The Pixel Project Selection 2018: 16 Notable Anti-VAW Activists and Organisations You Should Follow on Twitter

Since its debut more than a decade ago, Twitter has become a reliable news source for many individuals. It offers a real-time view and perspective of what is occurring both elsewhere and in our own communities, enabling us to become more aware of social issues like violence against women and join discussions to become more involved with these causes.

Twitter enables us to share information and can function as a tool we can use to help us better our world through understanding, and create an atmosphere of solidarity worldwide. Being able to look up a hashtag – #vaw for example – in order to find news sources, helplines, or other activists is a simple yet incredibly useful way to become involved. In fact, in recent years, the usefulness of hashtags as a rallying cry for women’s causes have vaulted up to the next level with #MeToo and #YesAllWomen going viral worldwide as women and girls share their stories of surviving sexism, misogyny, and gender-based violence on Twitter.

With that in mind, The Pixel Project presents our 2018 Twitter selection of 16 organisations and individuals leveraging Twitter in the cause to end violence against women. These are groups and people who will keep you informed simply because they share the passion to create a better tomorrow for girls and women everywhere.

Introduction by Rebecca DeLuca and Regina Yau; Written by Regina Yau. Research by Rubina Singh; Compiled by Rubina Singh and Regina Yau.

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Twitter Follow Recommendation 1: Acid Survivors Trust International (@Acid_Survivors) – Global


Acid Survivors Trust International (ASTI) is the only organisation in the world whose sole purpose is to work towards the end of acid violence across the globe. Founded in 2002, ASTI works with a network of six local partners in Bangladesh, Cambodia, India, Nepal, Pakistan and Uganda, providing medical expertise and training to their partners, conducting research, raising funds for acid attack survivors, and changing laws. Their Twitter account is an invaluable resource for anyone to find out more about acid attacks and what different countries are doing to combat this form of VAW.

Twitter Follow Recommendation 2: Emma Watson (@EmmaWatson) – United Kingdom

When actress Emma Watson shot to stardom as Hermione Granger in the Harry Potter movies, little did anyone know that she would become a feminist icon as an adult. In 2014, Watson was named UN Women Goodwill Ambassador and launched the UN Women campaign HeForShe, which calls for men to advocate for gender equality by giving a high profile address at UN Headquarters in New York City. Since then, Watson has championed a number of initiatives for girls’ education and the eradication of violence against women. Her Twitter feed is filled with signal boosts for various campaigns as well as her thoughts on feminism and women’s human rights.

Twitter Follow Recommendation 3: Galkayo Education Center for Peace and Development (@gecpdsomalia) – Somalia

Galkayo Education Center for Peace and Development (GECPD) is a women’s rights NGO established in October 1999 by the current Founder Executive Director Hawa Aden Mohamed with the support of a group of women professionals. GECPD’s main mission is to provide basic education for girls and functional literacy skills for women, as well as address the issues of child marriage and female genital mutilation. Their Twitter account focuses on the latest news and updates on women’s rights issues in Somalia and is an invaluable resource for anyone interested in feminist movements in Somalia and the wider Africa region.

Twitter Follow Recommendation 4: Girls at Dhabas (@girlsatdhabas) – Pakistan

Girls at Dhabas is a collective of feminists working on sparking conversation around women’s negotiation of public spaces in Pakistan in order to combat the gradual disappearance of women from the public scene, as well as engage with the issues pertinent to gender and class in relation to the public sphere. Their Twitter feed is filled with conversations about women’s rights in Pakistan as well as tweets about street harassment and women in public spaces.

Twitter Follow Recommendation 5: Hablemos Sexo (@HablemodeSexo) – Mexico

Hablemos Sexo is an organisation dedicated to educating young people about consent and safe sex, preventing violence against women. They offer easily accessible information on sexuality and sexual health, aimed at Spanish-speaking teenagers and young people from all over the world. Their Twitter account is an excellent source of information about all these issues and, unlike most other organisations, they make extensive use of messaging through soundbites on posters.

 

Twitter Follow Recommendation 6: International Women’s Development Agency (@IWDA) – Asia Pacific

The International Women’s Development Agency (IWDA) is the leading Australian agency entirely focused on women’s rights and gender equality in the Asia Pacific region. Their work includes research on the safety and security of women, the role economic freedom plays in eradicating violence against women, and women’s leadership in politics and communities. Their Twitter account is filled with tweets about the progress of women’s human rights issues in Asia Pacific as well as updates on their own work.

 

Twitter Follow Recommendation 7: Hannah Gadsby (@HannahGadsby) – Australia

Hannah Gadsby is a veteran Australian comedian and writer whose Netflix series “Nanette” – billed as her farewell show – put her on the global pop culture map by breaking new ground in comedy by bluntly and unflinchingly addressing the sexism, homophobia, and assaults which she has encountered in her own life and which many women and LGBTQIA people experience. Gadsby’s Twitter feed is similarly filled with thought-provoking tweets about gender issues, sexism, misogyny, violence against women, LGBTQIA issues and more.

 

Twitter Follow Recommendation 8: Malala Fund (@MalalaFund) – Global

Malala Fund is a nonprofit set up by Malala Yousouzai and her father to break down the barriers (including gender-based violence) preventing more than 130 million girls around the world from going to school. Their work focuses on investing in local education activists, holding leaders worldwide accountable for girls’ education, and amplifying the voices of girls. Their Twitter account is a popular one with over 626,000 followers and their tweets focus on their work, women’s human rights issues (including violence against women), and girls’ education.

