Transforming Personal Pain Into Positive Action: The Pixel Project’s 16 Female Role Models 2014

Posted on November 25, 2014 by regina

Today is the first day of the 16 Days of Activism against Gender Violence 2014 campaign and The Pixel Project is kicking things off with our 5th annual list of 16 female role models fighting to end violence against women in their communities. The intent of this list is simple: to highlight the good work of the heroines of the movement to end violence against women wherever they are in the world. The women and girls in this year’s list hail from 18 countries and 4 continents.

Many of these astounding women have shown that it is possible to transform personal pain that came out of facing gender-based violence into positive action to stop violence against women, to empower themselves and to show other survivors that it is possible to move forward with dignity and happiness. They have refused to let bitterness and pain get the better of them, opting to stand up for themselves and for other women instead. Indeed, we are very happy to note that the extraordinary girls’ education activist, Malala Yousafzai, who was one of our Female Role Models of 2012 has been awarded the Nobel Peace Prize this year. Well done, Malala!

Others on this list may not have experienced gender-based violence inflicted on themselves, but they have stepped up to do what is right: to speak up for women and girls who cannot do it for themselves, sometimes at great personal risk. All this requires immense courage, generosity of spirit and a strong enduring heart.

Without further ado, here, in alphabetical order by first name, is our 2014 list of 16 female role models. Sadly, two of the role models on this year’s list (Angelica Bello and Efuo Dorkenoo) have respectively died in 2013 and 2014. Few people outside the anti-Violence Against Women movement may have heard of them and we hope that the general public will learn something about their extraordinary life’s work via this list. We hope that they and the rest of the women here will be an inspiration to others to get involved with the cause. To that end, we hope you will generously share this list via Facebook and Twitter to give these extraordinary 16 women and their work a moment in the sun.

Note: Information for all role model profiles is sourced via online research and is based on one or more news sources, articles and/or The Pixel Project’s own interviews with them. The main articles/reports from which these profiles have been sourced can be directly accessed via the hyperlinked titles as well. Please do click through to learn more about these remarkable women.

– Regina Yau, Founder and President, The Pixel Project

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Female Role Model 1: Angelica Bello – Colombia

Angelica Bello founded the National Foundation for the Defence of Women’s Human Rights (Fundación Nacional Defensora de los Derechos Humanos de la Mujer, FUNDHEFEM) to protect women survivors of sexual violence in Colombia’s long-running armed conflict. In 2013, she participated as a spokesperson of survivors of conflict-related sexual violence in a meeting with President Santos to push for women’s voices to be heard in the debate about the ‘Victims and Land Restitution Law,’ which is designed to ensure land misappropriated during the conflict is returned to its rightful owners and to provide reparation to victims. She asked the President to implement measures to provide psychosocial support to victims, including survivors of sexual violence. Bello died under suspicious circumstances in late 2013 after enduring years of violent retaliation for her work.

Female Role Model 2: Anita Sarkeesian – Canada and the United States of America

Anita Sarkeesian is the pop-culture media critic who made headlines when she launched a Kickstarter campaign to raise funds to support her production of a video Web series called Tropes vs Women in Video Games, which explores female stereotypes in the gaming industry. Her feminist critique of the gaming industry has garnered an ongoing vitriolic online backlash, including threats of death, sexual assault and rape, most recently escalating to hounding her out of her home and forcing her to cancel an event at Utah State University due to the threat of a mass gun massacre. Undaunted, Sarkeesian says: “I feel like the work I’m doing is really important […] the actual change that I am starting to see, the really sweet messages that I get from people about how they were resistant to identify as feminist, but then they watched my videos […] the parents who use it as an educational tool for their kids…all of this is really inspiring to me.”

Female Role Model 3: Dianna Nammi – Iran and United Kingdom

Diana Nammi started the Iranian and Kurdish Women’s Rights Organisation (IKWRO) in her home in 2002 to provide advice and counselling for women from Middle Eastern, North African and Afghan communities in the UK. Since its founding in 1996, IKWRO has grown into a 16-staff organisation that takes thousands of phone calls and helped 780 women face-to-face in 2013. Nammi is a former Peshmerga fighter who has been fighting for women’s rights since she was a teenager growing up in Iran. Since moving to the UK in 1996, she has been instrumental in the campaign to bring honour killers to justice in British courts as well as striving to get forced marriages banned in the country.

Female Role Model 4: Efuo Dorkenoo – Ghana and the United Kingdom

Efua Dorkenoo, affectionately known as “Mama Efua”, is a Ghanaian campaigner who fought against the practice of female genital mutilation (FGM) for decades. When she was a nurse and midwife-in-training in the 1960s in England, she encountered a woman in labour who had undergone FGM. The woman was so badly scarred that she was unable to deliver her baby through natural childbirth. Due to that encounter, Ms. Dorkenoo became a public health specialist and dedicated the rest of her life to educating the public about the effects of FGM and to ending its practice. Dorkenoo died from cancer in October 2014, leaving a lasting legacy of anti-FGM work.

Female Role Model 5: Emma Sulkowicz – United States of America

Emma Sulkowicz is the Columbia University senior and visual arts major who has committed herself to toting around a mattress until the school expels the fellow student who raped her or he leaves on his own. Sulkowicz started doing this in August 2014 to make a statement about campus sexual assault when Columbia University allowed her rapist to stay on campus. Sulkowicz has made her unusual campaign the basis of her senior thesis – “Carry That Weight” is part protest, part performance art, and has helped rejuvenate the nationwide conversation about campus sexual assault. On 29 October 2014, the first #CarryYourWeight Day was launched in the U.S. and college students and anti-Violence Against Women activists carried mattresses and pillows everywhere to signify their solidarity with victims of rape and sexual assault.

Female Role Model 6: Ikram Ben Said – Tunisia

When Ikram Ben Said took part in the Arab Spring’s first uprising in 2011, she knew that it was the beginning of the struggle for women’s rights in Tunisia. So she created Aswat Nissa (Voices of Women) – the first women’s rights organisation in Tunisia to involve Tunisian women politicians regardless of where they fall of the political spectrum. “Laws can change the mentality,” says Ben Said. “So we have to work with politicians.” Through Aswat Nissa’s campaigns and activities, Ben Said has worked to encourage more women to vote, train women politicians about governance, push back against laws that discriminate against women, and to educate communities that “you can be Muslim and advocate for women’s equality. It’s not against Islam.”

Female Role Model 7: Khadijah Gbla – Sierra Leone and Australia

Anti-Violence Against Women activist Khadijah Gbla is a survivor: she endured female genital mutilation (FGM) at age 10, survived civil war in Sierra Leone, witnessed the murder of her father at 13, spent three years with her mother and younger sister in a Gambian refugee camp, and endured domestic violence from a man just 3 years her senior. Since migrating to Australia, she has channelled what she learned from her horrific experiences into positive education and support for other women. She has campaigned against FGM, started Khadija Gbla Consulting: a motivational speaking, cross-cultural training and consulting firm and also launched Chocolate Sisters – a series of workshops for young which will address issues such as body image, domestic violence and FGM.

Female Role Model 8: Laxmi – India

When Laxmi was 16, an angry suitor threw acid on her face while she waited at a bus stop in New Delhi’s busy Khan Market, disfiguring her permanently. Her attacker deliberately used the acid to destroy Laxmi’s face after she refused to respond to his advances. Instead of hiding herself in shame, Laxmi became the standard-bearer in India for the movement to end acid attacks. She campaigned on national television, and gathered 27,000 signatures for a petition to curb acid sales. Her petition led the Supreme Court to order the Indian central and state governments to immediately regulate the sale of acid, and the Parliament to make prosecutions of acid attacks easier to pursue.

Female Role Model 9: Dr. Maha Al-Muneef – Saudi Arabia

Dr. Maha Al-Muneef is a dedicated public advocate for survivors of domestic and sexual violence in Saudi Arabia. She founded the National Family Safety Programme in 2005 to combat domestic violence in Saudi Arabia, where activists have been campaigning for an end to the “absolute authority” of male guardians. She is an advisor to the Shura Council in Saudi Arabia. As a physician, she has worked with hospitals to change protocols for victims of rape and abuse, helped to create new police procedures for handling cases and develop special training programmes for medical personnel and law enforcement.

Female Role Model 10: Malalai Joya – Afghanistan

Malalai Joya earned her reputation as the “bravest woman in Afghanistan” when she, as an elected delegate to the Loya Jirga (an assembly to debate the proposed Afghan constitution), stood up and publicly criticised the room full of male politicians for allowing fundamentalist warlords too much power. Later, a mob gathered where she was staying, threatening to rape and murder her. She won a landslide victory when she ran for parliament in 2005, the youngest person to be elected, only to be kicked out after she compared the house to a “stable or zoo” in a TV interview. She says: “The situation for women is as catastrophic today as it was before. In most provinces, women’s lives are hell. Forced marriages, child brides and domestic violence are very common. Self-immolations are at a peak.”

