It’s no suprise that Meta, the company behind Facebook and Instagram, isn’t protecting women and people of color from virtual abuse.
Rape Culture
Rape culture refers to a society in which sexual violence and abuse against women are normalized through all pillars of culture: gender roles, media, education, etc. The misogynistic attitude that prevails in countries like the U.S. continues to normalize rape, excuse it and blame its victims.
Intersex Justice and the Care We Deserve: “I Want People to Feel at Home in Their Bodies Again”
In this excerpt from “The Care We Dream Of,” author Zena Sharman interviews intersex activist, visual artist and public health researcher Sean Saifa Wall on intersex justice.
“The crux of intersex justice is recognizing the harm that has befallen intersex individuals who are born with atypical bodies and have been harmed by the medical establishment. But it’s also about allowing people who are intersex to be in their bodies and to be free.”
I’m 18 and I’m Afraid: The Looming Threat of On-Campus Sexual Assault
Social media has allowed students attending universities across the U.S. to connect and share stories of harassment and sexual assault on campus—increasing awareness, protecting their peers and motivating universities to take action.
Students discuss how they want to see their school take action and how to dismantle the pervasive campus culture which condones predatory actions.
Hugh Hefner’s Playboy Empire Was Built on the Abuse of Women
Hugh Hefner eventually became the darling of high society and the media. But it wasn’t luxury, sensuality or independence that Hefner was selling. He was only ever hawking old-fashioned misogyny. Now, we have irrefutable proof that Hefner’s empire was built on the horrific abuse of women.
A new documentary series on A&E, Secrets of Playboy, shows what feminists always knew: Hugh Hefner was a vile misogynist.
Defamation Lawsuits: Another Tactic to Silence Survivors
Due to a culture of stigmatization and shame, fueled by deficient laws and a criminal justice system that rarely takes victims of sexual abuse seriously, survivors are often reluctant to come forward with their experiences. Recently, a worrying trend has further raised the stakes for survivors who choose to speak out: the weaponization of defamation lawsuits. This happens when the person accused of sexual violence attempts to use the courts to punish the survivor for having spoken out about the abuse she allegedly experienced—even, in some cases, after an official confirmation of the abuse has been made.
‘The Last Duel’ Is Just a Bro-Down That Conflates Rape with Love
The Last Duel fails to interrogate sexual violence in a feminist way.
Enduring yet another portrayal of sexual violence where the rapist is so smitten with his victim that he is unable to control himself is an insult to my intelligence. Rape is fueled by power and control—not love.
Call Ghislaine Maxwell What She Is: A Pimp
If we are serious about ending sex trafficking by future Ghislaine Maxwells and Jeffrey Epsteins, we should not allow ourselves to be seduced by racist images of porn and pop culture—while rich and sophisticated white pimps, and their equally well-connected shills, sexually exploit girls in plain sight.
Congress Had the Votes to Overhaul How the Military Handles Serious Crimes. Why Didn’t It?
Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand says that despite rare bipartisan backing, “four men, in a closed room” blocked long-sought changes to how the military handles sexual assault and other major justice issues.
Subject: Man. Object: Woman. Verb? Control.
It is not simply or only “hatred” that motivates the sexists of the world, but the very desire to define and therefore to control.
It’s then easy to see how attacks on reproductive rights are connected with the prevalence of sexual assault and harassment: Because if women are fully self-determined—can determine when and if they have children, when and with whom they have sex—then they cannot be there, fully, inevitably, without their own desire, for you. For a man.
High School Youth Create Social Media Space to Share Stories of Sexual Violence: “Like an Unearthing Moment”
When Sarah created the Piedmont Protectors Instagram account in July 2020, the Bay Area high school student wanted a platform for students to share their stories of rape, sexual assault and sexual harassment in their community.
Though Piedmont High School only has 840 students, the account gained over 1,500 within the first week. After three days of being live, there were already over 90 posts anonymously reporting and documenting sexual assault, harassment and rape in the Piedmont Unified School District student community.