Twitter Follow Recommendation 9: Malena Pichot (@malepichot) – Argentina

Argentinian actress, screenwriter and stand-up comedian Malena Pichot was catapulted to Internet fame when her skit about abortion and misogyny was published on YouTube in 2014 – since then it has received over 1.3 million views. According to NPR, Pichot is part of a wave of “young Latin American feminists who have very skillfully used social media to get the message out, and take down long-held sexist traditions.” Pichot tweets in Spanish about various women’s rights issues and campaigns in Argentina.

 

Twitter Follow Recommendation 10: Native Women’s Association of Canada (@NWAC_CA) – Canada

The Native Women’s Association of Canada (NWAC) was founded in 1974 to collectively focus on enhancing, promoting, and fostering the social, economic, cultural and political well-being of First Nations, Métis and Inuit women in Canada. Their Twitter account is an excellent resource for anyone looking to keep up with news about the human rights of Native women including issues such as violence against women, economic empowerment, and girls’ education.

Twitter Follow Recommendation 11: Raising Teenagers Uganda (@raisingteensug) – Uganda

Raising Teenagers Uganda is an NGO dedicated to ending child marriage and tackling the menstruation taboo in Uganda so that girls can attend school. They regularly tweet about their programmes (including the Girls Matter Clubs) as well as articles focused on the human rights of girls, girls’ education, and news about stopping under-aged marriage.

Twitter Follow Recommendation 12: She Decides (@shedecidesGFI) – Global

SheDecides is a global movement to promote, provide, protect and enhance the fundamental rights of every girl and woman. She must decide about her own body – so that she can decide about her life and her future. They take on issues such as women’s reproductive rights including the right to choose, family planning, contraception, and abortion. Their Twitter account focuses not just on reproductive rights but also intersecting issues such as violence against women and women’s access to healthcare.

Twitter Follow Recommendation 13: Sisters in Islam (@SistersInIslam) – Malaysia

Sisters in Islam is a Malaysia-based NGO powered by Muslim women committed to gender equality, the human rights of Muslim women and girls, and empowering women to advocate for change in Malaysia. Their Twitter account is focused on sharing news about women’s rights in Malaysia, Islamic countries, and Southeast Asia, headlines about violence against women that affects Muslim women (including child marriage), and updates of their campaigns and programmes.

Twitter Follow Recommendation 14: Tarana Burke (@TaranaBurke) – United States of America

Tarana Burke – a survivor of sexual violence herself and currently the senior director of Girls For Gender Equity – is the founder of the #MeToo movement in 2006 which went viral on social in 2017 thanks to the Harvey Weinstein case – a full decade after she first coined the hashtag. Through her Twitter account, she tweets her thoughts as well as various news and updates about the #MeToo movement and the anti-violence against women movement in general.

 

Twitter Follow Recommendation 15: The Girl Generation (@TheGirlGen) – Africa

The Girl Generation is an Africa-led global collective of members and partners brought together by a shared vision that Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) can end in this generation. It is a platform for accelerating social change by bringing together hundreds and thousands of voices to challenge the social norms that keep FGM in place in many cultures. Their Twitter feed is filled with news and information about FGM and the various activities and initiatives members are undertaking to combat FGM in their constituencies.

 

Twitter Follow Recommendation 16: The YP Foundation (@TheYPFoundation) – India

The YP Foundation develops youth leadership to advance rights of young women and girls and other marginalised youth. They make an impact by strengthening young people’s engagement with policy-making at local, national, regional and international levels through a number of programmes which tackle issues that affect Indian youth including reproductive rights for women and girls, as well as male violence against women and toxic masculinity. Their Twitter account tweets about youth engagement in India, women’s human rights, and sexual and reproductive rights.

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Photo Credits: 

  1. Emma Watson – By Georges Biard [CC BY-SA 3.0  (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons. 
  2. Hannah Gadsby – From Hannah Gadsby Comedy (Facebook). 
  3. Malena Pichot – By Ggrosvald [CC BY-SA 3.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons. 
  4. Tarana Burke – By Brittany “B.Monét” Fennell (She’s Revolutionary at 01:10, cropped) [CC BY-SA 3.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

The Pixel Project Selection 2016: 16 Notable Anti-VAW Activists and Organisations You Should Follow on Twitter

twitter1-300x225

Since it was launched almost a decade ago, Twitter has quickly become a reliable news source for many individuals. Twitter offers a real-time view and perspective of what is occurring both elsewhere and within our own communities, enabling us to become more aware of social issues such as violence against women (VAW). Information is very often a weapon of power, a tool to help us better our world through understanding. In this way, we are also creating an atmosphere of solidarity worldwide, which is something to take notice of.

For many, Twitter is the social media platform through which resources are found, knowledge obtained, and discussions begun. Furthermore, organisations have taken notice and also use this new form of media to gain better outreach worldwide. Online volunteer charities and groups, such as The Pixel Project itself, are becoming a major force in this modern age of activism.

Being able to research and connect through a hashtag – #vaw for example – in order to find news sources, helplines, or other activists is a simple yet incredibly useful way to become involved. With that in mind, The Pixel Project presents our 2016 Twitter selection. We narrowed down the many incredible organisations and individuals involved in the cause to end violence against women to the 16 listed below. These are groups and people who will keep you informed simply because they share the passion to create a better tomorrow for girls and women everywhere.

Written and compiled by Rebecca DeLuca

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Twitter Follow Recommendation #1: End Online Misogyny (@misogyny_online) – Worldwide

end-online-misogynyEnd Online Misogyny exposes misogynistic abuse women often face for speaking out online. This Twitter account retweets examples of misogynistic abuse, reports abusers to Twitter or to the police, and accepts anonymous submissions from readers regarding their experiences with online abuse. They also share news and articles about digital safety and abuse. Followers of the End Online Misogyny Twitter account can support the cause by reporting abusers, or stand in solidarity with women who have faced abuse through their #ShoutBack campaign.

