Friday, April 29, 2011
Friday, April 1, 2011
Sexual Assault Awareness Month
I have been coadvising the Sexual Assault Awareness Month committee with my campus's health educator.
Because of this, I have been working on furthering my education regarding sexual assault prevention. I read The Macho Paradox: Why some men hurt women and how all men can help by Jackson Katz.
Katz really changed my world view and helped me be more aware about issues regarding sexual assault. Some things that stuck out to me was the prevalence of victim-blaming mentalities.
http://www.cnn.com/2011/WORLD/asiapcf/03/29/bangladesh.lashing.death/index.html
This article is about the death of a 14-year old young woman in Bangladesh. Notice the title of the article: "Only 14, Bangladeshi girl charged with adultery was lashed to death".
Yes, it highlights the atrocity of a 14-year old young woman being lashed to death.
But what it does not highlight is the fact that a man raped the young woman. Because of the rape, the community through religious order sentenced her to a punishment that caused her death. Victim blaming.
Additionally, the article provides information as to the prevalence of gender violence in Bangladesh: "The United Nations estimates that almost half of Bangladeshi women suffer from domestic violence and many also commonly endure rape, beatings, acid attacks and even death because of the country's entrenched patriarchal system."
While gender violence like this happened halfway across the world, these instances of gender violence and victim blaming by the community occur in the United States. Often.
My question is: Who is going to choose to change this world? Bangladesh? our communities? women's rights? prevention of gender violence?
Sometimes when I look out into the world, I see that there is so much strife and hate that I doubt my ability to change the world. But I know that is not true. While I cannot enact changes in Bengladeshi communities, I can educate myself on how to help make the world a safer place. I can actively challenge my community. I can educate other men in my community. I can own the fact that gender violence is a men's issue. I can own the fact that gender violence is my issue.
And I will.
Because of this, I have been working on furthering my education regarding sexual assault prevention. I read The Macho Paradox: Why some men hurt women and how all men can help by Jackson Katz.
Katz really changed my world view and helped me be more aware about issues regarding sexual assault. Some things that stuck out to me was the prevalence of victim-blaming mentalities.
http://www.cnn.com/2011/WORLD/asiapcf/03/29/bangladesh.lashing.death/index.html
This article is about the death of a 14-year old young woman in Bangladesh. Notice the title of the article: "Only 14, Bangladeshi girl charged with adultery was lashed to death".
Yes, it highlights the atrocity of a 14-year old young woman being lashed to death.
But what it does not highlight is the fact that a man raped the young woman. Because of the rape, the community through religious order sentenced her to a punishment that caused her death. Victim blaming.
Additionally, the article provides information as to the prevalence of gender violence in Bangladesh: "The United Nations estimates that almost half of Bangladeshi women suffer from domestic violence and many also commonly endure rape, beatings, acid attacks and even death because of the country's entrenched patriarchal system."
While gender violence like this happened halfway across the world, these instances of gender violence and victim blaming by the community occur in the United States. Often.
My question is: Who is going to choose to change this world? Bangladesh? our communities? women's rights? prevention of gender violence?
Sometimes when I look out into the world, I see that there is so much strife and hate that I doubt my ability to change the world. But I know that is not true. While I cannot enact changes in Bengladeshi communities, I can educate myself on how to help make the world a safer place. I can actively challenge my community. I can educate other men in my community. I can own the fact that gender violence is a men's issue. I can own the fact that gender violence is my issue.
And I will.
Spring Break
Well, it's not earth shattering, but I was able to strike a blow for multiculturalism this week when I taught my two nieces how to use chopsticks and then I told them the differences between Chinese, Japanese and Korean chopsticks. My oldest niece, age 15 was so excited that she was able to eat her whole dinner with chopsticks.
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