Female Role Model 11: Manisha Mohan – India

The horrific gang-rape and murder of Jyoti Singh Pandey in New Delhi in 2012 was a tipping point for 22-year-old engineering student Manisha Mohan, who decided to put her engineering studies to practical use by inventing an unusual new anti-rape defense system for women in India – an electric bra called Society Harnessing Equipment (SHE). The bra contains a pressure sensor connected to an electric circuit that can generate a 3,800 kilo-volt shock, which is severe enough to burn a potential rapist. The moment its pressure sensors get activated, a built-in GPS also alerts the police. The pressure sensor has been calibrated for squeeze, pinch and grab; the force applied in a simple hug does not activate the device. There is also a switch so the woman can activate the system herself when in a dangerous location.

Female Role Model 12: Marie Claire Faray – Democratic Republic of Congo

Marie Claire Faray is an activist from the Democratic Republic of Congo who campaigns to end violence against women, especially in her home country. As a member of the Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom, she continues to work and advocate to get women from all backgrounds to hold their government to account for women’s rights and to have their ideas and opinions heard and accounted for. She said: “[U]ltimately, in 2020, we want to look back and say “we have at least achieved this in this country” — for example “in the Democratic Republic of Congo, we have achieved more women in parliament, the end of violence against women, the end of sexual violence.”

Female Role Model 13: Mussurut Zia – United Kingdom

Mussurut Zia started getting involved in anti-violence against women work when she developed a project for disadvantaged women and children. She said: “These people were suffering sexual and domestic abuse. So I started to look at empowerment. It needed more than empowering people to leave their circumstances. They had to be able to survive on their own and believe that they didn’t have to sit there and take it. No matter what culture you come from abuse is wrong.” In 2007, she set up a community organisation, Practical Solutions, which raises awareness of forced marriage, honour-based violence and much more. As a director of the Muslim Women’s Network UK, Mussurut was recently asked to provide insight into the subject of Jihadi brides. Her next project is to go into schools to talk to children about the laws related to marriage and where to go if they find themselves in a forced situation.

Female Role Model 14: Pragna Patel – United Kingdom

Pragna Patel is the Director and founding member of Southall Black Sisters (SBS), a landmark organisation in the history of black and Asian feminism in the UK. For over thirty years, SBS has been at the forefront of violence against women of colour in Southall and nationwide. They provide general and specialist advice to black and minority women on gender-related issues such as domestic violence, sexual violence, forced marriage, honour killings and their intersection with the criminal justice, immigration and asylum systems, health, welfare rights, homelessness and poverty.

Female Role Model 15: Rosi Oroczo – Mexico

Anti-slavery activist Rosi Oroczo, president of the nongovernmental Commission United Against Human Trafficking and a member of the 61st legislature, is the driving force in overcoming strong resistance and winning passage in 2012 of a tough new law to combat human trafficking throughout Mexico. Passed on June 14, 2012, it brings all Mexican states under the same extensive measures for prevention and punishment of trafficking. It grants increased powers for police and judges, granting anonymity and protection for victims, while providing new funding for rehabilitation projects involving them. Orozco believes the answer to end human trafficking “begins with individuals caring about other people, noticing what’s going on in their neighborhoods and being willing to face up to traffickers and drive them out. We all have to refuse to tolerate this crime against humanity any longer.”

Female Role Model 16: Safia Abdi Haase – Somalia and Norway

Somali-born Safia Abdi Haase is the first immigrant woman to receive Norway’s prestigious order of St. Olav for her work with women and children. She said her campaigning was based on her experiences of domestic abuse, female genital mutilation (FGM), forced marriage, domestic violence and sex trafficking. “I had to use my own body so that I could come out of Africa to come to Europe to give my three daughters life without violence,” she said. Ms. Haase had no formal education when she arrived in Norway. She put herself through primary and secondary schools, eventually obtaining a university degree in nursing. She has helped formulate the Norwegian government’s action plan against FGM and is regarded as an ambassador in the drive to combat violence against women.

The Pixel Project’s Best Blog Articles of 2013

Posted on December 10, 2013 by Carol Olson

At The Pixel Project, our contribution to the global movement to end violence against women is as the voice of thousands joining together around the world. We combine technology, social media, the Arts, journalism and activism to draw attention to the many ways violence against women (VAW) affects the lives of all people in all communities all around the world. Our volunteer researchers, writers, interviewers and editors collaborate to highlight news stories of positive activism and new programmes developed through our bi-monthly e-news digest, highlighting activists through our Facebook page, sharing information and resources through our daily twitter help lines and by writing thoughtful and inspiring blog posts on our main website and our campaign micro-sites.

This past year we have focused on a variety of topics from our Inspirational Interview monthly series on VAW activists, our wonderful 30 for 30 Father’s Day campaign interviews, our Paint it Purple campaign and our exciting Music for Pixels campaign. Our articles focus on the activities and programmes that people are doing around the world to end violence against women and girls. We have increased our collaborations with programmes and organizations around the world and engaged in conversations online through tweet-a-thons to spark conversations about VAW to break myths, reduce stigma and educate. One of our new forays into technology and activism this year is with our collaboration with P.F.O. Technologies and their iAMDefender smartphone safety app.

Blogging is a vital part of our mission, which includes: raising awareness about VAW, generating conversation by giving people a safe space to talk about VAW, and inspiring activism. As our 16 best blog articles and series show, we succeeded in fulfilling our mission this year. We hope that the stories we shared motivate you to join the effort to end VAW.

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

– Carol Olson, Blog Editor (2013) – The Pixel Project

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Blog Article Selection #1: Inspirational Interview: Vidya Siri – of Gangashakti.org

Our first Inspirational Interview of 2013 was with Vidya Sri, the founder of Gangashakti.org – a community advocacy organisation she developed to utilise the framework of her own forced marriage to raise awareness. Her mission is to engage a wide range of agencies, service providers, students and scholars on the poorly understood issue of forced marriage in the United States.

Blog Article Selection #2: 10 Alternatives to Roses for Valentines Day

This post celebrated celebrated non-commercial alternatives to celebrate the traditional day of love. Many of the suggestions focused on doing healthy things together to celebrate relationships and support the cause to end violence against women. If you are planning early for next year, check out 10 “Valentines Against Violence” as alternatives to the traditional “romantic” gifts.

Mallika Dutt, Founder of Breakthrough.

Blog Article Selection #3: Inspirational Interview: Mallika Dutt of Breakthrough and Bell Bajao (ring the bell) campaign.

Another Inspirational Interview featured Mallika Dutt, the founder of the global human rights organisation, Breakthrough and the Bell Bajao campaigns. Mallika has mastered the art of blending multimedia campaigns, cutting-edge pop culture, social media and authentic community engagement to develop innovative campaigns and tools for teaching democracy and justice, and bring awareness to end violence and discrimination against women. The Pixel Project has continued to collaborate with Breakthrough through tweet-a-thons and other advocacy efforts to raise awareness of violence against women.

Blog Articles Selection #4: Stop Street Harassment Story Series – a cross post collaboration

As part of The Pixel Project’s partnership with Stop Street Harassment, we cross-post a Street Harassment story specially selected by Stop Street Harassment founder, Holly Kearl, on the second Tuesday of every month. Holly also contributes to our 16 for 16 days of Activism posts by selecting significant stories from their year of activism.

Blog Article Selection 5: Inspirational Interview with Evan Grae Davis – noted filmmaker

Evan Grae Davis is a filmmaker who has dedicated his career to advocating for social justice through his documentaries and educational videos. We featured his first feature length film: It’s a Girl, a documentary that combined stories that illustrated the scope of injustice and suffering women endure under gendercide, while, at the same time, sharing beautiful stories of people who rise above the patriarchal cultural influences and choose to value girls. He also contributed a short PSA to our “Who Is Your Male Role Model?” PSA campaign that runs from 25 November 2013 – 7 March 2014:

Blog Article Selection #6: Survivor Stories

While not a regular feature of our blog, we do receive submissions from survivors on their stories of recovery and healing. We share them on Thursdays to help promote the individual voice of survivorship, healing, and transformation that all survivors go through.

Blog Article Selection #7: Anti-Street Harassment Week

This year, the Pixel Project began a collaboration with Stop Street Harassment to contribute to and support the annual International Anti-Street Harassment Week held in April by featuring the best anti-street harassment stories throughout the week. We hope that this series gives you some great ideas for how to prevent, stop and intervene in street harassment in your communities.

Blog Article Selection #8: New Technology Partnerships with Smartphone Safety Apps

This is the year that the Pixel Project began it’s first collaborations with technology partners. In April, during Sexual Assault Awareness Month, we started our partnership with two Smartphone safety app creators – the award-winning Circle of 6 and the groundbreaking Sweden-based P.F.O.