Twitter Follow Recommendation #2: End Rape on Campus (@endrapeoncampus) – United States

endrapeoncampus

Through direct support of survivors, education, and policy reform, End Rape on Campus (EROC) works to end campus sexual assault in the United States. The EROC Twitter account is a resource for those passionate about the cause, as they share news and current events and programme updates.

 

Twitter Follow Recommendation #3: Equal Community Foundation (@ECFIndia) – India

equal-community-foundationECF India provides men in India with the opportunity to practice gender equality and end VAW, and to become leaders in their communities. Focusing on 14-to 17-year-old boys in low-income areas, ECF India graduated over 1600 young men as of May 2015. The ECF India Twitter page keeps followers up-to-date on its successes by sharing photos and updates of member training and other programmes.

 

Twitter Follow Recommendation #4: Erin Gibson (@gibblertron) – United States

eringibsonErin Gibson is a comedian, feminist and a co-host of the podcast Throwing Shade. Every week, Erin researches and uses satire to comment on political issues, current events and pieces of popular culture impacting women in the United States and around the world including VAW. Erin is also a writer and producer, and tours regularly.

 

Twitter Follow Recommendation #5: FAIR Girls (@FAIR_Girls) – United States

fairgirlsFAIR Girls prevents the exploitation of girls around the world through empowerment, education, compassionate care and survivor inclusive advocacy. The FAIR Girls Twitter account shares stories from survivors, programme accomplishments, including rescuing and reuniting girls with their families, and global human trafficking and exploitation news..

 

Twitter Follow Recommendation #6: Feminism in India (@FeminismInIndia) – India

feminisminindiaFeminism in India is a digital platform used to educate youth in India about feminism. The website includes breaking feminist news, books, campaigns, videos, survivor stories and more. The Feminism in India Twitter account not only shares updates from the website, but a collection of news and media promoting gender equality and expressing its necessity.

 

Twitter Follow Recommendation 7: FEMNET – (@FemnetProg) – Kenya

femnetFEMNET is a pan-African feminist organisation that has been committed to advancing women’s rights for over 28 years. Since its foundation in 1988, FEMNET has played a leading role in amplifying the voices of African women and ensuring they are heard when national, regional and global decisions are being made. The organisation also spearheads many Twitter campaigns to draw attention to women’s rights issues, including #BringBackOurGirls and #FollowTheProtocol.

 

Twitter Follow Recommendation #8: Free Women Writers – (@FreeWomenWriter)  – Afghanistan

freewomenwritersFounded by writer and human rights advocate Noorjahan Akbar, Free Women Writer is a blog that publishes women’s writing and focuses on gender equality in Afghanistan. With a firm belief that the protection of women’s rights is essential for progress, Free Women Writers hopes to challenge the misrepresentation of women by sharing authentic Afghan voices.

 

Twitter Follow Recommendation 9: Jane Doe Inc. – (@JaneDoe) – United States

janedoeincJane Doe Inc., a coalition of 60 groups in Massachusetts, USA working to promote the safety, liberty and dignity for victims and survivors of sexual assault and domestic violence, is a useful resource for women’s rights advocates. The Jane Doe Inc. Twitter account has become a thought leader in discussions about gender equality, sharing news and live-tweeting relevant events for those unable to attend.

 

Twitter Follow Recommendation #10: Maiti Nepal (@MaitiNepal) –  Nepal

maitinepalMaiti Nepal protects, rescues and rehabilitates survivors of trafficking. Maiti Nepal also offers awareness and advocacy, transit homes, legal resources, training and job placements and more. The Maiti Nepal Twitter page shares photos of programme accomplishments and successes, advocacy updates, and educational resources.

 

Twitter Follower Recommendation #11: The GBV Prevention Network (@GBVnet) – Africa

the-gbv-prevention-networkThe GBV Prevention Network is committed to ending gender based violence in the Horn, East and Southern Africa, focusing on understanding violence against women, building connections and taking actions. The organisation, with over 500 members, maintains extensive resources on addressing VAW, provides tools to analyse and understand oppression, and hosts Thematic Action Groups for members to take specific action around a particular issue related to violence against women.

 

Twitter Follow Recommendation #12: The International Women’s Health Coalition (@IntlWomen) –  International

the-internationalwomenshealthcoalition

The International Women’s Health Coalition (IWCH) works to advance the sexual and reproductive rights of women and girls around the world, including Africa, Asian, Latin America and the Middle East. The IWCH’s Twitter account shares updates about reproductive rights and health from different organisations around the world, including photos, videos and news stories.

 

Twitter Follow Recommendation 13: The National Alliance of Women’s Organisations (@NAWOorg) – United Kingdom

the-national-alliance-of-womens-organizationsThe National Alliance of Women’s Organisations (NAWO) works nationally and internationally to promote women’s rights and equality within society. The NAWO Twitter page is a hub for women’s rights activists passionate about a variety of issues facing women around the world, including the gender pay gap, access to clean water, education, VAW and more.

 

Twitter Follow Recommendation #14: The Panzi Hospital and Foundation (@PanziUSA) – Democratic Republic of Congo

thepanzifoundation

The Panzi Hospital, founded by 2014 Sakharov Prize Winner and gynaecological surgeon Denis Mukwege has a renowned reputation for its service to survivors of sexual violence and complex gynaecological injuries. The Hospital provides a holistic model of care, including physical and emotional support and community reintegration.

 

Twitter Follow Recommendation #15: WESNET Australia (@WESNETAustralia) –  Australia

wesnetaustralia

The Women’s Services Network (WESNET) is Australia’s national advocacy body working against domestic and family violence. WESNET offers educational resources, e-safety workshops and news about domestic violence in Australia. The WESNET Twitter account acts as a hub for international feminists looking for news and updates on politics issues.

