UNITED NATIONS — A new U.N. report paints a grim picture of the millions of people trafficked for sexual exploitation and forced labor: They come from at least 136 different nationalities, have been detected in 118 countries, and the majority of victims are women though the number of children is increasing.

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The case is a stark reminder of how dismissive governments often are — not just in Somalia but around the world — of sexual violence against women. According to Human Rights Watch, women reporting sexual assaults have been treated callously and skeptically by law enforcement agencies from Colombia to the District of Columbia. In some cases, allegations are ignored or are not investigated seriously; in others, women are intimidated, publicly shamed or even prosecuted for daring to speak out. The recent fatal gang rape and beating of a woman on a bus in New Delhi sparked massive demonstrations in the streets of India, as well as calls for reforming the lackadaisical way that rape cases (and gang rape is common in that country) are handled by the courts.

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See also: Sexual Violence: Strike While the Iron is Hot!

RISE UP DANCING!

By Teresita Chavez Pedrosa/Hispanic National Bar Association

“Latinas, African-Americans and indigenous women are disproportionately affected by human trafficking,” Norma Ramos, Executive Director of the Coalition Against Trafficking in Women (CATW) a non-profit organization dedicated to abolishing modern day slavery, told those attending the Hispanic National Bar Association’s 2nd Annual Human Trafficking Conference at the University of Miami last Friday. While there are 15,000 to 18,000 people trafficked in the United States each year, Ramos stated, the “overwhelming majority” are the country’s own citizens.

Read more: http://www.voxxi.com/human-trafficking-in-united-states/#ixzz2KiTfpFGO

WASHINGTON — At 26, Diane Millich fell in love with and married a white man, moving with him in 1998 to a home on her native Southern Ute reservation in southern Colorado where, in short order, her life was consumed by domestic violence.

Human Rights Education Associates e-learning course - 

3 April-14 May 2013 (E05413) | Register for this course (page opens in new window)
Instructor: Dr. Aisling Swaine

The issue of gender-based violence (GBV) has gained increasing prominence in the work of human rights, humanitarian and development organisations internationally. GBV is now recognised as a violation of basic human rights with detrimental impacts on the health and social status of survivors of GBV, as well as on society as a whole. International humanitarian and development agencies are increasingly engaging on this issue both through specific programmes that address GBV, as well as through mainstreaming GBV within wider sectoral approaches. GBV requires prevention and response by a range of multi-sectoral actors working in coordinated ways to address the fundamental causes of GBV as well as its consequences.

This e-learning course introduces participants to general definitions, concepts and normative and legal frameworks related to concepts of gender-based violence. The course will cover forms, causes and consequences of GBV in conflict contexts, as well as on an endemic basis. Prevention and response programming, as well as models underpinning mainstreaming and targeted actions on GBV, and the need for coordinated approaches will be covered. The course will provide basic knowledge and skills on GBV to staff of international humanitarian and development organisations aiming to deepen their understanding and engagement on GBV responsive programming.

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SEE TOOLKIT

he problem of violence within police families—commonly referred to as officer-involved domestic violence (OIDV)—has been recognized as an important issue. The International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) promulgated a model policy on OIDV in 1999 and a revised policy in 2003. The IACP characterized OIDV as a problem that exists at some serious level and deserves attention.¹ There are no comprehensive statistics on OIDV.

The purpose of the research is to provide data on violence within police families. Our research identifies incidents in which police were arrested for criminal offenses associated with an incident of violence within the family, domestic violence, or both.² Our primary goal is to provide information on actual OIDV cases to further initiatives designed to mitigate the problem.

....

The study identified 324 cases in which police were arrested for a criminal offense associated with an OIDV. The cases involved the arrest of 281 officers employed by 226 police agencies. Most of the cases involved a male officer (96 percent) employed in a patrol or other street-level function (86.7 percent). There were 43 supervisory officers arrested for an OIDV-related offense.