Blog Article Selection #9: 30 for 30 Father’s Day Campaign. 2013 was our second year curating a blogging “marathon” of 30 fathers from around the world to share about the joys of being a dad and how dads can help prevent VAW in positive ways. We received responses from men all over the world, including India, the US, Nigeria, Kenya, the UK, Malaysia, Canada and Zimbabwe!

Blog Article Selection #10: Technology Partnership with Microsoft

The Pixel Project continues with its focus to enter collaborations with Technology partners. Microsoft will be contributing their world-class technology expertise, tools and development support to The Pixel Project’s global campaigns and to create online apps and virtual tools that will help facilitate social media campaigns, virtual communities and online fundraising initiatives. Microsoft employees also took an active role in helping raise awareness about VAW by participating in various Pixel Project activities including the Paint It Purple campaign for Domestic Violence Awareness Month, and the “30 For 30” Father’s Day blogging campaign celebrating fathers as male role models.

Lakshami Sundaram, Girls Not Brides

Blog Article Selection #11: Inspirational Interview – Lakshmi Sundaram of Girls Not Brides

Child and Forced Marriage has received a greater focus in the news this past year. Marrying children and forcing young women into arranged marriages is still prevalent in many cultures. This year, we featured Lakshmi Sundaram, a Global Coordinator of Girls, Not Brides founded by The Elders, a group of independent global leaders who use their collective experience and influence for peace, justice, and human rights worldwide. Lakshmi works with the group to bring the issue of child marriage to global attention and to be more effective in addressing the problem.

Blog Article Selection #12: Inspirational Interview – Deeyah

Deeyah, is a multi-talented and critically acclaimed music producer, composer, Emmy and Peabody award-winning documentary film director and human rights activist. The Pixel Project highlighted her for her her outspoken support of women’s rights, freedom of expression and peace; including her documentary about Honour Killing, ‘Banaz: A Love Story’.

Blog Article Selection #13: Inspirational Interview – Chris Johnson – A Sports Celebrity focused on the power of bystanders to speak out against violence.

Chris Johnson, a major player with the Baltimore Ravens, has come forth to utilize his celebrity status to step up and speak out to end violence against women and girls. He realised that with his celebrity status and role as a sports mentor, he can lend leadership to the cause to end violence against women. His goal is be a role model to men and boys to not abuse women and to not tolerate abuse and disrespectful comments toward women.

Blog Article Selection #14: Paint It Purple: People and Pets Say ‘No’ 2013

This was our second year for our Paint It Purple photo-blogging campaign in through our Facebook page in which we raise awareness of the fact that many women stay in abusive relationships for fear of abandoning a pet who might also be suffering at the hands of an abuser. This campaign invites people to submit photos of themselves and their pets to say ‘no’ to VAW.

Blog Article Selection #15: SPECIAL EDITION INSPIRATIONAL INTERVIEW: FGM in the UK – An Interview with Integrate Bristol

The inspiration for producing the mini documentary for the Inspirational Interview series came from The Pixel Project’s long-time writer and interviewer, Angelique Mulholland. Ms. Mulholland has a particular interest in efforts to end FGM in the UK and has previously interviewed Muna Hassan from Integrate Bristol for The Pixel Project. The documentary is aimed at raising awareness about what FGM is, how this form of VAW is being tackled in the UK and ideas for preventing, detecting and stopping FGM in the country.

Blog Article Selection #16: The Pixel Project’s VAW e-News Digest

Our e-News Digest has been a long-standing element of our blog to report on the latest and most relevant news related to violence against women. Our researchers scan news from all over the world to highlight new programmes implemented, the efforts of activists and their unique response to end violence against women and girls in their communities. By reporting on the latest news in one place, we aim to keep everyone updated about progress being made in the global movement to stop violence against women.

16 Commitments You Can Make to End Violence Against Women

Posted on December 9, 2013 by Carol Olson

For the 15th day of the 16 Days of Activism, we are pleased to share a special blog list of 16 commitments from men to become upstanders taking action to stop Violence Against Women from our partner, Breakthrough/Bell Bajao. These commitments were collected via their “Ring The Bell” campaign which kicked off on International Women’s Day 2013.

If you are a man who believes that violence against women and girls has no place in your community, your culture, or the world, please consider joining the “Ring The Bell” campaign and making your pledge to stop the violence.

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At Breakthrough we’ve spent over ten years working on issues of violence against women. One of the most frequent questions we find ourselves answering is “I really want to help – what can I do to end violence against women?”

On the 8th of March this year, we launched Ring The Bell – a campaign where we asked you to make a tangible promise to ACT to end violence against women. For 16 Days of Activism Against Gender Based Violence, we’ve picked 16 of the simplest, and most tangible promises we received. Without further ado, Here are 16 easy ways you can make a difference.

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Commitment #1: Promote another campaign

Zina Tompkins

I promise to #RingTheBell by using this campaign as inspiration in my church network to change gender inequality in my community and then globally.

Commitment #2: Start your own campaign

Iren Shin

I promise to #RingTheBell by organizing my “Know Your Rights” campaign for Rutgers students and N.B. community members.

Commitment #3: Host an Event

Al Black

I promise to host a special Poetry/Music event to, “End Violence Against Women” with all male performers

Commitment #4: Challenge Your Surroundings

William Ligon-Bruno

I promise to challenge friends and peers who disrespect women or girls and be a presence and a force in ending violence against them.

Commitment #5: Challenge Disrespect on the Internet

Adam Souza

I promise to challenging friends or internet commentators who disrespect women or girls.

Commitment #6: Demonstrate Respect

Richard Sjolin Jr

I promise to treat EVERYONE with equal respect, no matter their gender, identity, or beliefs.

Commitment #7: Engage in Respectful Relationships with Women and Girls

Dipankar Gupta

I hereby promise that I will not look at women inappropriate fashion and I will make sure that my friends also do the same. I promise that if I have feelings towards a woman,I will accept rejection in a mature fashion. I promise that I will show chivalry with no ulterior motive. I promise that I will help women (or any person for that matter) without any motive. I promise that I will not discriminate against women in any fashion. I promise that I will seek permission from a woman for anything. And I promise to protect every woman I love.

Commitment #8: Talk about it

Molly Williams

I promise to ring the bell by having conversations with men in my life about violence prevention and elimination.

Commitment #9: Raise Daughters to Only Accept Respect

Kelly Christensen

I promise to fight violence in my community and to raise my daughter to never ever accept anything less than respect from others.

Commitment #10: Raise Sons to Respect Women and Girls

Bill Cole

I promise to teach my son every day to know that women are in every way his equal.

Commitment #11: Raise awareness

Anabel Ronconi

I promise to raise awareness about violence against women and in general,teach/show/lead nonviolence by example,help others to stand up for themselves

Commitment #12: Challenge Misogynistic Patterns of Thought

Edward Zeauskas

I promise to Ring the Bell by changing the patterns of thought, and normative roles portrayed by men and women.

Commitment #13: Demand Gender Sensitive Reporting

Gias Uddin

I promise to ring the bell by:encouraging media people to publish gender sensitive report

Commitment #14: Be a Role Model

Mitch Pryor

I promise to challenge friends, colleagues, and coworkers who disrespect women or girls. I promise to be a good role model for my children.

Commitment #15: Respect My Partner and Model good Respectful Relationships

Lynn Harris

I promise to ring the bell by treating my daughter and son equally and making sure they see that my husband and I treat each other with deep respect.

Commitment #16: Be A Bystander Who Intervenes

Francisco Cividanes

I’m in. I promise to stand up to the bullies not only with my words but through action as well.

Think you can do more? Sir Richard Branson, Sir Patrick Stewart, Michael Bolton and others have made their own commitments to end violence against women. What’s yours?

16 Ways You Can Support a Survivor of Violence Against Women

Posted on December 8, 2013 by Carol Olson

Violence Against Women (VAW) almost always takes the form of interpersonal violence, such as sexual assault/abuse and domestic physical abuse, which continues to have great stigma and denial in our society. This denial of the reality of abuse and violence that pervades our communities results in ignorance of how to support a survivor. We have so many ways to support people with medical problems, people who are in accidents, and people with mental health and now substance abuse problems, yet we continue to disregard survivors of violence and their needs toward support and healing.

Supporting a survivor of violence requires intentional thought and behaviour toward recognising what the survivor needs at any given moment during their recovery. And the response to survivors is often very different than responses we may give to other events or issues in a person’s life.

To help you get started, we have compiled 16 ways to help support a survivor.

Introduction by Carol Olson, List compiled by Jennifer Gallienne and Jodi Layne, Edited by Carol Olson and Jerica Nonell

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How you can support a survivor #1: Listen. One of the primary things a survivor of violence needs is for you to just sit and listen sincerely. Listen without judging and listen without fixating over what you are going to say next. Listen without freaking out over the accounting of the events of violence and abuse. Just listen to what they have to say and allow them to be truly heard. Most people who did not report their assaults decided not to because they “thought it was not important enough” or that “no one would want to hear about it.” Listen and let your friend know that both they and what they went through are important.