 

Twitter Follow Recommendation #16: YWCA Game Changers (@YWCAGameChanger) – United States

ywcagamechangers

GameChangers teaches middle school boys about preventing violence against women and girls through a mentoring and workshop structure. In this programme, young boys work with adult male volunteers to understand gender equality, masculinity and preventing VAW. The YWCA GameChangers Twitter account shares news, updates and statistics through various forms of multimedia and is a resource for similar organisations.

The Pixel Project Selection 2015: 16 Notable Anti-VAW Activists and Organisations You Should Follow on Twitter

twitter1-300x225Twitter has quickly become a reliable news source for many individuals.  It offers a real-time view and perspective of what is occurring both elsewhere and in our own communities, enabling us to become more aware of social issues like violence against women and join discussions to become more involved with these causes.

Twitter allows us to share information, a tool to help us better our world through understanding, and create an atmosphere of solidarity worldwide. Being able to look up a hashtag – #vaw for example – in order to find news sources, helplines, or other activists is a simple yet incredibly useful way to become involved.

With that in mind, The Pixel Project presents our 2015 Twitter selection of 16 organisations and individuals leveraging Twitter in the cause to end violence against women. These are groups and people who will keep you informed simply because they share the passion to create a better tomorrow for girls and women everywhere.

Written and compiled by: Rebecca DeLuca

Call To Action: Help us reach the $25,000 fundraising milestone for our Celebrity Male Role Model Pixel Reveal campaign this holiday season by giving generously to our “16 For 16” fundraiser (which also includes #GivingTuesday)! Find out more and donate to get awesome book and music goodies at http://is.gd/16DaysGT2015 


Twitter Follow Recommendation #1: The A21 Campaign (@A21) – Global

A21 LogoThe A21 Campaign’s mission is to end human trafficking in the 21st century. A21 follows a “4 P model,” focusing on prevention, protection, partnerships and prosecution. Working in over 21 countries, A21 has offices in Greece, Ukraine, Bulgaria, Great Britain, Norway, Thailand and more. Followers of the A21 Twitter Page have the opportunity to follow real updates, lobbying efforts and number of rescues as they occur.

Twitter Follow Recommendation #2: Alexandra Pham (@DaughtersRising) – Thailand

AlexandraPhamAlexandra Pham is the founder of Daughters Rising, a nonprof0it organisation fighting sex trafficking by empowering and educating at-risk girls. Alexandra and her team created the RISE workshops to teach girls real world skills, including computer skills, women’s health and more. Pham also founded Chai Lai Orchid where she runs training and educational programming.

Twitter Follow Recommendation #3: AWID (@awid) – Global

AWID LogoThe Association for Women’s Rights in Development (AWID) is an global, feminist, membership organisation committed to women’s human rights. AWID works with various organisations to create a collective voice against gender injustice. The multilingual AWID Twitter page shares news on global, national and local levels and provides timely and accurate information for activists to use in their own programs and projects.

Twitter Follow Recommendation #4: Chime for Change (@ChimeForChange) – Global

CHIME-FOR-CHANGE-LogoChime for Change is a global campaign raising awareness and funds for girls and women around the world, ensuring accessibility of education, health and justice. The organisation uses creative projects and programmes to achieve their goals, including short documentary films, global concerts and more. The Chime for Change Twitter page updates followers on over 409 projects across 86 countries. Following the hashtag #ChimeIn allows followers to interact with the organisation and give their opinions and thoughts on different programs, news, and events.

Twitter Follow Recommendation #5: Feminist Frequency (@femfreq) – United States of America

Feminist Frequency LogoCreated by media critic Anita Sarkeesian, Feminist Frequency is a video web series that discusses the portrayals of women in pop culture narratives. The videos serve as an educational resource and encourage creators to improve the representations of women in their work. Sarkeesian focuses many of her online discussions on the stereotypes and harassment of women in online and gaming spaces. She received the 2015 Game Developers Choice Ambassador Award, was nominated for Microsoft’s 2014 Women in Games Ambassador Award, and is a judge for the Games for Change Awards.

Twitter Follow Recommendation #6: He for She (@HeForShe) – Global

he-for-she-logoHe for She is a movement founded by the United Nations, and supported by big names such as Emma Watson, President Obama, Matt Damon, Ban Ki-moon and more. The He for She movement brings together men and women in support of equality for women. Supporters take action against gender discrimination and violence and understand that equality benefits everyone.

Twitter Follow Recommendation #7: Its on Us (@ItsOnUs) – United States of America

ItsOnUs LogoFounded by Generation Progress and the White House, the It’s on Us Campaign aims to change the culture around sexual assault on campuses across the United States. The organisation provides resources to recognise, identify, and intervene in sexual assault, and develop a safe environment to support survivors. The It’s on Us Twitter page provides important news, legal updates and information on campus sexual assaults, keeps its followers updated on events through live-tweeting, and retweets videos and programmes from colleges and universities supporting following It’s On Us initiative.

Twitter Follow Recommendation #8: Konbit Sante (KonbitSante) – Haiti

KonbitSanteKonbit Sante’s mission is to create lasting change in Haitian healthcare. The organisation believes in promoting the empowerment of people to meet their own needs. Of their many clinical initiatives, Konbit Sante focuses on women’s health and works to improve maternal outcomes in Cap-Haitien. In Haiti, more women die in pregnancy and childbirth than any other country in the Western Hemisphere. Additionally, Konbit Sante works to improve emergency response time at the regional referral hospital and provides education and outreach at the community level.