SEE ALSO, SEXUAL VIOLENCE, STRIKE WHILE THE IRON IS HOT!

La frase del presidente municipal Luis Walton de que esto sucede en todo el mundo, en ese tono de “no le echen mucha crema a sus tacos”, reveló de cuerpo entero lo que son y piensan los personajes del poder, sobre una realidad que vivimos las mujeres y que les importa bien poco.

AmecoPress.- El ataque criminal y la violación sexual a cinco turistas españolas la madrugada del 5 de febrero en un bungaló de la Colonia San Andrés del poblado Alfredo B. Bonfil, muy cerca o pegado al puerto de Acapulco, Guerrero, ha sacado a flote hechos y situaciones que hemos documentado en los últimos 30 años. Pero sobre todo ha puesto en claro la miseria humana e ideológica de quienes nos gobiernan.

La frase del presidente municipal Luis Walton de que esto sucede en todo el mundo, en ese tono de “no le echen mucha crema a sus tacos”, reveló de cuerpo entero lo que son y piensan los personajes del poder, sobre una realidad que vivimos las mujeres y que les importa bien poco.

Para quienes se colocan en la esfera del poder real y tienen en sus manos la posibilidad concreta de mitigar y no sólo combatir sino erradicar la violencia, todas las violencias, incluyendo la sexual, resulta insultante que les parezca natural, sobre representado o insustancial un hecho como el sucedido a las turistas españolas.

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This image is the design of a matching tattoo Los Angeles County sheriff's investigators suspect was donned by members of an alleged clique, the "Jump Out Boys." Officials suspect smoke is tattooed over the gun barrel after a member is involved in a shooting. (February 6, 2013)

Seven Los Angeles County sheriff's deputies have been notified that the department intends to fire them for belonging to a secret law enforcement clique that allegedly celebrated shootings and branded its members with matching tattoos, officials said.

The Times reported last year about the existence of the clique, dubbed the Jump Out Boys, and the discovery of a pamphlet that described the group's creed, which required aggressive policing and awarded tattoo modifications for police shootings.

The seven worked on an elite gang-enforcement team that patrols neighborhoods where violence is high. The team makes a priority of taking guns off the street, officials said.

The Sheriff's Department has a long history of secret cliques with members of the groups having reached high-ranking positions within the agency. Sheriff officials have sought to crack down on the groups, fearing that they tarnished the department's reputation and encouraged unethical conduct.

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GOING ON 13 follows four girls of color as they grapple with issues of school, family, friends and identity, all with remarkable humor. The film allows audiences to see what real girls face during the pivotal time of puberty, while providing a vehicle for discussing important developmental milestones. GOING ON 13 sheds light on the inner life of girls in our communities and reveals the spark and resilience each girl must cultivate in order to maintain a high self-esteem and learn the bittersweet lesson that change is a necessary part of growth...read more.

MORE INFO

La Delegación del Gobierno para la Violencia de Género ha elaborado una Guía de Derechos en la que se abordan todos los derechos reconocidos en la normativa vigente (asistencia social integral, ámbito laboral y de Seguridad Social, económicos, asistencia jurídica inmediata, etcétera) y se dedica un apartado específico a los derechos de las mujeres extranjeras.

Con esta publicación, las mujeres que hayan sido maltratadas pueden conocer las medidas que pueden adoptarse en relación con su protección y seguridad, los derechos y ayudas que les reconoce la ley y los recursos de atención, emergencia, apoyo y recuperación integral a los que pueden acceder.

Esta guía y su traducción a doce idiomas ya se encuentra disponible en

http://www.msssi.gob.es/ssi/violenciaGenero/Recursos/GuiaDerechos/home.htm . Aquí está el documento en formato pdf.