How you can support a survivor #2: Believe. Another primary thing a survivor needs is to be believed. Do not question their version of events or if what happened to them was a “legitimate” sexual assault. Tell them directly: “I believe you.” A lot of people never report their assault because they are afraid that no one will believe them. Many survivors will have to spend their whole lives trying to convince authorities that what happened to them was real: from the police (should your friend choose to report the incident), to the court (if the case ever even gets there), and to the media (and the way it handles rape and rape victims). They will have their account of the assault repeatedly challenged and de-legitimized throughout their life, so please offer unconditional support.

How you can support a survivor #3: Ask how you can help. Sometimes we may feel like we know what to do in this situation or may want to immediately seek help for the victim. We must remember that this is not about us and it is more useful to ask “Is there anything you need from me right now?” instead of taking control of the situation. It is important to remember to go at the victim’s pace and what they are comfortable in doing.

How you can support a survivor #4: No coulda, shoulda, woulda. The fact is that sexual assault happens because people do it, not because of the length of a dress, the time of day they were out, or how much they were drinking. Do not offer your friend suggestions on how they could have prevented being assaulted – the chances are that they have already replayed their assault in their head and wondered what they could have done differently. The reality is that the person who assaulted them should never have done it in the first place. It is never the victim’s fault that someone assaulted them.

How you can support a survivor #5: Respect Boundaries. If they ask you not to say anything and to just listen: just listen. If they ask for a hug or other reassuring touch: offer it if you feel comfortable and do not touch them in any way unless asked or permitted. Do not try and help or offer suggestions if they do not want any. React in the way they ask you to. Do not tell others about the assault if they have confided in you. Do not report their assault to law enforcement or officials without their consent. Remember that victims of violence have had their boundaries violently abused by the offender and will need people to respect them.

How you can support a survivor #6: Empower!
Put them in control of their own healing while being supportive. Never put pressure on your friend to pursue these options or react in a certain way. Give them the tools to decide how to move forward and don’t judge their decisions. Being a survivor of sexual violence means they are usually dealing with a loss of power, so do all that you can to help them restore their autonomy.

How you can support a survivor #7: Provide resources.
If you know someone that has been a victim of sexual assault give them resources. Let them know that there is professional help available. If they are not ready to go to a local center, they can use a hotline, such as the National Assault Hotline 1.800.656.HOPE and the National Sexual Assault Online Hotline.

How you can support a survivor #8: Accompany the Survivor to Get Help. If they decide to move forward with seeking help and healing, offer to drive them and/or accompany them (with their permission) to any or all of the agencies that will provide them with help, such as the hospital for a medical and/or forensic exam, to the sexual assault center for legal advocacy and support, and/or to the counselor for therapy. You may not be able to sit in their counseling session but ask the advocate/counselor if you could be present with them through the initial steps. Some counselors will work with family, partners, and friends to help educate them and engage them in supporting the survivor.

How you can support a survivor #9: Combat victim blaming and rape culture. Ever heard someone make a rape joke? Every heard someone blame a victim of rape because of what they were wearing or where they were? Ever heard someone use the word rape to describe beating a video game? Ever heard someone say she really wanted it or state that no means they are just playing hard to get? Challenge and confront these when they happen! If it is your friend or relative saying these things, do not worry about hurting their feelings; let them know how this hurts survivors. Look for these teachable moments and educate them on why what they are saying is hurtful and perpetuating violence against women.

How your can support a survivor #10: Confront Harmful Language
Sexual assault has nothing to do with what the victim was wearing and harmful language used to describe women objectify them. Take the time to educate your community, family, and friends about how harmful this language is. The next time you hear someone say that the victim should have been dressed differently, confront that directly.

How to support a survivor #11: Debunk the myth of alcohol/medication or other substances. Many people have heard victim blaming language when it comes to a victim drinking alcohol, taking sleeping pills, or using other substances before their assault. Just because a person had something to drink or took medication does not mean the person asked for the assault to happen and nor is to blame for it. Let them know that just because they had alcohol or other substances does not mean they deserved the assault to happen.

How to support a survivor #12: Hold Abusers Accountable for their Actions. Do not let abusers make excuses, such as blaming the victim for alcohol, drugs, behaviour, or clothing. Our culture and media spends a lot of time blaming the victim but never blames the person who committed the crime. Shift the blame back on to the abuser, where it belongs, and away from the victim.

How to support a survivor #13: Volunteer! Many domestic violence/sexual assault centres have wonderful volunteer opportunities and programmes available. Many of these agencies rely on dedicated volunteers to respond to sexual assault calls. These agencies do a wonderful job at training interested volunteers as well as offering them support along the way. Go online and search for these centres in your community to find the nearest volunteer opportunity.

How to support a survivor #14: Attend a Community Event. One of the ways you can support rape survivors and show your support is attend a community event that is bringing awareness to sexual assault and offering support. There are many events like Take Back the Night that happen on college campuses around the world and various events that happen during April for Sexual Assault Awareness Month. This is a good way to show your support for the community of survivors living in your city and is a good way to get education on the issue.

How to support a survivor #15: Have Conversations with Men in Your Life. Because victim blaming will not prevent rape, what needs to change is the conversations that we are having with men about all of these issues. Educating on consent and sending messages to men to be accountable for their actions and behaviour is more effective because it shifts the focus onto them and clears away any misunderstandings that may not come out otherwise. Men need to realize the responsibility to prevent rape is on them and not the people getting raped. We need to have more conversations with men and boys about healthy relationships and consensual sex.

How to support a survivor #16: Take Care of Yourself. Sexual assault is more common and has more manifestations than we let ourselves believe or acknowledge within our society. If you or someone you know has experienced sexual assault, the disclosure of another friend may bring up uncomfortable feelings or reawaken trauma. Make sure you get the support you need to be a good ally to your friend and to keep your own mental and emotional health in check.

16 Ways The Men Can Help Stop Online Violence Against Women

Posted on December 5, 2013 by Jerica Nonell

With 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.

Men 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?

Men 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.

16 Ways to Stop Domestic Violence in Your Community

Posted on December 4, 2013 by Jerica Nonell

The World Health Organisation (WHO)’s latest report on Violence Against Women that was released in June 2013 indicated that in some regions of the world, over 35% of women suffer from partner violence. With these staggering numbers, it is a very real possibility that every one of us knows a woman is facing (or has faced) domestic violence.

The intervention of neighbours and the wider community is one of the keys to stopping the violence. This starter list provides 16 tips for preventing and intervening to stop Domestic Violence in your community and/or neighbourhood. We have divided the list into 2 sections – one for the wider community and one for individuals. If you have any other suggestions and tips, please do share them in the comments section.

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

“Stop Domestic Violence” graphic by Sebastian Smith.

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For The Wider Community

Domestic Violence Intervention Tip #1: Know the signs. The first step to action is to familiarise individuals and the community with the possible signs and indicators of domestic violence. These signs can vary and do not always come with physical symptoms because domestic violence is not just limited to physical attacks such as beatings. It includes many forms of abusive behaviour enacted to control the victim in a myriad of ways including emotional abuse, verbal abuse and economic abuse. Domestic violence also affects every level and demograhic in society, so there is no typical victim despite the stereotypes. Someone who may not appear to be a victim of domestic violence may well be suffering in silence and it is important to recognise the signs if this is the case.

Domestic Violence Intervention Tip #2: Get your community educated! A good start to eradicating Domestic Violence from your community or neighbourhood is to start educating as many people as possible about Domestic Violence, its impact and how to intervene safely. This can be done in collaboration with your local Domestic Violence shelter or women’s organisation or police community outreach officers who can work with the community, local schools and local companies to organise and implement talks, townhall meetings and other group sessions to talk about this issue.

Domestic Violence Intervention Tip #3: Get your community organised! There is safety and influence in numbers when intervening to stop an abuser or making your community a place where Domestic Violence will not be tolerated. So just as many neighbourhoods have neighbourhood watch to stop crime, start organising a network of folks who will commit to intervene in Domestic Violence situations, help victims leave their abusers safely and provide a communal support structure for survivors.

Domestic Violence Intervention Tip #4: Boost your community support network with technology! If you have a smart phone and the victim has a smart phone, consider downloading a safety app for women, many of which have been designed to automatically alert your support network if you are in danger. If the victim does not have a smart phone, consider pooling money with a few friends and neighbours to get her one and pre-load it with a safety app that is connected to all your phones so you can become a de facto support net for her. Free safety apps currently available include the award-winning Circle of 6 and the iAMDEFENDER app which you can download here.