Twitter Follow Recommendation #9: Män för Jämställdhet (@ManForJamst) – Sweden

ManMän för Jämställdhet, translated to Men for Gender Equality, is a Swedish organisation engaging men and boys in violence prevention. Operating on a local, national and Global level, Män för Jämställdhet fights masculine stereotypes and aims to reform them to support women’s health and rights. Follow Män för Jämställdhet on Twitter for receive updates on their various programmes, including Machofabriken (The Macho Factory) or Killfrågor.se (BoysQuestions.com).

Twitter Follow Recommendation #10: Refuge (@RefugeCharity) United Kingdom

RefugeRefuge is a provider of specialist services for women and children escaping domestic violence. Through provision, protection and prevention, Refuge empowers women and children to rebuild their lives, free from violence and fear. Leading the charge against domestic violence since 1971, Refuge funds and plans campaigns, participates in lobbying efforts, publishes information on the effects of domestic violence, trains staff of various organisations and respond to individual needs. The multi-lingual Twitter page is a resource for news on supporting survivors, ending domestic violence, and more and is staffed Monday through Friday.

Twitter Follow Recommendation #11: Safe Delhi Campaign (@JagoriSafeDelhi) – India

safedelhihomepagelogoInspired by the many noninclusive changes of Delhi’s infrastructure, the Safe Delhi Campaign was founded in 2004. The campaign focuses on women’s rights to participate in city life and their right to be guaranteed an equal opportunity to use public spaces. Members of the Safe Delhi Campaign partner with citizen groups, create and promote public awareness campaigns, and conduct safety audits in commercial, residential and educational areas across the city to identify unsafe issues. The Safe Delhi Campaign programming fights poor urban infrastructure, lack of apathy on public transportation, and other ideas and beliefs about appropriate behavior.

Twitter Follow Recommendation #12: Speak Up for the Poor (@SpeakUp4ThePoor) – Bangladesh

SpeakUpForthePoorSpeak Up for the Poor is an organisation that works to create safe homes for girls born into brothels, rescued from human trafficking, or at risk of exploitation. It also runs an educational program and investigates and handles cases of abuse against girls. Those following the Speak Up for the Poor Twitter account will not only receive updates on programmes and successes in Bangladesh, but also worldwide.

Twitter Follow Recommendation #13: Together for Girls (@together4girls) – United States of America

Together For GirlsTogether for Girls is dedicated to ending violence against children, with a focus on sexual violence against girls. Together for Girls also publishes Safe, the first magazine on violence against children. The yearly magazine shares stories of survivors and highlights various individuals, activists, organisations, and communities who are working to protect children.

Twitter Follow Recommendation #14: UN Trust Fund To End Violence Against Women (@UNTrustFundEVAW) – Global

UNTrustFundThe UN Trust Fund to End Violence Against Women is committed to ending all forms of violence against women and girls. The UN Trust Fund is a grant-making mechanism that works with various global and local organisations. The organisation’s Twitter page shares global news and updates from its various partners, including news from Mongolia, South Africa, Asia and more. The UN Trust Fund empowers groups and communities to take part in prevention efforts, provides services to survivors, and lobbies for legal changes.

Twitter Follow Recommendation #15: Womens Link (@womenslink) Spain and Colombia

WomensLinkWomen’s Link’s bilingual Twitter page provides important legal updates, statistics and reports in English and Spanish to support gender equality around the world. An Global Human Health Risk Research (HHRR) organisation, Women’s Link uses the power of the law to create change in various ares, including gender justice, human trafficking, global gender crimes, global discrimination, migrant women rights and sexual and reproductive rights.

Twitter Follow Recommendation #16: Women Thrive (@WomenThrive) – Global

WomenThriveWorldwideWomen Thrive is an American lobbying organisation bringing the voice of global women directly to Washington, DC. Advocating for change on a national and global level, Women Thrive looks at women and poverty in Africa, education for girls, economic opportunity and poverty, violence against women and girls, women and world hunger, women, global assistance and more. The Women Thrive twitter page provides an inside look at important conferences, programs, and legal updates by sharing resources and live-tweeting events such as the #Gender360Summit.

The Pixel Project Selection 2014 – 16 Notable Anti-VAW Activists and Organisations You Should Follow on Twitter

Twitter with MegaphoneWith Twitter quickly becoming a reliable, if not the most reliable, news source for many individuals, activism is beginning to play a major role within social media. For many, it is how resources are found, knowledge obtained, and discussions begun. Furthermore, organisations have taken notice and also use this new form of media to gain better outreach worldwide. Online volunteer charities and groups, such as The Pixel Project itself, are becoming a major staple in this modern age of activism.

Twitter offers a real-time view and perspective of what is occurring both elsewhere and in our own communities, enabling us to become more aware of social issues like violence against women. Information is very often a weapon of power, a tool to help us better our world through understanding. In this way, we are also creating an atmosphere of solidarity worldwide, which is something to take notice of.

Being able to look up a hashtag – #vaw for example – in order to find news sources, helplines, or other activists is a simple yet incredibly useful way to become involved. With that in mind, The Pixel Project presents our 2014 Twitter selection. We narrowed down the many incredible organisations and individuals involved in the cause to end violence against women to the 16 listed below. These are groups and people who will keep you informed simply because they share the passion to create a better tomorrow for girls and women everywhere.

Written and compiled by Ashley Sapp


Twitter Follow Recommendation 1: Canadian Women’s Foundation (@cdnwomenfdn)

Cdn Women FdnThe Canadian Women’s Foundation is a national organisation whose goal is to empower women and girls throughout Canada, aid them in moving out of violence and poverty, and rediscover a life of confidence and freedom. Furthermore, they host a wonderful campaign called Donate Your Voice, where the voices and faces of women who have been forced into sex trafficking are used to share stories by Canadians.