El derecho a la información, que la Ley Orgánica 1/2004 de 28 de diciembre de Medidas de Protección Integral contra la Violencia de Género reconoce a todas las mujeres víctimas de este grave problema social, constituye el presupuesto básico para hacer realidad sus derechos constitucionales a la integridad física y moral, a la libertad y seguridad y a la igualdad y no discriminación por razón de

VER GUIA

Portland Police Chief Mike Reese, facing harsh criticism from a city official and community leaders involved in police oversight, now plans to remove Lt. Todd Wyatt from supervising the bureau detectives that investigate sex assaults and human trafficking cases.

"After further consideration, Chief Mike Reese did not want to leave any doubt that the Portland Police Bureau takes harassment complaints very seriously and today has decided to reassign Lt. Wyatt," according to a statement his spokesman released Monday night. "Lt. Wyatt's assignment has yet to be determined."

The chief this month had reassigned Wyatt to supervise sex crime detectives after finding he had inappropriate physical contact with women under his command in the records division in 2010. Yet, the chief's reassignment put Wyatt in daily contact with one of the victims who had complained about his harassment and was now working in the sex crimes unit.

Reese's reversal came on the same day that The Oregonian had inquired why the chief would assign Wyatt to a division where he'd have daily contact with one of his victims.

It also follows strong criticism from Mary-Beth Baptista, the director of the Independent Police Review Division, and leaders of the Citizen Review Committee, who questioned the chief's judgement when he placed Wyatt in a supervisory role handling sex-related investigations.

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Around noon on New Year’s Eve, Laura Ponce got the phone call she had dreaded for years. Her daughter, Laura Acevez, 21, had been found unconscious in her apartment in Eureka Springs, Ark., lying in a pool of blood. Her 5-month-old son was discovered uninjured next to her body.

Acevez, described by her family as a gentle mother with a near-constant smile, worked at a Tyson Foods factory deboning chicken, but had dreams of becoming a nurse. She did not make it to 2013. She died in the hospital that night, leaving behind three young children. A .22 caliber bullet was found lodged in her skull.

Local police tracked down her ex-boyfriend, Victor Acuna-Sanchez, an 18-year-old under a court order to stay away from Acevez stemming from two prior domestic battery arrests.

Police found Acuna-Sanchez hiding in the shower at his mother’s cabin, armed with a .22-caliber handgun -- a gun he never should have been able to own.

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The group "The uprising of women in the Arab world" is taking a courageous stand for gender equality. However, the activists face significant resistance: from old ways of thinking, patriarchal chauvinism – and even from Facebook. Laura Overmeyer reports

The women of the Arab world felt great hope when the uprisings against the dictatorial regimes began in the spring of 2011. Side by side with men, they demonstrated for dignity, justice and freedom. Their hope was for change: an escape from a patriarchal social system hostile to women, which denies them basic rights and discriminates against them in both public and private life. Women's rights are a fundamental part of democracy and thus, they assumed, radical change was bound to extend to the social arena.

The majority of respondents were women from the Arab world, but a great deal of support came from further afield: This photo was handed in by Paola from LebanonNow, two years after the revolutions, that euphoria has given way to disillusionment; the situation has by no means improved for women. Islamic forces are riding a wave of success, washing in a tide of conservative ideas, particularly on gender issues. Women are being reduced to their bodies more than ever before, with sexual assaults on the increase. In almost all Arab countries, legislation that puts women at a disadvantage is still in place, especially civil laws.

Women's rights put on a back burner

A return to the previous status quo, in other words. And it seems that women's rights in general are being put on a back burner, with the concerns of one section of society valued clearly below those of the nation as a whole.

Many women, however, do not want to let the chance for change pass them by, among them four young activists from Lebanon, Palestine and Egypt. They decided to use the same means that brought success for the Arab Spring to launch their own uprising. In October 2011 they set up the Facebook page "The uprising of women in the Arab world".

"We want the Arab Spring to continue. After political tyranny, we're now fighting patriarchal tyranny – in all the Arab countries," Yalda Younes, one of the initiators, told a major German newspaper.