Domestic Violence Intervention Tip #5: Stopping the violence is good for business. Domestic Violence has cost economies and companies millions of dollars in lost time, medical care, productivity etc. In the U.S., the cost of Domestic Violence to the economy is estimated at $8.3 billion a year. If you are a business owner or a senior member of a company (e.g. a director, board member, senior manager), be pro-active in getting educated about how to intervene if you suspect or know that your employee or staff member is facing Domestic Violence because it will have a knock-on effect on your company. Implement HR policies that makes provisions for the potential impact of Domestic Violence. For example, the National Bank of Australia is currently offering paid Domestic Violence leave because the economic freedom from remaining in paid work is regarded as vital in helping victims escape violent relationships.

For Individuals

Domestic Violence Intervention Tip #6: Ring the bell. If you are the neighbour of a family experiencing Domestic Violence, please take the time to ring their bell when you hear a violent situation happening. You could use the old neighbourly approach of asking to borrow a cup of sugar or some milk as an excuse. If you feel that it could get dangerous, bring another person with you so there will be more than one witness. Check out what this guy did in a PSA by our partner, Bell Bajao:

Domestic Violence Intervention Tip #7: Bring a back-up. Intervening with Domestic Violence situations can be dangerous especially if the abuser has a weapon (e.g. a gun) and is intoxicated by drink or drugs. If you are unable to get help from the local shelter or police, make sure to bring another friend or family member along with you when you respond to the victim/survivor’s call in person.

Domestic Violence Intervention Tip #8: BE the back-up. If your neighbour, friend, co-worker, classmate, mother, sister, daughter, daughter-in-law, niece or cousin is facing Domestic Violence at home, let them know that you will be willing to be a witness or to intervene on their behalf while you are around. Also let them know that they are welcome to take refuge in your home should they need somewhere to go.

Domestic Violence Intervention Tip #9: Make the call, NOW. If the situation is beyond simple neighbourly intervention (e.g. the abuser has a gun and uses it during the abuse), call the police or your local emergency services (such as 911 in the U.S.) IMMEDIATELY. Provide critical information, such as location, names, contact number, and whether or not you wish the remain anonymous. Do NOT intervene personally in this scenario as it will be too dangerous to do so.

Domestic Violence Intervention Tip #10: Listen to empower. If a victim of domestic violence reaches out to you, listen. Let her know that you believe her and do not judge her choices. Victims often feel completely isolated and are often belittled by their partner; it is important to enable her to feel safe when confiding in you because eventually, she may well be able to gather enough courage to tell you exactly what is happening and to ask for help. This intervention tip may be particularly useful for hairdressers, nurses, human resource department personnel and anyone working in professions that involve having to listen to clients, customers and co-workers as part of the job.

Domestic Violence Intervention Tip #11: Be on standby If you suspect your friend, co-worker, staff, or family member of suffering from Domestic Violence, offer to be on standby for her text or call for emergencies. Have your phone on and fully charged at all times and keep it on you. If you have a car and need to intervene immediately, make sure that the gas/petrol tank is full so you can get in and drive to get the victim/survivor immediately if need be.

Domestic Violence Intervention Tip #12: Have an intervention plan. Work out a plan to get an intervention operation in action – have the following numbers on standby for your use:

The national Domestic Violence helpline (if your country has it)
The local Domestic Violence shelter helpline wherever the victim/survivor is located.
The local police wherever the victim/survivor is located.

Make sure to contact all of these agencies immediately should you receive an urgent SOS from the victim/survivor or if you hear or witness the violence begin and escalate (and in many cases, it may escalate incredibly quickly).

Domestic Violence Intervention Tip #13: Provide some relief. If you know a Domestic Violence victim/survivor who is being kept at home without relief, do a random act of kindness for her: Offer to babysit the children for a few hours while the abuser is out so she can have a breather; Offer to pick up groceries for her on your grocery run. Every small gesture helps provide relieve and also build the victim’s confidence in eventually reaching out to you for help (or accepting your help).

Domestic Violence Intervention Tip #14: Check in regularly. If you fear for your friend, co-worker, classmate, or family member’s life, call or text her once a day at a random time to see if she is all right. If it’s your neighbour, keep an eye out on the house and your ears pricked for any signs or sounds of violence.

Domestic Violence Intervention Tip #15: Be a resource. Help her find the assistance she needs, whether it is legal information, local domestic violence programmes, or finding a safe place through a battered women’s shelter. The greatest danger women face in these situations is often the actual process of leaving, so finding a safe place may be key. Knowing this information beforehand may be helpful, but assisting her in the research and even making phone calls for her will also help speed things up.

Domestic Violence Intervention Tip #16: Document! Document! Document! Document any incidents that you witness. Take note of dates, times, injuries, and any other observations. Your ongoing documentation can help bolster a victim’s courage and credibility when they are finally willing to pursue legal action against their partner.

16 Memorable Stories of Standing Up Against Street Harassment 2013

Posted on December 3, 2013 by regina

We are proud today to share the third annual blog list of 16 memorable stories of women 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

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Empowering Response #1: When a man began openly staring at EM’s friend’s breasts, she said really loudly to him as they passed him on the New Jersey street, “You should look where you’re going or you might fall.” He looked at her and she repeated, “Look where you’re walking.” Her friend laughed and he looked embarrassed.

Empowering Response #2: Photographer and Yale School of Art MFA student Hannah Price made international news this year with her series of stunning photos of the men who harassed her on the streets of Philadelphia, turning the lens and attention on them instead of her.

Empowering Response #3: Phillip in San Francisco, California, observed a man harassing every woman in the area. A few construction workers suggested the man stop, but he didn’t. So Philip got in his space and began making remarks about that man’s body and returned his misogyny. He said the harasser took off, almost running, while the construction workers high-fived Philip!

Empowering Response #4: Penelope lives in Sydney, Australia, and when construction for a new apartment building began next to where she lived, the constant harassment by the workers made her feel ill. She tried lots of tactics to avoid harassment but finally, she wrote a letter to the development company. It worked. She said, “I was stopped by the foreman and he politely let me know that he spoke to the men and have them stop the harassment and that if it happens again to seek him out or contact the company again.”

Empowering Response #5: Nayana was walking down a very busy road in Delhi, India. Suddenly, she felt a man “feeling up her front” with his hand. She said she was shocked! When she saw him smirking because he felt he was going to get away it, she grabbed hold of his collar and screamed at the top of her voice, “Police! Police! Help!” People gathered around her to help. The police arrived and she reported him. He ended up spending the night in jail.

Empowering Response #6: A woman was at the Metro in Virginia when she saw two guards harassing another woman. That woman cringed and walked quickly away. One of the guards then told the woman who observed it, “Let me see a SMILE on that pretty face.” She made eye contact and told him firmly, “Mind your business.” He giggled nervously and shut up.

Empowering Response #7: One day Irem was riding a city bus with her sister in Izmir, Turkey. A man would not stop staring at them. She stared back to try to make him feel uncomfortable and stop, but he just kept staring. So then Irem stood up and said to him, “Do you know us from somewhere else because you’ve been looking at us for ten minutes.” She said he was very embarrassed and that the other passengers, especially the women, laughed at him. He looked down at the floor for the rest of the ride.

Empowering Response #8: Emily pulled up beside a pickup truck at a traffic light in Sarasota, Florida. Her windows were rolled down and the two men in the truck whistled at her, laughing. She turned off her radio, turned to them and said, “You know, it’s really offensive when men whistle at a woman like she’s an animal. I don’t appreciate that. What you’re doing is called street harassment and it is unacceptable.” The driver apologized saying, “I’m sorry, ma’am. I’ll stop tonight.”

Empowering Response #9: A woman was harassed by a man in an SUV while she wanted to cross the street in Minnesota, and then he drove away before she could respond, she wrote an open letter to him in the “Missed Connections” section of Craigstlist.com. Her amazing letter was shared all over the Internet and it ended with this good advice: “If you really find a woman beautiful, don’t choose the juvenile selfish route that makes her feel weird and you look like an asshole. Just take a deep breath, commit the image to memory, and get on with your life. Or, if it’s really that great of an ass that you can’t possibly survive without commenting on it, post about it on CL missed connections after the fact and let her decide what to do about it.”

Empowering Response #10: Sarah was visiting a friend in Buffalo, New York. As she walked through a parking garage to meet her friend, two men sitting in a truck rolled down their windows and shouted inappropriate sexual remarks at her. She turned around and walked up to the window, looked them both in the eye and calmly said, “I just wanted to let you know it is really rude to shout at someone like that, and most women do not appreciate it.” They apologized to her and said they were just trying to be nice and say hi. She told them how that behavior can be perceived as threatening. She says she “walked away feeling so positive and empowered, and I hope what I said had some impact on those men and their future behavior.”

Empowering Response #11: Robyn lives in Portland, Oregon. She was walking home from the grocery store with her seven-year-old stepson and her infant daughter when a man slowed down in his car to talk to her through his window. She felt hesitant to confront him with her kids there. Instead of driving away, the man followed and then paced his car alongside her and her kids. “How are you doing?” he asked. She stopped and said, “I’d be a whole lot better if you weren’t doing this.” He said, “I understand,” and drove away.