Twitter Follow Recommendation 2: Daughters of Eve (@daughtersofeve)

DOEDaughters of Eve is a non-profit charity organisation that campaigns to end gender-based violence and female genital mutilation worldwide in order to protect women and girls. Their work includes a broad advancement of physical, mental, and sexual health rights in order to bring an end to the FGM practice and prevent the young women at risk of being subjected to it.

Twitter Follow Recommendation 3: Everyday Feminism (@EvrydayFeminism)

everyday feminismLaunched in 2012, Everyday Feminism is an online magazine that works to amplify and accelerate the progressive cultural shifts taking place across the US and the world. With a following of 3 million users in over 200 countries, its mission is to not only shed light on the everyday discrimination, violence, and marginalization that occurs globally but also to bring an end to it. In doing so, it seeks to create an environment in which we can live without fear of silencing, violence, and dominance in our communities and everyday lives.

Twitter Follow Recommendation 4: Everyday Sexism (@EverydaySexism)

Everyday SexismThe Everyday Sexism project founded by Laura Bates has as its mission the documenting the experiences of harassment, sexism, and assault that occur on a day-to-day basis in order to create solidarity and raise awareness of how widespread the problem is. It aids in calling out how these levels of sexism are normalized in society and discussing ways to change this.

Twitter Follow Recommendation 5: Fem 2.0 (@Fem2pt0)

Fem2Pt0Feminism 2.0 is geared toward bringing together women’s grassroots organisations and online communities in order to connect voices, stories, and missions addressing women’s issues. Founders of Fem2pt0 recognised the potential of breaking down barriers between the many feminist activists utilizing new media and chose to enhance this pathway. Based in Washington DC, the group intends to create a better world and policies for women, families, and society.

Twitter Follow Recommendation 6: FORCE: Upsetting Rape Culture (@UpsettingRape)

FORCEFORCE: Upsetting Rape Culture is a creative campaign geared toward upsetting the culture of rape. Furthermore, the organisation has formed the Monument Project, a display that calls for an end to violence against women through this monument dedicated to survivors of rape and abuse. It is a crowd-sourced platform of stories from survivors of sexualised violence.

 

Twitter Follow Recommendation 7: Girl Up (@girlup)

Girl UpCreated by the United Nations Foundation, Girl Up is a campaign with a vision of creating and upholding a world where all girls and women, no matter where, have access to education, justice, and rights in order to become the next generation of leaders. The campaign is geared toward raising funds for UN programmes that aid some of the world’s most difficult-to-reach adolescent girls. In this way, they are providing access to resources to many who might not otherwise have such support.

Twitter Follow Recommendation 8: Girls’ Globe (@girlsglobe)

Girls GlobeA group of organisations and individuals with the mission of improving the lives of girls and women worldwide, Girls’ Globe works on raising awareness of global issues that affect the health, education, and rights of women. Based in Sweden, Girls’ Globe is a non-profit with team members around the world all focused on sharing stories, news, and information in order to create an environment for women that is without violence, injustice, and discrimination.

Twitter Follow Recommendation 9: Laurie Penny (@PennyRed)

Laurie PennyAn English journalist, writer, and activist, Laurie Penny speaks on the subject of gender issues, pop culture, and social justice for The Guardian, Salon, The Nation, Vice, and others.  She is also the author of her fourth book, Unspeakable Things, and Editor for The New Inquiry. She appeared on the Bread and Roses Award for Radical Publication shortlist in 2012 for her book, Penny Red: Notes from the New Age of Dissent.

Twitter Follow Recommendation 10: Leyla Hussein (@LeylaHussein)

Leyla HusseinRecipient of the Emma Humphrey Award for her work on ending female genital mutilation and other violence against women and children in 2011, Leyla Hussein is an activist and psychotherapist. She is also the co-founder of the project Daughters of Eve. She has previously spoken on these issues on several local, national, and international TV and radio programs, such as BBC World, BBC Today, and Al Jazeera.

Twitter Follow Recommendation 11: National Network to End Domestic Violence (@NNEDV)

NNEDVThe National Network to End Domestic Violence is an American national non-profit organisation founded to be the leading voice of domestic violence survivors and their allies with a network of over 2000 organisations nationwide. Their focus is on addressing all aspects of domestic violence with a goal of forming an environment without economic, political, and social injustices for all girls and women.

Twitter Follow Recommendation 12: National Sexual Violence Resource Center (@NSVRC)

NSVRCThe NSVRC’s mission is to prevent and respond to sexual violence through resources, research, and collaboration. Their goal is to celebrate diversity and ensure the world treats all women and girls with dignity and respect, creating a safer and healthier environment where people have full control over their bodies and sexual expression.

 

Twitter Follow Recommendation 13: Rape, Abuse, and Incest National Network (@RAINN01)

RAINNThe largest in the United States, the Rape, Abuse, and Incest National Network is an anti-sexual assault organisation. They are home to the Department of Defense Safe Helpline which provides one-on-one support and information online. It is a secure, anonymous, and confidential resource available online and via telephone, text, chat service, or mobile app. RAINN is also the partner of over 1,100 rape crisis centres across the country.

Twitter Follow Recommendation 14: Soraya Chemaly (@schemaly)

Soraya ChemalySoraya Chemaly is a writer and activist who discusses gender inequalities in pop culture, media, politics, and religion. She particularly focuses on the repression of women in all forms and uses media activism to draw attention to everyday sexism. Furthermore, she writes often on the subject of violence against women, and has appeared in The Nation, Salon, Time, CNN, Huffington Post, and many other platforms.

