest: Edition 15

Welcome to The Pixel Project’s e-News Digest: Fifteenth Edition. We bring you the latest and most relevant news concerning violence against women around the world.

Observing news about violence against women around the world is always an experience that creates mixed feelings. Sometimes, one feels helpless and frustrated at the seeming lack of progress that is happening, and worse, the regression that happens.

Hollywood seems to have taken a turn for the worse with more celebrities involved in violence against women and the arguable glorification of intimate partner abuse with chart-topping hits. (While it’s true that Rihanna and Eminem’s Love the Way You Lie isn’t strictly related to a relationship involving domestic violence, it’s hard to shake off the implication when one is known for being a domestic violence survivor and the other is known for being a verbal abuser.)

It is also disappointing to know that despite the known links between domestic violence and World Cup viewership, FIFA has not taken a more vocal stance against domestic violence despite its many opportunities to do so. On a note less related to issues of popular entertainment, the Malaysian government is turning a blind eye to the systematic abuse of the Penan tribe, a Borneon tribe who have long been opposing the practices of logging companies.

But there are other things that offer some encouragement. The Cannes Lions Advertising Film Festival has awarded Bell Bajao! for their campaign on raising awareness about domestic violence in India. In Scotland an advertisement combating rape culture is being broadcast on television. And in Iran, a woman convicted of adultery and sentenced to death by stoning will no longer face that inhuman punishment, although she may still face execution.

If you have any news about violence against women and efforts at addressing it, feel free to contact our archivist at catalina@thepixelproject.net. If you prefer to receive more up-to-the-minute updates, follow our Twitter team at http://twitter.com/thepixelproject.

We can work to eliminate violence against women, together.

Regards,

The Pixel Project Team

General Violence Against Women

The United Nations merges four UN programs – the Division for the Advancement of Women (DAW), the International Research and Training Institute for the Advancement of Women (INSTRAW), the Office of the Special Adviser on Gender Issues and Advancement of Women (OSAGI), and the United Nations Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM) – to tackle issues concerning the welfare of women around the world

Argentina: Report bares inhumane conditions in Argentine female prisons

Iran: Momentary reprieve for Sakineh, the Iranian woman convicted of adultery and was to be punished to execution by stoning. She will no longer be stoned to death, but she may still face execution

Pakistan: 13% increase of reported cases of violence against women in Pakistan since previous year

Thailand: In Pattaya, a full-scale campaign to address violence against women is launched

Domestic / Intimate Partner Violence

Canada: Recent shooting is a grim reminder that more needs to be done in Nova Scotia to deal with domestic violence

India: The Bell Bajao! campaign wins the Silver Lion at the Film category at the Cannes Lions International Advertising Festival