Gender roles for some, are rigidly defined and enforced. On a global level, concepts of masculinity are linked to toughness, male honour or dominance and conversely,women are linked to concepts of inferiority, subservience and weakness.
These concepts need to change. As explained above, in maintaining the current thoughts of some which suggest that the way a women dresses or acts put her in a position of inviting unwanted contact is offensive not only to the female, but to the male as well.
As social media becomes more prevalent, we are hearing more about the atrocities committed around the globe and individuals here in North America are rightfully disgusted. This past December 16, a young physiotherapy student was gang raped by six men and died as a result 13 days later from multiple organ failure at a Singapore hospital. Her male accompaniment was also beaten and recalls the horror that even after the attack and their bodies were thrown into the streets, drivers slowed to view their bodies, but no one stopped to help. Police debated jurisdiction issues before helping them.
What horrifies me more than the incident itself, is the aftermath. The Indian lawyer defending three of the men charged with the rape and murder of a 23-year-old woman on a New Delhi bus says the victims are to blame for what happened. “Until today, I have not seen a single incident or example of rape with a respected lady,” Manohar Lal Sharma told Bloomberg in an interview from India’s capital. “Even an underworld don would not like to touch a girl with respect.” With the media attention that it has received and the protests from its citizens, India has been forced to confront the reality of the issue they are facing. In the past, sexually assaulted women are blamed for the crime, are forced to keep quiet and are discouraged from going to authorities for fear of exposing their families to ridicule. India has a history of police officers who often refuse to accept complaints from rape victims and in the rare scenario where cases reach prosecution, courts drag on for years.
In recent news, a March 27th article from the CBC describes a demonstration put on by Egyptian women. In Cairo, individuals gather to demonstrate against the government and even still, there is a woman in the middle of the mob who is being assaulted. The fight between her attackers and those trying to rescue her is fierce as clubs, knives and even a makeshift blowtorch are used. Twenty other women are attacked at the same demonstration.
Gender inequality is not just an issue of other countries. The Slutwalk is an annual walk to raise awareness that has its beginning on April 3, 2011 in Toronto. Participants are protesting the excuse that rape or abuse is in any way related to aspects of a woman’s appearance. These rallies began with the off coloured commented of Constable Michael Sanguinetti, a Toronto police officer, who suggested that to remain safe, “women should avoid dressing like sluts.”
Health promotion works toward concepts of equality. Feminist movements of today work toward taking back the idea of feminism and making it our own. I find it is important to not only change the ways in which we view women. We need to also change the way we view men. By assuming that the natural state of a man is a “rapist” we are showing as little tolerance and acceptance of the nature of men as we do for the nature of women.
Read more at http://www.inquisitr.com/563841/india-gang-rape-victim-honored-with-us-international-women-of-courage-award/#2IscS2wQJ6LrKDf0.99
http://www.cbc.ca/news/world/story/2013/01/09/india-gang-rape-case-lawyer.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SlutWalk
As social media becomes more prevalent, we are hearing more about the atrocities committed around the globe and individuals here in North America are rightfully disgusted. This past December 16, a young physiotherapy student was gang raped by six men and died as a result 13 days later from multiple organ failure at a Singapore hospital. Her male accompaniment was also beaten and recalls the horror that even after the attack and their bodies were thrown into the streets, drivers slowed to view their bodies, but no one stopped to help. Police debated jurisdiction issues before helping them.
What horrifies me more than the incident itself, is the aftermath. The Indian lawyer defending three of the men charged with the rape and murder of a 23-year-old woman on a New Delhi bus says the victims are to blame for what happened. “Until today, I have not seen a single incident or example of rape with a respected lady,” Manohar Lal Sharma told Bloomberg in an interview from India’s capital. “Even an underworld don would not like to touch a girl with respect.” With the media attention that it has received and the protests from its citizens, India has been forced to confront the reality of the issue they are facing. In the past, sexually assaulted women are blamed for the crime, are forced to keep quiet and are discouraged from going to authorities for fear of exposing their families to ridicule. India has a history of police officers who often refuse to accept complaints from rape victims and in the rare scenario where cases reach prosecution, courts drag on for years.
In recent news, a March 27th article from the CBC describes a demonstration put on by Egyptian women. In Cairo, individuals gather to demonstrate against the government and even still, there is a woman in the middle of the mob who is being assaulted. The fight between her attackers and those trying to rescue her is fierce as clubs, knives and even a makeshift blowtorch are used. Twenty other women are attacked at the same demonstration.
Gender inequality is not just an issue of other countries. The Slutwalk is an annual walk to raise awareness that has its beginning on April 3, 2011 in Toronto. Participants are protesting the excuse that rape or abuse is in any way related to aspects of a woman’s appearance. These rallies began with the off coloured commented of Constable Michael Sanguinetti, a Toronto police officer, who suggested that to remain safe, “women should avoid dressing like sluts.”
Health promotion works toward concepts of equality. Feminist movements of today work toward taking back the idea of feminism and making it our own. I find it is important to not only change the ways in which we view women. We need to also change the way we view men. By assuming that the natural state of a man is a “rapist” we are showing as little tolerance and acceptance of the nature of men as we do for the nature of women.
Read more at http://www.inquisitr.com/563841/india-gang-rape-victim-honored-with-us-international-women-of-courage-award/#2IscS2wQJ6LrKDf0.99
http://www.cbc.ca/news/world/story/2013/01/09/india-gang-rape-case-lawyer.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SlutWalk
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