Welcome to the 53rd edition of The Pixel Project’s VAW e-News Digest. As usual, we bring you the latest and most relevant news related to violence against women and efforts at eradicating it around the world.
Our edition this time coincides with the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women that falls on November 25 and Canada’s National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women falling on December 6. The sixteen days are observed by various groups that launch campaigns to raise awareness and eradicate violence against women.
The most significant announcement made during this period has been the United Nations’ passing of a resolution calling for the ban on female genital mutilation. Although outlawed in most member countries, the practice persists in many communities and is often done illegally.
In the United States the re-authorization of VAWA is facing some obstacles: if it is not discussed quickly, it may become outdated and not be re-authorized at all. In China, anti-VAW campaigns seek to engage local communities to spread awareness, and in Switzerland, theatre is used to discuss female genital mutilation.
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It’s time to stop violence against women. Together.
Warmest Regards – The Pixel Project Team
Violence Against Women
- AFGHANISTAN – violence against women reportedly becoming very extreme
- AFGHANISTAN – President Hamid Karzai condemns violence against women as against Islam
- CANADA – Various women’s groups launch conjugal violence against women awareness campaign
- THE PHILIPPINES – Filipino military to support drive to end violence against women (good news)
- UNITED KINGDOM – New laws to give extra protection to victims of stalking (good news)
- UNITED KINGDOM – Footballers in Bristol participate in the White Ribbon Campaign
- UNITED STATES – Supporters of the Violence Against Women Act fear that delays will cause expiration of VAWA’s re-authorization
Domestic Violence
- Study – Stay-at-home wives experience fewer cases of intimate partner violence
- AUSTRALIA – Domestic violence among the indigenous community of Australia concerns UN, roots may extend to the exclusion and deprivation of indigenous community from the mainstream
- AUSTRALIA – Courage and tenacity of police officers in handling domestic violence cases are recognized through an award.
- CHINA – A pilot project to stamp out domestic violence in China is being extended, will involve neighbourhood committees.
- INDIA– Tamil Nadu region tops domestic violence cases
- NEW ZEALAND – unknown to most citizens of the Nelson area, family violence is ‘glaringly big’ as many sufferers live in silence.
- UGANDA – Ugandan NGO has translated the Domestic Violence Act into various local languages (good news)
- UKRAINE – Ombudsperson notes rising domestic violence rates in Ukraine
- UNITED KINGDOM – Domestic violence cuts to the budget affect services, with one in five centres cutting their services.
- UNITED KINGDOM – School pupils will be taught about domestic violence and developing healthy relationships (good news)
- UNITED STATES – opinion from the New York Times on the Republican Party’s need to take issues of violence against women seriously within their party.
- UNITED STATES – First canine in Massachusetts protected by new domestic violence law that includes coverage of pets (good news)
- UNITED STATES – Cases of domestic violence in Boston city has increased by more than a third
Female Genital Mutilation
- United Nations passes first resolution condemning female genital mutilation.
- More coverage on the United Nations’ call for banning of female genital mutilation
- EGYPT – Female genital mutilation happening quietly and is on the rise, supported by some Islamists.
- UNITED KINGDOM – Health passport launched to protect girls from being subjected to female genital mutilation if they go overseas
- UNITED KINGDOM – Total of 120 women in the city of Bradford have been subjected to female genital mutilation
- SWITZERLAND– More girls are at risk of female genital mutilation in Switzerland
- SWITZERLAND– How theatre is used to handle issues of female genital mutilation
Honour Killing and Forced Marriages
- General factbox – Forced marriage continues to prevail in developed countries
- AFGHANISTAN – Fate of women still tied to arranged marriages in post-Taliban Afghanistan
- SOUTH AFRICA– 22 girls abducted and forced to marry in a practice known as ukuthwala
- UNITED KINGDOM – The government expresses its intention to criminalize forced marriage in England and Wales
- UNITED KINGDOM – UK MPs call on the government to decisively stop child marriage.
- UNITED STATES – Forced marriage becoming an increasing problem in the United States
Sex Trafficking
- UNITED STATES – The Kansas Department of Children and Families is working towards a legislation that will increase penalties on those found guilty of trafficking children.
- UNITED STATES – Curriculum that focuses on sex trafficking to be introduced in some schools .
- UNITED STATES – Poor marks given to the state of Virginia and Washington for laws that have prevented officials from protecting victims of sex trafficking.
- UNITED STATES – Child sex trafficking is a major problem in the state of Virginia.
Activism
- GHANA – Tamale celebrates day to end violence against women.
- THE PHILIPPINES – Davao women protest against the ‘7 deadly sins’ of the country, including violence against women
- PAKISTAN – One-day seminar held on the topic of violence against women
- ZIMBABWE – Study in Cambridge shows that feminist movements are key to ending violence against women