does Stand Your Ground protect battered women?

Can Women Stand Their Ground? Depends On the Target. Marissa Alexander was a battered woman who was trained to use a weapon, had a concealed carry permit, and had a court injunction against her husband. She was sentenced to 20 years in prison for firing a warning shot at the ceiling – a shot that … Read more

It’s A Girl – Gendercide in India and China

The film, It’s A Girl (available now on Netflix watch instantly), casts a light on the way girls in India and China are discriminated against because of their sex. According to the film’s website, the UN estimates as many as 200 million girls are missing because of female infanticide. The film also explores dowry and … Read more

Punishing Rape with More Rape? DRC Trauma Stories

Last week, Lauren Wolfe of Women Under Siege wrote about the rape and violence of everyday life in the Democratic Republic of Congo. This violence is tearing families apart. Men, women, and children are caught in the horrors of war and the men are fighting for a sense of control. Husbands of women who have … Read more

Political Cauldron Boils on U.N. Women’s Rights

In this article, Amy Leiberman discusses the outcomes of this year’s UN Global Gathering of Women. While the gathering did produce conclusions via a 17 page document on the issue of violence against women, it is heavily criticized by many within gender and women’s rights. Many individuals say that the meeting has turned into a battleground over rights, rather than a public forum. … Read more

Egypt’s Brotherhood Blasts UN Women’s Document

Sarah El Deeb’s article discusses the opposition that a UN Women’s document has received from the Islamic Brotherhood in Egypt. The group has opposed this document because of clauses within it that they consider incompatible with the tenants of Islam. Actual details of the document have yet to be released pending negotiations. Officials are remaining … Read more

University Of North Carolina Routinely Violates Sexual Assault Survivor Rights, Students Claim

There are two articles I found pertaining to this issue. The Huff Post article goes into detail about how UNC is violating all sorts of laws. The first victim Andrea Pino suffered from PTSD after being assaulted at a party, and the school refused to let her withdraw medically. Landen Gambill reported to the honor … Read more

India Rape Ordinance Blasted by Female Activists

    http://womensenews.org/story/rape/130205/india-rape-ordinance-blasted-female-activists#.URUdph0701I Based on the deadly gang rape the president added an anti-rape ordinance into law. Protesters are furious because they say it was crafted without any input and falls short of bringing perpetrators to justice. The outcry is also due to the perceived dismissal of the recommendations made by the Verma committee’s report. … Read more

Update on Violence Against Women Act

Since the Violence Against Women Act, VAWA, was mentioned during our first class period, I thought it would be good to get an update on the challenges facing Congress as well as identify the main issues with VAWA.   http://thegrio.com/2013/01/23/democrats-try-again-to-extend-violence-against-women-act/

YouTube Star’s Video Ignites ‘Slut-Shaming’ Reaction

Maggie Frelang’s article YouTube Star’s Video Ignites ‘Slut-Shaming’ Reaction , discusses how Youtube star Jenna Marbles’ (aka Jenna Mourey) recent video, “Things I Don’t Understand About Girls Part 2: Slut Edition”  has resulted in a backlash from viewers for slut-shaming other girls. Frelang reports that in the video  Jenna discusses how she feels that while it is … Read more