Category Archives: Latest

Activism 101: 16 Striking Campaigns for the Cause to End Violence Against Women

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As we have noted and discussed time and time again, Violence Against Women (VAW) is an issue that is considered controversial, taboo and/or normal in many communities and cultures worldwide to the point where, depending on the community and culture, any of the following take place:

  • VAW is swept under the rug – characterised as a “private” family matter that should never be discussed in public.
  • VAW becomes the “elephant in the room” in public discourse whereby communities know who is doing the beating/who are the rapists/who is being cut etc but willfully turn a blind eye.
  • VAW is seen as too “triggering” or ugly a topic to be discussed in normal conversation even while the media and entertainment normalises and desensitises VAW.
  • VAW is ridiculed as a special interest issue – a “women’s issue” – even if women comprise half the planet’s population and are certainly not a minority/special interest group.
  • VAW is demonised as a feminist and sexist red herring by Male Rights Activists and other upholders of the patriarchal norm.

Interview: Spa Fundraiser Co-Founder Catherine Pierce talks about the Purple Pamper Package and Why Violence Against Women is an Important Cause for Her

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As part of our annual year-end holiday season fundraising, The Pixel Project has teamed up with Spa Fundraiser to present the Purple Pamper Package programme whereby our supporters and followers can treat themselves to a mini face-and-hand spa pamper session for just $25 while raising funds for the cause to end violence against women.

Better still, donors and supporters have the option of make their charity dollars stretch twice as far by also sponsoring one or more Purple Pamper Package spa certificates for any of the 30 women’s shelters who have signed up to receive the spa sessions.

The Purple Pamper Package holiday giving programme runs from 25 November 2011 – 1 January 2012 and you can buy the spa certificates for yourself and your loved ones and/or sponsor some for a listed women’s shelter at Spa Fundraiser’s Purple Pamper Package page.

We caught up with Catherine Tanner Pierce, co-Founder of Spa Fundraiser and she talks to us about why she started Spa Fundraiser, why violence against women is a cause close to her heart and her ideas about how we can all help stop violence against women worldwide. Continue reading →

16 of The Pixel Project’s Best Blog Articles…So Far

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The Pixel Project’s blog has been one of our key tools for raising awareness about Violence Against Women (VAW) worldwide. Through our blog, we have presented everything from action lists to interviews to detailed articles about positive solutions to preventing, stopping and ending VAW.

It is our soapbox: our virtual platform-with-megaphone where we speak out against VAW.

Our blog has been quoted by the Associated Press, shared by thousands of activists, survivors and supporters worldwide and provided us with the privilege of showcasing some of the most innovative ideas and activists in the movement to end VAW today. And who better to present a round-up of our best blog articles (so far) than our long-time Blog Editor, Crystal Smith.

So over to you, Crystal:

– Regina Yau, Founder and President, The Pixel Project Continue reading →

16 Memorable Ways of Dealing With Street Harassment

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For the 8th day of the 16 Days of Activism, we are proud to share a special blog list of 16 memorable ways of dealing with street harassment which has been kindly compiled by Holly Kearl, Founder of Stop Street Harassment and one of our 16 Female Role Models of 2010.

Almost 100% of women and girls experience street harassment in their lifetimes ranging from the uncomfortable to the downright dangerous. Holly receives many stories of women fighting back against street harassment by themselves or with the help of friends, family and bystanders which is shared on the Stop Street Harassment website and Facebook page to help raise awareness of this particular type of violence against women as well as provide inspiration and ideas for everyone on making public places and spaces safe ones for women.

This list provides a starting point for all to learn about and discuss the impact of street harassment. We hope it’ll inspire you to take action.

It’s time to stop violence against women. Together.

– Regina Yau, Founder and President, The Pixel Project

Continue reading →

The Pixel Project Selection 2011: 16 Songs About Violence Against Women (and Staying Strong and Positive)

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“Music expresses that which cannot be said and on which it is impossible to be silent.” — Victor Hugo

The subject of Violence Against Women (VAW) is a difficult one to discuss and face for most people, cultures and communities. Whether it is considered taboo, a non-issue or a private matter, a wall of silence often envelopes the issue, making it one of the most entrenched and difficult human rights violations to dislodge and eradicate. Therefore, activists, campaigners and charities/nonprofits often have to get creative in highlighting the seriousness and severity of gender-based violence and its impact on the well-being of communities and societies as a confrontational approach may backfire, cause a backlash or simply not work.