Twitter Follow Recommendation 15: Young Fems & Allies (@NOWYoungFems)

NOW Young FemsThe National Organization for Women has created the first virtual chapter for young feminists and allies with the purpose of bringing young women, men, and non-gender-conforming individuals onto the activism path.  In doing so, this organisation offers a voice to many who often feel underrepresented. They tackle many issues, one of which is the oppression and violence faced by many nationwide.

Twitter Follow Recommendation 16: Zerlina Maxwell (@ZerlinaMaxwell)

Zerlina MaxwellZerlina Maxwell is a political analyst, writer, and speaker on multiple cultural issues including gender inequality, domestic violence, victim blaming, and sexual assault. She has visited various universities and colleges to speak on the subject of rape culture and feminism. She was also selected by TIME magazine as one of the best feeds to follow on Twitter in 2014.

16 Ways The Men Can Help Stop Online Violence Against Women

Social Media Logotype BackgroundWith the rise of social media and smartphones in the last decade or so, Facebooking, tweeting, pinning, blogging, and vlogging have become a default part of many people’s professional, personal and social lives. Communities are no longer limited to face-to-face interactions, but also flourish online in the form of Facebook pages, Twitter followers, YouTube subscribers and blogger networks.

Through these online communities, the Internet has become a conduit for the free-flow of ideas, opinions, thoughts, beliefs and values. As online communities become more ubiquitous and entrenched in our lives, the boundaries have long-ago blurred between our offline behaviour and online conduct and in many cases, the Internet acts to amplify anti-social, criminal and bigoted behaviour because of the anonymity it gives to participants and commentators who frequently engage in hurtful behaviour with impunity.

In the case of Violence Against Women (VAW), the Internet and social media has given misogyny an incredibly visible platform with almost no controls in place to check their behaviour towards women and girls online. As Laura Bates, the founder of The Everyday Sexism Project, says:

The internet is a fertile breeding ground for misogyny – you only have to look at the murky bottom waters of Reddit and 4Chan to see the true extent to which it allows violent attitudes towards women to proliferate. But, crucially, it also provides a conduit that enables many who hold those views to attack and abuse women and girls, from what they rightly perceive to be an incredibly secure position.

Indeed, from Anita Sarkeesian to the Steubenville rape case, cyber VAW has been on the rise over the past decade, with the most recent high-profile case being the horrendous Twitter attacks on feminist campaigner Caroline Criado-Perez after her success in getting the Bank of England to include a woman on a UK currency note.

Anti-VAW activists and nonprofits and online women’s rights communities are now fighting back with campaigns aimed at getting social media networks, governments and law enforcement agencies to take cyber VAW seriously and to take action to prevent and stop it. As with all aspects of stopping VAW, support of men and boys is crucial to this fight and in this “16 for 16” article, we present 16 ways in which men can help stop cyber VAW

Introduction by Regina Yau; Written by Rashad Brathwaite and Regina Yau; Edited by Jerica Nonell and Regina Yau.

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Men Helping Stop Cyber VAW – Tip #1: Acknowledge the violence. There are 3 important ways in which men need to effectively acknowledge cyber violence against women. The first step is to be aware of and accept the fact that it definitely exists. The second step is to acknowledge that in the rough-and-tumble on online interaction, women and girls face a different, more extreme, and more insidious kind of backlash than men including a disproportionate number of threats of physical violence, name-calling, reputation assasination, death threats, sexual assault threats and rape threats. The third step is to publicly recognise cyber VAW when it happens and to intervene.

Men Helping Stop Cyber VAW – Tip #2: Educate yourself. The first step towards effective online bystander intervention is developing the ability to recognise the signs and manifestations of cyber VAW within online communities. These run the gamut from rape joke Facebook pages to mass misogynistic trolling in the comments section of opinion pieces written by women. Check out online resources that provide information online online bullying and cyber VAW, including What Men Can Do. Knowing what cyber VAW looks like will enable you to take timely action to intervene to stop the violence.

tnc_logoMen Helping Stop Cyber VAW – Tip #3: Educate the next generation. One of the most effective ways of helping stop cyber VAW is to educate the next generation of boys and youth about the issue and to equip them to deal with it. For example: That’s Not Cool is a public education campaign that raises awareness about teen dating violence by sharing examples of unhealthy, controlling, and abusive behavior. The campaign teaches youth risk factors for “textual harassment,” “pic pressure,” and other signs of unhealthy relationship behavior. “That’s Not Cool” also provides resources and information on ways to intervene if a young person has a friend, family member, or acquaintance who is being verbally, emotionally, or sexually harassed via technology.

Men Helping Stop Cyber VAW – Tip #4: Educate your peers. When engaging online with your male peers, friends and co-workers, look for opportunities to steer the conversation towards discussing why cyber VAW is not acceptable. These opportunities can include talking to them when you see them exhibit disrespectful or bullying behaviour towards women and girls in the online community; or when discussing high profile cases of male celebrities committing VAW. You can also invite your male peers to join you on liking anti-VAW Facebook pages, following anti-VAW Twitter accounts and participating in online discussions about the importance of stopping VAW.

Men Helping Stop Cyber VAW – Tip #5: Lead by example. Make sure that your website, blog, social media profiles, and behaviour in forums, comments sections and chatrooms are free from any form of misogynistic behaviour including mansplaining, dismissing women’s opinions, sharing tasteless VAW jokes that blame the victim, sexist name-calling, putting up pictures extolling the ‘virtues’ of the rape and battery of women etc. Be self-aware about your own behaviour and treat women and girls as equals when engaging in online discussions or interactions with them. Step up to intervene when you see cyber VAW happening.

