Steve - I would suggest you do some research on Avaaz before posting again.
And whilst I am sure that no one would disagree that some women can be abusive towards men and that boys get abused too, this thread is about violence towards women.
Violence can be verbal too so lets all keep the tone pleasant please.
There is apparently an anti violence against women day on 14th February, www.vday.org
Has anyone heard of this?
I agree with Steve. Abuse and violence is universal. For the last 10 1/2 years I have been a domestic violence and sexual assault crisis counselor. Statistics show that violence against boys under twelve is almost as high as that against girls. Many of the crimes in the U.S. are committed by women. In some cultures such as in the Philippines, women are more likely to be the aggressors. The main difference is that "macho" men are less likely to report crimes as they think it reflects on their manliness. Obviously women have more physical trauma such as the ability to have unwanted pregnancies. But violence affects all from birth to the elderly.
Well, I'm with Frances on this one. We can only equip our nearest and dearest to live their lives according to a moral code which is supported by all rational human beings.
The kind of behaviour this post is highlighting has been going on for centuries all over the world. I don't personally believe it is possible to eradicate it until said cultures develop. That's not going to happen until wealth is distributed more fairly throughout the whole world. Don't hold your breath on that happening...
With respect Steve I think you missed the point. This abuse happens to both men and woman.
Just my opinion.....
We can all do something closer to home. As women we can stop tolerating (for whatever seeingly good reasons at the time) any abuse by the men in our lives. We can educate both sons and daughters how to be decent human beings and to not accept such apalling behaviour in others they come across. We can demand our government politicans stand up and DO something official but at least visual to show they are completely against these things. Shame we can't stop trading with countries who don't see the need to change the way their perverted cultures operate.
I don't want to give my tourist dollars to countries who violate women so islamist states and India are among those I will not volonteerily visit.
Thanks Jane for bringing this up. I will support it and will also spread the word. BTW, this is another great campaign aiming at the same thing http://onebillionrising.org/
Worth a read too.
Please all take a look at: http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2013/feb/07/indian-women-forced-prostitution-middle-east and also the link to that article http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2013/feb/07/indian-woman-sold-sheikh
Not nice reading. But do it anyway.
@ Brian,
Thought you might have!
Jane, I am a regular avaaz supporter since Ricken Patel started it. I have already pledged my £4 to the action on at present on: https://secure.avaaz.org/en/end_the_war_on_women_hf/?bTORcdb&v=21752&a=4&c=EUR&p=1
I would sincerely like to see every man and woman joining in and supporting this action. It is totally inexcusable what politicians are saying and generally not doing, worldwide judiciary needs to be called to account, the police made to do their job and schools brought to the point where they educate boys and girls as equals to be equal in adulthood. On the way it would be only right that employers cease to differentiate, the religions address and come to terms with what is happening and generally people top averting their eyes. So go to avaaz as Jane asks, pledge the small amount they are asking for and help this campaign to end this inequality and injustice. At the same time, do not forget that children, minorities and many others need similar support and do the same for them in turn.
I find that I was appealing for action against violence towards women in February 2013.
I don’t think that things have improved, indeed one can only say that things have got worse.
We have a resurgent Taliban in Afghanistan stopping women from being properly educated and working in jobs that they previously held in education, politics and journalism, we have extreme right wing politicians denying women the right to control their own bodies, sometimes in extreme circumstances including rape and incest and we are all hearing of the number of cases coming to light in UK.
This is something that needs to be addressed not only by women, but by men too.
Young girls are being trafficked from Eastern Europe to become prostitutes having been promised decent jobs in UK. This shameful traffic would not continue if there were not men who availed men of these young girls held in slavery.
All decent men should be ashamed of the things being done towards by their own sex against women and try to do something to stop it.