Empowering Response #12: A woman in Harrogate, UK, was harassed in the morning by a fundraiser. It bothered her all day that he’d done this and when she went home that evening, she confronted him. She wrote, “He turned out to be a very nice guy who was very apologetic- he hadn’t realised how intimidating his behaviour was and was glad that I had gone back to speak to him. Being the older brother of 4 sisters he was keen to express his abhorrence of men that harass women. I was pleasantly surprised at his attitude- he was happy to listen and learn. It gave me hope!

Empowering Response #13: Each time Maria’s sister walked from the bus stop to her home in Colombia, a man across the street yelled sexual comments at her. His harassment upset her a lot. Maria was worried that since the man knew where she and her sister lived, it could be unsafe for her to talk to him, so she talked to her sister’s boyfriend and he said we would talk to him. The boyfriend asked the man to please show respect for the women walking on the streets and to consider their safety. His admonition worked and the man never harassed Maria’s sister again.

Empowering Response #14: Christine was at a nightclub with a friend in Maynooth, Ireland, when a man groped her friend’s breast, then smiled as he walked away. Her friend froze in shock, but Christine “saw red.” She ran after him, matched his pace, and then reached around and grabbed his balls. She said, “He doubled over and I held on as I leaned in and spoke directly into his ear: ‘It’s not so nice when someone touches you without your permission, is it?’” She said she walked away and when she turned back, he looked very confused and uncomfortable.

Empowering Response #15: When D was street harassed by two different men in a short distance, she said, “No!” loudly to them each. A woman nearby saw both interactions and said, “Thank god for you!” and said something about how more people need to speak up against this. “I have to,” I said. “It [street harassment] is ridiculous.” D wrote, “I didn’t get a chance to thank her for supporting me in standing up against harassment. Usually when people see me standing up to harassers they either ignore it, think it’s funny, or tell me that I bring this stuff upon myself for taking harassment too seriously. So when I do encounter people who support standing up against street harassment, it feels great to know that there are people who think that this is a problem.”

Empowering Response #16: Fern was dressed up for an interview when two men on the street commented about her looks. She ignored them and one of them yelled, “What, you can say thank you?” She felt angry that a man expected her to thank him for his unsolicited and unwanted comments and asked him, “Why do I need to thank you? Did you do me a favor? Did you help me?” He was surprised and told her not to be uptight. She said, “I didn’t ask you to look at me. In fact, I wish you wouldn’t.” She then left.

The Pixel Project Selection 2013 – 16 Notable Activists and Nonprofits You Should Follow on Twitter

Posted on December 2, 2013 by Carol Olson

Twitter is one of the tools of the social media age that allows you to engage, connect and learn more at the click of a button. If you are thinking about joining in with women’s human rights campaigning in these #16days of activism (and beyond!), Twitter is a good place to start. You can read fresh articles, “listen” in on conversations on #vaw, and find out about a myriad of non-profit organisations and activists that are striving to make the world a better place for women and girls.

Want to know what your favourite anti-Violence Against Women organisations are up to? Then delve into the Twittersphere and find out in real time! Twitter allows us to find out about the latest campaigns, events and news going on in the movement. All you have to do is log on and tune in…

Today, we bring to you our second annual list of 16 organisations and activists that have found a way of making the Twittersphere work in their favour. Their tweets are informative, exciting, and think faster than the Internet can update. In other words: perfect examples of how social media can be a powerful tool for anyone who wants to join the fight towards gender equality.

Introduction by Angelique Mulholland with updates by Regina Yau; Twitter list compiled by Jerica Nonell; Curated and edited by Carol Olson and Regina Yau.

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Twitter Follow Recommendation 1: Ann-Marie Wilson (@AM28toomany)

Ann-Marie Wilson is the founder of an amazing organisation that fights Female Genital Mutilation called 28 Too Many. This organisation researches ways to enable local organisations throughout the African diaspora and allow them to fight to end the practice of FGM by providing them with tools and knowledge. Ann-Marie Wilson’s twitter is her personal account, which chronicles 28 Too Many’s events, as well as her thoughts and input on events around the world. She is endlessly fascinating and is unrelenting in her fight against FGM.

Twitter Follow Recommendation 2: Bell Bajao (@bell_bajao)

Bell Bajao, which means ‘Ring The Bell’ in Hindi, is an India-based anti-Violence Against Women campaign by Breakthrough – an international human rights organisation using the power of popular culture, media, leadership development and community education to combat violence against women. Bell Bajao started as series of trend-setting PSAs teaching audiences how to intervene to stop domestic violence by ringing the bell. Currently, they are campaigning to get 1 million men to pledge to stop violence against women in their communities. Bell Bajao’s Twitter account is lively with plenty of news about their campaigns and the latest updates on anti-Violence Against Women initiatives in India. They also jointly run a monthly Tweet-a-thon with The Pixel Project which has created hashtags such as #CyberVAW that has trended worldwide.

Twitter Follow Recommendation 3: Elisabeth Corey (@BeatingTrauma)

Elisabeth Corey is a human trafficking and abuse survivor who uses technology to help other survivors in their path to recovery. Corey is rather new to the field of human trafficking advocacy but her voice is fresh and new. Her Twitter documents both her own path towards recovery and resources that are available to other survivors. Many of her tweets, which are linked to her blog, deal directly with the healing process and how to handle PTSD and disassociation. She gives a raw look into the world of recovery, which is needed in a society where many people do not understand how PTSD can affect a person. She highlights the positive of her recovery and the discoveries that she comes across through her own journey.

Twitter Follow Recommendation 4: EVAW Coalition (@EVAWhd)

End Violence Against Women (EVAW) Coalition is an organisation that works to end violence towards women throughout England and beyond. They provide information about VAW in all facets – FGM, trafficking, domestic violence, and sexual violence. One of their recent campaigns is asking women and artists to fight back against sexist and racist music videos called Rewind Reframe. Their Twitter stream is a constant update on this campaign and others, highlighting artists that involve themselves in their work. Currently, it consists mostly of Rewind Reframe and which videos need to be rethought. You can easily join the campaign and let them know which videos you think showcase women, especially women of color, in a negative spotlight.

Twitter Follow Recommendation 5: FORWARD UK (@forwarduk)

The Foundation for Women’s Health, Research and Development, aka FORWARD UK, is a British organisation that works towards helping African women and girls to end FGM and child marriage. The organisation is nearly 30 years old and focuses on both African communities and the UK to improve sexual and reproductive health and rights. Many are unaware that practices such as FGM exist outside of African countries, but organisations such as FORWARD UK make sure to address the issue throughout all of the African diaspora. Their work throughout the UK and Africa saves lives and they have found the perfect way to incorporate such important messages through social media and make it effective.

Twitter Follow Recommendation 6: Girls Not Brides (@girlsnotbrides)

Girls Not Bride fights child marriage by working with NGOs around the world. By joining the communities around the world that practice child marriage, activists and those effected by child marriage are joined together and their voices can become stronger, louder. Girls Not Brides’ Twitter account provides constant updates on the statistics of child marriage, as well as resources for child brides. Their goal is to not only end child marriage, but to also take care of current child brides. Girls Not Brides is an inspiring organisation, even when their words must fit within a 140-word character limit.

Twitter Follow Recommendation 7: Ima Matul (@imahope4freedom)

Ima Matul uses her personal encounter with human trafficking to help others that are in a similar position. Her Twitter stream provides insight into her activist work as well as suggest resources that survivors need to heal and grow. She works with the Coalition to Abolish Slavery and Trafficking’s Survivor leadership and advocacy programme by speaking at conferences across the United States of America. In 2011, she began coordinating the National Survivor Network, which provides survivors support, as well as ways to become an advocate for change. Her advocacy work was recognised in 2012 by President Obama and the Clinton Global Initiative in regards to their own efforts end modern-day slavery and human trafficking.

Twitter Follow Recommendation 8: Leymah Gbowee (@leymahrgbowee)

Leymah Gbowee is an African women’s right advocate who founded the Gbowee Peace Foundation Africa and was the 2011 Nobel Peace Laureate. Gbowee’s NGO provides equal access and development opportunities to Liberians. Just ten minutes of following Gbowee’s Twitter stream is more than enough time to understand completely how she has achieved all that she has. She writes beautifully and will make you want to jump out from behind your desk and join the movement. Follow her on Twitter and get inspired to start your very own grassroots revolution!

Twitter Follow Recommendation 9: MARD (@MardOfficial)

Men Against Rape and Discrimination is an organisation ran and founded by actor and director Farhan Akhtar. MARD has received most of its acclaim through the social media spheres, especially Twitter, making it a guaranteed great resource for information about its anti-Violence Against Women work. The organisation works with men to change their perspectives regarding their attitudes and behaviors towards women. The MARD Twitter account is often seen trending whenever a story about rape or discrimination becomes global news.

