[LAF] {Disarmed} FW: [londonfeministnetwork] Statement on the 25th of November

Tue Nov 27 11:49:12 UTC 2007

Cheers for posting this Joy. Horrifying and unsetting
to read, but necessarry also. Am rubbish at computers
but hope i have managed to 'scan and save' it to my
computer! 
It is obvious that all other forms of violence become
heightened during periods of 'official war', and i was
aware of quite a bit of this; but is useful to have
the statistics to hand.
I have read a lot of your posts before with interest,
for examp[le the ones on pornography and prostitution
- an area i am conflicted on. 
Cos i believe in freedom and liberty, and know a
couple of friends who are working girls, or used too,
and they would be stuck without the money.
However, i think it is horrible in the attitute
towards sexuality it sort of gives off. 
Obviously under capitalism, everything is comodified
and fetished(?) and sex is very interesting as can be
the most passionate beautiful intense feelings you can
share - to a frightning, coerced abuse of a minor, and
of course a million variations inbetween.
It worrys me that porn leads to not seeing women as
human beings also by some men, and also i think maybe
leads to violence.
What is most clear to me however, and i am
uneducated,etc, so hope i am expressing it right, is
that rape is a crime of violence and power, and not
that much to do with sex.
Cos if someone just wanted sex, they would get in less
trouble with  polis , etc, if just shoplifted or done
a bit of kiting or that, and then paid a prostitute.
I know everyone is aware of that on this forum, but
really pisses me of when u hear judges and others who
should know better - tal;king shite like 'she was
asking for it', 'he couldn't help himself' and other
such assorted bollocks.
I suppose the one piece that sums up my attitude or
come extremely close, is actually a song lyrics. 
Is no answer for a dancer by Consolidated, have u
heard it, or seen the lyrics.

am glad the march type thing went ok, i would have
liked to come to that, but am not always able to get
to the computer, and get too much e-mail and spam, so
miss lots of posts - i just hapened to see this cos
was sitting here writing an e-mail to do with a irish
prisoner, who even by bourgeious law, should be
repatriated, and his life is in danger having been
almost killed in attack already. I do not agree with
his organisation, but is a human rights issue and i
see their point.

Next time there is one , perhaps it would be kl for me
to tag along. i take it is like the old 'bring or take
back the night things?

solidarity, mich

p.s. does anyone know if the e-mail i sent via channel
4 turned up as i have gone back thru my e-mails and
cannot find it. 
--- Joy Wood <joy_helbin at hotmail.com> wrote:

> 
> 
> 
> 
> Date: Sun, 25 Nov 2007 15:53:08 +0000
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Last night's march in London was brilliant and
> everything was so well organised -Thanks to
> everyone.  This statement is a reminder that this is
> a worldwide issue that we need to work on all the
> time.
> Sheila
>  
> WILPF Statement on the International Day for the
> Elimination of Violence Against Women and the 16
> Days of Activism Against Gender Violence 
> 
> The 25th of November is International Day for the
> Elimination of Violence Against Women. For the last
> 15 years, from this day until UN Human Rights Day
> (10 December) 16 Days of Activism Against Gender
> Violence are observed, recognized by the UN since
> 1999.  Protecting women’s human rights and
> eliminating violence against women has advanced
> through the United Nations.  Since 1995 substantial
> work has been done to implement the Beijing
> Declaration and Platform for Action arising from the
> 4th UN World Conference on Women; 185 countries –
> more than 90 percent of the UN member states – have
> now ratified the 1979 Convention on the Elimination
> of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women
> (CEDAW); and, United Nations Security Council
> adopted Resolution 1325 on Women, Peace and Security
> in 2000.Despite this recognition, violence against
> women is a reality that cuts across borders, wealth,
> race, religion and culture. Every day women
> experience extensive violence, particularly in
> countries at war, in crisis or conflict where
> women’s rights deteriorate and are under pressure: 
> 
> One in three women has been beaten, raped, coerced
> into sex, or otherwise abused in her lifetime; 1 
> Every fifth woman is subjected to rape or attempt to
> rape; 1   
> 70 percent of the casualties in recent conflicts
> have been non-combatants. 80 percent of these are
> women and children; 1 
> Systematic rape, sexual violence and abuse in
> Darfur, in Sudan, is used as a weapon in the war; 1 
> During the conflict between 1991 and 2002, it is
> estimated that a third of all women and girls in
> Sierra Leone were subjected to sexual violence; 1   
> Since the 1999 war Kosovo has become a major
> destination country for women and girls trafficked
> into forced prostitution. Around 15-20 percent of
> the women are allegedly   under 14 years; 1 
> In Colombia 3.5-4 million people are displaced. The
> majority of these are women with many children.
> There are reports of increased violence against the
> women; 2 
> Every year 14,000 Russian women die as a result of
> violence in the home; 1 
> Every fifth day a Spanish woman is killed by her
> partner; 1 
> One in three Native American or Alaska Native women
> will be raped at some point in their lives; 1 
> Every fourth minute a woman in the USA is raped; 1 
> In fourteen countries a man can get mitigation of
> his sentence or impunity if he perpetrates violence
> or kills a woman in order to protect the so-called
> honour; 1 
> According to law in nine countries a rapist gets
> impunity if he marries his victim. 1 
> Violence against women in war areas has, according
> to UNDP, reached epidemic heights. The common
> denominator for the 1990’s conflicts and the
> conflicts in this millennium has been comprehensive
> sexual abuse, forced pregnancy as a tool in ethnic
> genocide, kidnapping, intentional infection with
> HIV/AIDS and trafficking in women and children for
> sexual purposes. 3 Changes in the pattern of gender
> roles are one of the consequences of conflict, war
> or occupation. Violence and aggression becomes
> integrated into everyday life. When killing becomes
> legitimate, it also becomes legitimate to rape or
> buy and sell human bodies; a systematic
> brutalization of the whole society occurs resulting
> in numerous and grave assaults on women who are
> abused by family members as well as by unknown men,
> civilians as well as soldiers.Every day and
> everywhere women are working for respect of their
> rights and for better conditions. WILPF honours the
> courage and endurance of women and recommits itself
> to eliminating violence against women, achieving
> disarmament and an end to violent conflicts. Since
> 1915 when it was founded, the Women’s International
> League for Peace and Freedom has worked to
> eliminating war and militarism as the best way to
> reduce and eliminate violence in our societies and
> in the world. Ensuring that women are active
> participants in the decisions that affect their
> lives before, during and after conflicts is the best
> way to ensure that women’s concerns and needs are on
> the agenda and get the priority they need.  
> --------------------------------------1) Amnesty
> International, international and Danish websites; 2)
> Women Building Peace Around The World: The Case of
> Colombia in a 1325 perspective, WILPF Delegation to
> Colombia, July 12– 20, 2007; 3) UNDP, Newsletter
> from the Nordic Office, 23th of April 2003.
> . __,_._,___ 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
>
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