Men Helping Stop Cyber VAW – Tip #6: Make Amends When You Make a Mistake. As an ally, you will make mistakes. Anything new that is being internalised has a learning curve, and learning to question societal norms certainly is no exception. Being an ally involves constantly learning and re-learning, constantly questioning your own attitudes and language. If you find that a view you hold or a post that you have shared is problematic, apologise. If you are called out on problematic behaviour, listen. Do not become defensive or feel as if you are being attacked when called out – it is the only way that you can learn and change.

Men Helping Stop Cyber VAW – Tip #7: Call ’em out! People who perpetuate cyber VAW need to be called out on their behaviour IMMEDIATELY because many aggressors and trolls are empowered by the silence of bystanders and the protection of online anonymity. Make sure that they know that what they are doing is wrong. Even if you are the only voice saying so, your intervention may get them to reconsider their behaviour. Even if the the perpetrator declares that he means no harm, it is important to disrupt incidences of cyber VAW while it is happening by.publicly and calmly pointing out that cyber VAW has hurtful consequences for the victim, and reflects badly on the perpetrator.

Men Helping Stop Cyber VAW – Tip #8: Be Specific. When you engage cyber VAW perpetrator about their behaviour, be specific about the exact behaviour that you are addressing, be it name-calling, victim-blaming, death threats, or rape threats. Having to defend their specific behaviour and tactic may cause some attackers to rethink what they are saying to try and having to think through their actions could trigger a change in their attitudes towards women online. Ask them questions you would like them to ask themselves: Would you issue this threat if it was a man expressing the same opinion?

Safety in NumbersMen Helping Stop Cyber VAW – Tip #9: Safety in numbers. When attempting to call out the behaviour of a group of cyber VAW perpetrators or any other type of cyber bullies, form a group yourself. Talk privately to other members of the forum, page or community about what is happening and get their support to back each other up when facing down aggressive and misogynistic groups. Similarly, when you see someone courageously taking a cyber VAW perpetrator to task, chime in. This action has 3 effects: it lets the person know that someone else agrees with them; it signals to the victim that the community will not stand for the treatment she is receiving; and it lets the perpetrator(s) know that more than one person is calling out their behaviour.

Men Helping Stop Cyber VAW – Tip #10: Use that button! Most social media sites have policies against bullying and hate language by allowing for comments, threads, and users to be flagged as offensive. If engaging the cyber VAW perpetrator is impossible either because he repeats his behaviour or you are facing an entire community that actively commits cyber VAW, use the reporting tools that most social media networks set up to enable communities to report hate language and bullying to get the perpetrator removed for repeat offenses.

Men Helping Stop Cyber VAW – Tip #11: Reach Out. If you witness cyber VAW, remember to reach out to the target of the attack after you have intervened to stop the perpetrator. Provide support and engage with her to develop the best course of action. Find out how she wants to handle the situation and how she would like you to help. Online communities can easily make someone feel isolated when they are being attacked, so your outreach will help her to realise that there are people in the community who will not stand for cyber VAW and sexism and who are willing to step in to help.

Men Helping Stop Cyber VAW – Tip #12: Take it offline. If reporting cyber VAW to social media network administrators, forum moderators or website owners do not yield any action and the cyber VAW continues to escalate, begin documenting the violence with screencaps and contact an agency, nonprofit or grassroots campaign specialising in stopping cyber VAW and cyber bullying with the evidence. They will be able to assist you or advice you regarding the next steps with taking action to hold the perpetrators or the site accountable for their actions. In certain cases of cyber VAW that can be localised to a country or city, report the case to the relevant authorities such as the police. With governments and law enforcement agencies in many countries such as Canada, the UK and The Philippines starting to recognise cyber VAW as a crime, there are now increasing avenues to getting help to stop cyber VAW.

Men Helping Stop Cyber VAW – Tip #13: Create safe spaces. Whether you are a blogger, website owner, forum moderator, Facebook page administrator or are responsible for any online community, make sure you work with your fellow moderators/administrators to have a zero tolerance approach to cyber VAW and cyber bullying of any form. Make sure you are upfront with your policy on acceptable behaviour. Many major websites do this by stating on top of their comments sections or “about” sections of their websites and profile pages that while everyone is welcome, they will not tolerate bigoted, sexist, violent or disrespectful behaviour of any sort and they enforce it by moderating comments and banning those who violate their rules.

Men Helping Stop Cyber VAW – Tip #14: Size does not matter.  If an organisation, celebrity or company makes misogynistic, violent, and hateful remarks towards women and girls online, or refuses to moderate cyber VAW on their show, website and social media channels, organise or join a campaign that hits them where it hurts – their profits. This approach has been done successfully several times. The latest example is that of the #FacebookRape campaign organised by Laura Bates (founder of The Everyday Sexism Project), Jaclyn Friedman (Women, Action, and the Media) and Soraya Chemaly a prominent feminist writer. In summer 2013, they and over 100 anti-Violence Against Women organisations (including The Pixel Project) mounted the #FBrape campaign to get companies to withdraw advertising from Facebook until Facebook agreed to take cyber VAW on their social network seriously.

Men Helping Stop Cyber VAW – Tip #15: Share Your Knowledge.  One of the greatest features of the internet and social media is its ability to spread information at a rapid pace. As an ally, you have the opportunity to spread the knowledge that you gain to people who are not necessarily looking for the same information. Make your awareness viral! When you find a good article or video that puts online violence in perspective, tweet it, blog about it, share it!

Men Helping Stop Cyber VAW – Tip #16: Be a virtual volunteer. Online anti-VAW nonprofits and organisations, such as The Pixel Project, are always looking for more people to get involved in the movement to end VAW. Whether you decide to volunteer with an online support service for survivors of VAW, or with a non-profit that specifically fights cyber VAW and cyber bullying, adding your voice to their ranks and allows for more information to be published faster, reaching more people. If for no other reason, your experiences and your insights are unique and valuable.

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

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.