Twitter Follow Recommendation 10: Minh Dang (@minhspeakstruth)

Minh Dang previously worked as the Executive Director for Jada Pinkett Smith’s anti-human trafficking campaign, Don’t Sell Bodies. She is recognised for her work with DSB as one of fifteen Asian American/Pacific Islander women by the White House earlier in 2013. She is currently an independent consultant and speaker on issues of human trafficking. Dang’s Twitter account is a great resource for those who wish to keep up with developments in stopping human trafficking in the modern world. She knows the topic like the back of her hand and spreads her knowledge in a very accessible way via Twitter. Dang still works closely with DSB and many of their events are highlighted throughout her tweets.

Twitter Follow Recommendation 11: NO MORE (@NOMOREorg)

NO MORE is a brand-new celebrity-driven campaign fighting against domestic violence and sexual assault. Their goal is to create a symbol that provides unity for those affected by domestic violence or sexual assault, one which can be displayed during high-profile media coverage or through one-on-one situations. NO MORE wants to end the stigma and silence surrounding these violent acts. Their most recognised PSAs involve the cast from Law and Order: Special Victims Unite and play during televised events, such as NASCAR. NO MORE’s Twitter will keep you up-to-date on the progress of their PSA campaign and how to get involved with their campaign.

Twitter Follow Recommendation 12: Say No UNiTE to End Violence against Women (@SayNo_UNiTE)

“Say No – UNiTE to End Violence against Women” is a major campaign that the UN create to spur global action to stop violence against women. Run by UN Women, the Say No – UNiTE campaign uses its unique platform to spread the word about advocacy efforts from around the world, both offline and on. Their Twitter account retweets from various global organisations about the work that they are doing. They promote the achievements of others and open up new opportunities for people around the world. Following Say No – UNiTE on Twitter is a must if you wish to keep up with what’s happening globally to stop violence against women. Say NO – UNiTE is also a partner of The Pixel Project.

Twitter Follow Recommendation 13: The SOLD Project (@thesoldproject)

The SOLD Project is an organisation that provides scholarships for at-risk children throughout Thailand. They focus on the issues of human trafficking, child prostitution, and sexual exploitation by recognising the key contributing factors, such as poverty and lack of education. They are very active on Twitter and is a great way to stay informed on the Thailand’s changing atmosphere of human trafficking. Through their Twitter account, The SOLD Project provides followers with a wealth of knowledge about human trafficking, including statistics and updates on films on the subject.

Twitter Follow Recommendation 14: White Ribbon (@whiteribbon)

White Ribbon is the world’s largest movement of men and boys working to end violence against women and girls, promote gender equity, healthy relationships and a new vision of masculinity. They work to examine the root causes of gender-based violence and create a cultural shift that helps bring us to a future without violence. Their Twitter account is a useful resource for anyone who wishes to keep tabs on how men are helping to stop violence against women and girls as they use it to share news about their campaigns as well as news from White Ribbon participants, ambassadors and movements around the world. The White Ribbon campaign is a partner of The Pixel Project.

Twitter Follow Recommendation 15: Women Under Siege (@WomenUndrSiege)

Women Under Siege is a journalism project by the Women’s Media Center to investigate how sexual violence is used as a weapon during conflict and war. Though many people know that rape is weaponised to subjugate entire communities and countries, it is not a topic that can be talked about easily. We know it is there but the stories are not always easy to reach. Through their Twitter account, Women Under Siege gives these stories and the facts and figures behind them a high profile platform to help raise awareness about the atrocities and motivate the global audience to do something about them.

Twitter Follow Recommendation 16: Women’s Voices Now (@WomensVoicesNow)

Women’s Voices Now is an organisation put together to empower Muslim women by promoting free expression. They are working to make women’s voices heard as they speak out against inequalities and violence. An interesting aspect of this organisation is that it uses and hosts films regarding the topics that they are passionate about, and was even able to start hosting film festivals in the United States. Their Twitter account brings these voices directly to you. Follow their tweets and click their links, and you will never feel far away from making the world a better, more tolerant place.

The Pixel Project Selection 2013: 16 Films About Violence Against Women

Posted on November 30, 2013 by regina

The Pixel Project’s annual selection of films, documentaries and television shows that raise awareness about violence against women has been a fixture in our annual “16 For 16” campaign from the very beginning. We firmly believe that the “Show, Not Tell” principle is one of the most powerful ways to create a connection between the movement to end violence against women and the person on the street who might not have even given this human rights issue a thought before. Film and television are some of the best 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 remains strong.

This year, our selection entirely comprises VAW documentaries of all lengths, shapes and sizes. The VAW topics they tackle show just how wide-ranging and entrenched VAW is in communities and cultures across the world – honour killing, female genital mutilation and rape are some of the prominent topics highlighted. India, in particular, takes the spotlight after the horrifying rape and murder of university student Jyoti Singh Pandey in Delhi.

We hope that this year’s diverse selection will provide a thought-provoking range of resources to help you kick start discussions about VAW that break the wall of silence and taboo in your community.

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

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Selection Number 1: Eden: American Sex Trade

“Eden” is based on the harrowing true story of sex trafficking survivor, Eden, a young Korean-American girl, who was abducted near her home and forced into prostitution by a domestic human and drug trafficking ring. Throughout the two years she is held, Eden reluctantly ensures her own survival by carving out power and influence within the very organization that has imprisoned her.

Selection Number 2: FGM in the UK

“FGM in the UK” is The Pixel Project’s first mini documentary and focuses on the issue of Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) in the UK. The documentary features Integrate Bristol, an anti-FGM group and is aimed at raising awareness about what FGM is, how this form of Violence Against Women is being tackled in the UK and ideas for preventing, detecting and stopping FGM in the country.

Selection Number 3: FGM – The Film The Changed the Law in Kurdistan

Two filmmakers spent almost a decade reporting the greatest taboo subject in Kurdish society: female genital mutilation. Nabaz Ahmed and Shara Amin persuaded people to talk about the effects of FGM and the film they made helped get the practice outlawed in 2011. And in the last few years the number of girls being mutilated in Kurdistan has fallen by over 60%. The story of their decade-long fight against FGM has been made into a documentary by the Guardian and BBC Arabic. (Summary courtesy of The Guardian)

Selection Number 4: Fighting the Silence: Sexual Violence against Women in the Congo

Fighting the Silence (2007) is a documentary made by Ilse and Femke van Velzen to tell the story of ordinary Congolese women and men who are struggling to change their society: one that prefers to blame victims rather than prosecute rapists. Rape survivors and their families speak out openly about the suffering they endured because their culture considers women second class citizens and rape as a taboo. They give voice to thousands of other survivors and their families who have chosen to hide their grief and remain silent for fear of being rejected by their families and community.

Selection Number 5: India: A Dangerous Place To Be A Women

Following the brutal Delhi Gang Rape, 28-year-old British Asian Radha Bedi travels to India to uncover the reality of life for young women there. Whilst filming the documentary, she met many brave young girls and women willing to share their personal experiences of harassment and violence and discovers that it all boils down to the fact that they were born female.

Selection Number 6: In the Name of the Family: Honor Killings in North America

Schoolgirl Aqsa Parvez, sisters Amina and Sarah Said, and college student Fauzia Muhammad were all North American teenagers—and victims of premeditated, murderous attacks by male family members. Only Muhammad survived. Emmy® winner Shelley Saywell examines each case in depth in this riveting investigation of “honor killings” of girls in Muslim immigrant families. Not sanctioned by Islam, the brutalization and violence against young women for defying male authority derives from ancient tribal notions of honour and family shame. (Summary courtesy of Women Make Movies)

Selection Number 7: Invoking Justice

In Southern India, family disputes are settled by Jamaats—all male bodies which apply Islamic Sharia law to cases without allowing women to be present, even to defend themselves. Recognizing this fundamental inequity, a group of women in 2004 established a women’s Jamaat, which soon became a network of 12,000 members spread over 12 districts. Despite enormous resistance, they have been able to settle more than 8,000 cases to date, ranging from divorce to wife beating to brutal murders and more. Award-winning filmmaker Deepa Dhanraj (SOMETHING LIKE A WAR) follows several cases, shining a light on how the women’s Jamaat has acquired power through both communal education and the leaders’ persistent, tenacious and compassionate investigation of the crimes. (Summary courtesy of Women Make Movies)

Selection Number 8: Justice For Sale

“Justice For Sale” follows the young, courageous Congolese human rights lawyer Claudine Tsongo who refuses to accept that justice is indeed “For Sale” in her country. When she investigates the case of a soldier convicted of rape, she becomes convinced his trial was unfair and uncovers a system where the basic principles of law are ignored—and when the system fails, everyone becomes a victim. The documentary not only provides a glimpse into the failings of the Congolese judicial system but also raises questions about the role of the international community and non-governmental organizations in reforming it. Does their financial support cause justice to be for sale? And who pays the price? (Summary courtesy of Women Make Movies)

Selection Number 9: Pink Saris

This powerful documentary by Kim Longinetto chronicles the story of Sampat Pal and how she went from an abused underaged bride and daughter-in-law to the founder and leader of the Pink Saris (the Gulabi Gang) – a grassroots movement of women in Uttar Pradesh determined to mete out justice to the men and families who abuse, batter, torment and murder them with impunity.