One of the most powerful and creative methods of raising awareness about VAW and spreading the message of saying NO to VAW is through music and song. From medieval bards to protest folk singers of the 1960s to today’s Pop, Rock and Country songwriters, musicians, singers and songwriters have always played a pivotal role in spreading the message about social issues via their lyrics and using musical hooks to ensure that the song stays with the listener until the message sinks in. Continue reading →

Activism 101: 16 Ways to Support The Pixel Project’s Work to Stop Violence Against Women

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Welcome to the eleventh day of 16 Days of Activism and our 16 for 16 campaign!

With the G(irls) 20 Summit calling on world leaders to end gender-based violence and inequality, and with the Nobel Prize being awarded to three women “for their non-violent struggle for the safety of women and for women’s rights,” the issue of violence against women has gotten some high-profile attention of late. However, there is still much to do to bring an end to the violence that plagues 1 in 3 women and girls worldwide.

Not sure where to begin? Why not begin with us – here are 16 ways you can take part in and support The Pixel Project’s work to stop violence against women.

Introduction by Crystal Smith with Regina Yau; List compiled by Crystal Smith; Retro Social Media Icons illustration courtesy of Mike Weinstein. Continue reading →

The Pixel Project Selection 2011: 16 Films About Violence Against Women

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In our opening essay for last year’s Pixel Project Film Selection, we discussed the power of film as one of the most powerful tools that activists and educators have at their disposal to shape and galvanise public opinion and action to prevent and stop violence against women (VAW) in their communities. We selected a mix of documentaries and full-length movies, because whether they try to document the reality of gender-based violence or portray it through fictional storylines, they have their strengths and place in anti-VAW education.

This year, our selection includes at least one documentary or documentary series produced for and shown via the medium of television by major networks such as HBO and PBS. While film has traditionally been seen as the more prestigious medium, television has three distinct advantages over film: Continue reading →

Activism 101: 16 Ways for Men To Step Up in the fight to end Violence Against Women

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Today is the fourth day of the 16 Days campaign, and it is with great pleasure that we present a special 16 for 16 article from our partner, the White Ribbon Campaign. The White Ribbon Campaign is the biggest movement in the world of men and boys working to end violence against women. This year, they lost one of their founders and biggest Male Allies of the movement to end violence against women – Jack Layton. It is testimony to the vision of Mr. Layton and the other White Ribbon campaign co-founders that their vision for a world without gender-based violence continues to this day, carried on by Todd Minerson and his team in Canada and other strong male leaders around the world. For that, we thank them. Continue reading →

Transforming Personal Pain Into Positive Action: The Pixel Project’s 16 Female Role Models 2011

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When we presented our first list of 16 female role models fighting to end violence against women in their communities back in December 2010, our sole intent was simple: to highlight the good work of the heroines of the movement to end violence against women wherever they are in the world. Indeed, this list came about because The Pixel Project team noticed the bright sparks of these women’s efforts in our daily work to collect, collate and share news about the violence against women movement worldwide.

We hoped that these women would be an inspiration to others to get involved with the cause and were delighted to see the outpouring of support that the Facebook and Twitter communities showed for the 2010 list of female role models. Thanks to the generous amounts of sharing and retweeting of the list by our supporters and their networks, those 16 women got an extra – and well-deserved – moment in the spotlight.

With such an overwhelmingly positive response to last year’s list, we decided to make the list an annual online milestone to continue shining a light on many more dedicated and awe-inspiring women activists toiling ceaselessly to prevent, stop and end violence against women in their communities. Continue reading →

16 Resources About War-time Violence Against Women

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The Bulgarian Martyresses by Konstantin Makovsky (1877). Atrocities of bashibazouks in Bulgaria in Russo-Turkish War of 1877-78.

Violence is an inescapable and terrible manifestation of war and militarism with the worst of the violence being atrocities against civilians being committed in the name of intimidating the enemy to win the war. From the social acceptance of rape as part of war in ancient Greece to the Chinese and Korean comfort women of World War II. From the mass rapes of Bosnia Herzegovina and the Congo, to the forced virginity checks of female protestors in Egypt, women and girls have borne the brunt of many of these crimes against humanity.

In the face of this long-entrenched practice of using violence against women as an intimidation strategy and a sign of military might, we need to follow the lead of 2011 Nobel Peace Prize co-winner, Leymah Gbowee who led the women of Liberia to Monrovia’s town hall to demand of then-President Charles Taylor: “We the women of Liberia will no more allow ourselves to be raped, abused, misused, maimed and killed,” she shouted. “Our children and grandchildren will not be used as killing machines and sex slaves!”

Many will say that it is impossible to achieve world peace but that does not mean we should stop trying on the account of it being possibly futile. More than ever, this is the demand we must collectively make of those who would wage war for power, domination and money. Continue reading →