violence against women and girls

Louisiana Law Forces Many Sex Workers to Register as Sex Offenders

by Cara March 22, 2011

Trigger Warning for descriptions of sexual violence and abuses against sex workers Last week, Jordan Flaherty wrote an article at Colorlines about how sex workers are being punished under an archaic and punitive law that specifically targets those who are convicted of selling oral or anal sex (as opposed to vaginal sex). The law makes [...]

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De Anza Rape Trial Filled with Victim Blaming, Slut Shaming

by Cara March 10, 2011

Trigger Warning on posts and links for very explicit descriptions of gang rape against an intoxicated person, severe victim-blaming and rape apologism, and ableism. Four years ago, a 17-year-old girl was allegedly gang raped at an alcohol fueled party by 9 young men, almost all De Anza College baseball players. The girl was found by [...]

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Afghanistan Women’s Shelters Threatened With Closure

by Cara February 21, 2011

The Afghan government has drafted new rules which would severely harm women who are the victims of domestic violence and greatly impede their ability to leave their abusers. Local women’s shelters run by Afghan women would be turned over to the control of the government and subjected to new misogynistic rules. Women for Afghan Women [...]

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Arizona Bill Would Require Hospitals to Check Patient Immigration Status

by Cara February 15, 2011

Arizona legislators are working on a new anti-immigration bill that is essentially the hospital equivalent of their notorious SB 1070. The new bill, SB 1405, would require all hospitals within the state to verify the immigration status of all patients. If a patient cannot prove that sie is in the country legally, hospital staff would [...]

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Rape Suspect Cross-Examines Accuser, Then Asks For Public Defender

by Cara January 17, 2011

Trigger Warning for descriptions of sexual violence and being confronted by one’s rapist Just a couple months ago, I wrote about how a case in which an alleged rapist defended himself, and therefore cross-examined his own accusers, ended in a threat of suicide from one of the alleged victims. In a follow-up, I noted the [...]

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“This Is a Maid”: Which Rape Accusers Are Worth Listening To?

by Cara January 14, 2011

Trigger Warning for rape apologism, brief descriptions of sexual violence Former pro-baseball player Lenny Dykstra (left) was recently accused by a woman, his former housekeeper, of repeated sexual assault. According to the woman’s claim, Dykstra forced her to perform oral sex on him every Saturday. Earlier this week, prosecutors declined to file charges, apparently citing [...]

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One Year Later, Sexual Violence Remains an Epidemic in Haiti’s Camps

by Cara January 13, 2011

Trigger Warning for descriptions/discussions of sexual violence Yesterday was the one year anniversary of the 2010 earthquake that devastated Haiti. In the wake of this milestone, much reporting has appeared on the current status of the earthquake recovery, and how it is sorely lagging behind everyone’s hopes, as well as what the expectations would be [...]

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Off-Duty Cis Cop Allegedly Assaults Trans Woman, But She’s The One Who Is Charged

by Cara December 21, 2010

Trigger Warning for transphobic violence and police violence At the beginning of December, an altercation between a trans woman and an off-duty police officer resulted in the woman being charged with assault (h/t). The problem is that this charge is in spite of the fact that she alleges the officer assaulted her — and that [...]

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International Day to End Violence Against Sex Workers

by Cara December 17, 2010

Trigger Warning for violence against sex workers, including but not limited to sexual violence and police violence Today, December 17, is the International Day to End Violence Against Sex Workers. The International Day to End Violence Against Sex Workers is a day to remember sex workers who have been murdered, and to acknowledge and spread [...]

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District Attorney With Transphobic Record Appointed to Tennessee Safety Commission

by Cara December 13, 2010

Last week, Tennessee Governor-elect Bill Haslam named Memphis prosecutor Bill Gibbons (left), a fellow Republican, as his safety commissioner. The state safety commissioner oversees state law enforcement, homeland security, and the highway patrol. While Gibbons’ record as a strong death penalty advocate who believes that inmates should have fewer opportunities to file appeals for their [...]

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