Selection Number 10: Power and Control: Domestic Violence In America

“Power and Control: Domestic Violence in America” is a documentary about domestic abuse in the U.S. context and offers a probing and intimate exploration of the troubling persistence of violence against women in America. The 2008/2009 economic crisis has contributed to a sharp increase in domestic violence around the country.

Selection Number 11: Quest For Honour

“Quest For Honour” investigates the still prevalent practice of honor killing in the Kurdistan region of northern Iraq. The alarming rise in the heinous act of men killing daughters, sisters and wives who threaten “family honor,” endangers tens of thousands of women in Iraq, Turkey, Jordan and adjoining countries. The Women’s Media Center of Suleymaniyah, Iraq, has joined forces with Iraq’s Kurdish Regional Government (KRG) to end this practice. (Adapted from a summary by Women Make Movies)

Selection Number 12: Rape In The Fields

“Rape In The Fields” is a documentary by PBS about the hidden reality of rape, sexual harassment and violence faced by many immigrant women in the U.S. agricultural industry, especially illegal immigrants eking out a living on farms.

Selection Number 13: Sarabah

Rapper, singer and activist, Sister Fa is a survivor of Female Genital Mutilation (FGM), she tackles the issue by starting a grassroots campaign, “Education Without Excision,” which uses her music as a vehicle to bring her message about ending FGM to communities still plagued by it. “Sarabah” follows Sister Fa on her challenging journey, where she speaks out and sings out to all generations in affected communities to bring about change.

Selection Number 14: Señorita Extraviada, Missing Young Woman

“Señorita Extraviada, Missing Young Woman” tells the haunting story of the more than 350 kidnapped, raped and murdered young women of Juárez, Mexico. Visually poetic, yet unflinching in its gaze, this compelling investigation unravels the layers of complicity that have allowed for the brutal murders of women living along the Mexico-U.S. border. In the midst of Juárez’s international mystique and high profile job market, there exists a murky history of grossly underreported human rights abuses and violence against women. The climate of violence and impunity continues to grow, and the murders of women continue to this day. (Summary courtesy of Women Make Movies)

Selection Number 15: The Burning Times

This short documentary, funded by the National Film Board of Canada, looks at the witch-hunts that swept through Europe just a few hundred years ago. False accusations and trials led to massive torture and burnings at the stake, and ultimately to the destruction of an organic way of life. The film advances the theory that widespread violence against women and the neglect of our environment today can be traced back to those times.

Selection Number 16: Violence Against Women in Haiti: The Enemy Within

In this short documentary by UNIFEM (now UN Women) that is narrated by internationally renowned TV journalist Daljit Dhaliwal, this 21st Century short documentary goes deep into Haiti’s makeshift camps to expose acts of violence and sexual assaults women, especially young girls, have encountered since the country’s devastating earthquake in January left 1.5 million homeless. While measures are being taken by, for instance, the Haitian National Police, UN police and UN Women, to curb such type of violence, this video underscores what has yet to be done to ensure the safety of women and girls as Haiti continues to build itself back from the ground up.

Transcript: http://www.un.org/webcast/pdfs/unia1253.pdf

The Pixel Project Selection 2013: 16 Songs About Violence Against Women (and Staying Strong and Positive)

Posted on November 27, 2013 by Carol Olson

As part of our ongoing efforts to celebrate and amplify the power of music to educate, enlighten and help with the social change needed to stop Violence Against Women (VAW), The Pixel Project presents our 2013 selection of 16 songs about or related to VAW and women’s empowerment. While there have always been songs that are very explicit about domestic violence, sexual violence and other forms of VAW, we have selected a mix of songs about VAW and songs that empower women because it is crucial to get a balance between the reality of violence and the message of hope for survival and healing.

This year, our selection includes a diverse range of artistes and musical styles – from feel-good anthems to haunting ballads to foot-stomping dance singles. Some of this year’s songs have been written and performed for anti-VAW nonprofits and movements, others are bona fide hit songs that have brought positive and empowering music for women to the attention of global audience.

Without further ado, here are this year’s selection of 16 songs presented in alphabetical order. We hope they inspire and move you as much as they have inspired and moved us.

Compiled by a Pixel Project Volunteer; Curated and edited by Regina Yau and Carol Olson
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Song Number 1: Brave Sara- Bareilles

Bareilles discussed this song in many interviews, revealing that she thinks “there’s so much honor and integrity and beauty in being able to be who you are, [and] it’s important to be brave because by doing that you also give others permission to do the same”

Song Number 2: Break the Chain/One Billion Rising Song- Tena Clark

Break the Chain was the One Billion Rising theme song heard around the world. Many people from around the world danced and created flash mobs out of this song while participating in One Billion Rising events.

Song Number 3: Eagle when she flies – Dolly Parton

In this 1991 song, Country Music legend Dolly Parton sings this uplifting song about the strength of women when facing adversity in their lives, as well as the various important roles the women have in the family and community.

Song Number 4: Freedom Song- Jason Mraz

In 2010, Jason traveled to Ghana to accompany Free the Slaves on a child slavery rescue mission. To his surprise, he was greeted by 20 former child slaves singing the Freedom Song. Jason’s tearful account of meeting slavery survivors was captured in the FTS video “The Journey of The Freedom Song . He also sang this song at at MTV Exit’s unprecedented anti-trafficking concert in Myanmar.

Song Number 5: Good Woman Down- Mary J. Blige

Mary J Blige shares her experiences and challenges and urges women not to give up on life. She also speaks of abusive relationships and urges women to realize they deserve better. She hopes that this song will be a remedy for other’s going through what she had to go through and encourages them to breakthrough.

Song Number 6: Greatest Love Of All – Whitney Houston

The late, great Whitney Houston, a survivor of domestic violence herself, came to prominence in the 1980s with a flurry of best-selling hits that became evergreen Pop anthems. One of them is “Greatest Love Of All” – a song with an enduring message about learning to love yourself as part of self-empowerment which became one of her signature songs.

Song Number 7: I’m Okay – Christina Aguilera

In this powerful and beautiful ballad, global Pop superstar Christina Aguilera sings about surviving her childhood with her abusive father. Parts of this song may be triggering for some survivors of domestic violence.

Song Number 8: Little Black Sandals- Sia

Sia sings about freedom and strength to listen to your heart and obey it. This song is about an abusive relationship and deciding to leave it.

Song Number 9: Little Things – One Direction

Written by fast-rising singer-songwriter Ed Sheeran, this song is sung from the point of view of a husband/partner/boyfriend telling his wife/partner/girlfriend that he loves everything about her, even what she sees as her faults. A great positive anthem encouraging women and girls to love themselves.

Song Number 10: Nobody Ever Told You – Carrie Underwood

This breezy engaging melody is a self empowerment song. Carrie said of the song “People need to hear compliments more,” she says of the song’s life-affirming lyric. “People need to hear ‘I love you’ more. People need to hear ‘You are beautiful’ more.”

Song Number 11: Perfect- P!nk

P!nk’s hit song urges us to change the negative dialogue about ourselves that we can have in a world that can be very challenging and difficult. This song is believing in ourselves and allowing other to believe in ourselves as well.

Song Number 12: Roar – Katy Perry

Kary’s song represents overcoming the complex struggles of an abusive relationship and championing herself. She is fighting to take her life back from her abuser and has had enough of the abuse and realises she deserves so much more.

Song Number 13: Tere Bina – Avina Shah

Tere Bina is a positive song all about girl power. It tells the story of a young girl who finally decides to walk away from a really violent and abusive relationship. Her aim for this song is to create awareness about Domestic Violence and all proceeds from the single were donated to West London based charity the Southall Black Sisters.

Song Number 14: The Thing About Love – Alicia Keys

This song is about the many emotions of love and that it can be a very painful experience. However, Alicia reminds that healthy love is out there for everyone and those loving relationships can be incredibly healing and supportive.

Song Number 15: Skyscraper- Demi Lovato

Musically, “Skyscraper” is a ballad and the lyrics speak of staying strong and believing in oneself. Lovato wrote this song during a time in her life facing her own personal struggles and this has become an empowerment anthem that has virally spread throughout YouTube as people worldwide recorded their covers of this song.

Song Number 16: You Are Royalty To Me – Ellis

Modern Folk singer-songwriter Ellis wrote this poignant song in tribute to her grandmother who helped raise her and build her confidence during her growing-up years. In her music video, she features pictures from fans and listeners with their grandmothers.

The Pixel Project's "16 For 16" Campaign

The Pixel Project's annual campaign featuring 16 articles about Violence Against Women in honour of the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-based Violence

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