It's tempting for Western audiences to believe that cell phones beget rape in Congo, but the real root causes of mass sexualized violence in the country require more nuance than that.
Now that season 3 has premiered (it came out on June 5), it’s worth asking: Is it fair to characterize these depictions of violence against women in season 2 as “torture porn” and dismiss watching this season or any future seasons, or did those depictions have value?
The United Nations passed a watered-down version of a resolution to end sexual violence in war on April 23 after bowing to pressure from the Trump administration to eliminate all references to sexual and reproductive health and protections for gay and transgender victims.
The filmmakers hope that the documentary, a devastating portrayal of rape culture, will be used to fuel change.
Feminists all over the world are fighting to shift these conversations about consent toward a more nuanced understanding of the complex power dynamics that exist in all social relationships. ThaiConsent is one organization doing just that.
The practice of paying a bride price occurs in multiple African countries, although exact traditions and levels of legality vary. While some advocates want the practice to be eradicated, many Zimbabweans are still in favor of upholding the practice. Despite popular opinion, there is still very real damage done to women as a result of it.
This Alabama woman wrote a piece about the late-term abortion she wishes she had. With Donald Trump’s conservative agenda in action, will lawmakers listen to stories like hers?
In November, Education Secretary Betsy DeVos released a proposal for new rules regulating how schools respond to issues like sexual harassment and assault. We are still in the midst of a comment period which could help stop these damaging changes.
In late November, officials from the Ministry of Social Welfare, Relief and Resettlement announced that the Law for Protection from Violence against Women, legislation women’s rights activists have advocated for since 2013, will likely be enacted in 2019.
Hundreds of thousands of rape cases in the United States are stalled as the evidence kits remain untested, sometimes for years. The HBO documentary I Am Evidence sheds light on the impact on victims and survivors.
Cheryl Zondi is a 22-year-old University of Johannesburg student studying social work. On October 15, Zondi began what would be a three-day-long trial at Port Elizabeth High Court based on her allegations that her church leader, Pastor Timothy Omotoso, raped her between the years 2010 and 2015.
On Friday, United States Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos released the Department of Education’s new proposed regulations for Title IX which put the burden of proof on sexual assault survivors to defend their claims of assault.
The stories of the silenced matter, even when the outcome of sharing them are not necessarily concrete.
In light of the Women's Media Center's brand new report evaluating the impact of #MeToo, Ashley Judd — Chair of the WMC Speech Project and one of the instigators of the #MeToo movement — spoke to Women Under Siege's Lauren Wolfe about her role in the movement, what #MeToo has accomplished, and what it will still accomplish in the future.
Dr. Blasey Ford herself has largely been seen as credible, which in turn appears to be a sign of cultural progress. Yet the public narrative that has been maintained about perpetrators has not progressed in tandem with this evolved view of survivors.
After almost a year of unprecedented media attention on the topic of rape culture, America’s newest college students may be better armed with a clear understanding of the once-taboo topic of sexual assault than any before them.
Psychology and medical students and social workers need to learn how to accommodate people that have been through the trauma of rape or they will continue to not only be unable to help but also worsen the experiences of one out of every eight people.
Over 42 women had been kidnapped or killed in Uganda since May 2017. Ugandan politicians didn’t seem to take these deaths seriously. A feminist group called the Women’s Protest Working Group transformed Ugandan feminists' Twitter conversations into a march.
The Tale is based on the real Jennifer Fox’s life, specifically focusing on the sexual abuse she endured as a child from her riding coach (Elizabeth Debicki) and her running coach (Jason Ritter). The film is an exploration of memories, and how these memories intersect with the truth.
Our society has failed to recognize many manifestations of sexual violence as serious threats, engaging instead in a long history of blaming victims for their inability to extricate themselves from an unwanted sexual encounter.
In early May, a 19-year-old girl named Noura Hussein was sentenced to death by a court in Sudan. The verdict came after Hussein killed her husband, whom she was forced to marry at 15 and who allegedly raped her.
A multi-pronged approach that encourages Kenyan magistrates, prosecutors, doctors, clinicians, and government chemists to work together in pursuit of justice has helped fast track sexualized violence cases and bring justice closer to survivors.
On May 10, Spotify announced it will essentially act as an omniscient curator of the music of two problematic (if not criminal) artists: R. Kelly and XXXTentacion. Both of the artists’ music will still be available on the service, but Spotify will no longer actively promote their work.
Prout has been an activist and advocate ever since she was sexually assaulted by a student at the elite prep school St. Paul’s in 2014. She has since launched the hashtag and movement #IHaveTheRightTo. This month, Prout published a memoir: I Have The Right To: A High School Survivor’s Story of Sexual Assault, Justice, and Hope.
On April 26, 2018, the provincial court of Navarra, Spain, ruled that five men had not raped a Spanish woman, but sexually abused her. Under Spanish law, sexual abuse is a crime that does not use intimidation or violence, and therefore warrants a lesser sentence than does rape.