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For the first time since she underwent surgery, 15-year-old Pakistani activist Malala Yousafzai addresses the world in a moving video.

This 196-page report concludes that in many sexual assault cases, the police did not file incident reports, which are required to proceed with an investigation, or misclassified serious sexual assaults as lesser or other crimes. Human Rights Watch also found that the police presented cases to prosecutors for warrants that were so inadequately investigated that prosecutors had little choice but to refuse them and that procedural formalities were used to close cases with only minimal investigation. The mayor and City Council should create an independent mechanism to monitor police department response to sexual assault complaints, Human Rights Watch said.E

LINKS TO PRESS RELEASE AND REPORT PDF

Portland Police Chief Mike Reese, facing harsh criticism from a city official and community leaders involved in police oversight, now plans to remove Lt. Todd Wyatt from supervising the bureau detectives that investigate sex assaults and human trafficking cases.

"After further consideration, Chief Mike Reese did not want to leave any doubt that the Portland Police Bureau takes harassment complaints very seriously and today has decided to reassign Lt. Wyatt," according to a statement his spokesman released Monday night. "Lt. Wyatt's assignment has yet to be determined."

The chief this month had reassigned Wyatt to supervise sex crime detectives after finding he had inappropriate physical contact with women under his command in the records division in 2010. Yet, the chief's reassignment put Wyatt in daily contact with one of the victims who had complained about his harassment and was now working in the sex crimes unit.

Reese's reversal came on the same day that The Oregonian had inquired why the chief would assign Wyatt to a division where he'd have daily contact with one of his victims.

It also follows strong criticism from Mary-Beth Baptista, the director of the Independent Police Review Division, and leaders of the Citizen Review Committee, who questioned the chief's judgement when he placed Wyatt in a supervisory role handling sex-related investigations.

Reese in late December had demoted Wyatt, despite a nearly unanimous recommendation by the Portland Police Review Board to fire Wyatt.

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¿Qué entiende usted por acto sexual consentido? ¿Acto sexual abusivo?

A partir de una condena de 74 meses de prisión a un profesor que abusó sexualmente de una mujer en estado de alicoramiento, la Corte Suprema de Justicia fijó los limites entre el sexo consentido y el abuso.

RISE UP DANCING!

THURSDAY, FEB 14

3-5pm at MONROE HALL

1400 W. COLLEGE AVE

SANTA ROSA, CA

ONE BILLION RISING

Investigación en prensa escrita sobre violencia contra las mujeres. 

Entre el año 2001 y 2011 cerca de 6000 mujeres fueron asesinadas en Guatemala, así lo señala la investigación realizada por Cerigua 10 años de conteo de dolores y de pesadillas de nuestras congéneres, publicada en junio del 2012.

Este documento sistematiza 10 años de monitoreo y análisis mediático de las publicaciones sobre violencia y asesinatos de mujeres en 5 periódicos de Guatemala, realizado por el Centro de Reportes Informativos de Guatemala (Cerigua) con el propósito de disponer de un registro mediático sobre los asesinatos de mujeres, dado el difícil acceso de los medios a las estadísticas y la información oficial relevante.

Además, la investigación busca medir y analizar la forma en la que los diarios monitoreados “abordan dichas temáticas y profundizar en algunos aspectos como la redacción, las fuentes informativas que figuran en los reportes, el abordaje social que hacen del fenómeno y los casos paradigmáticos o que han recibido mayor atención mediática”. 

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Training Bulletin: Does it violate a patient’s privacy rights when a health care provider calls out a victim advocate? (pdf)

SEE PDF

Domestic violence agencies are committed to assisting survivors with their complex needs, but individual, community, and system-level barriers can make it difficult for them to provide the necessary supports to help women with criminal histories succeed. The focus of this toolkit is to provide practical tips about effectively assisting any woman charged or convicted of any crime who is also a victim of domestic violence.

SEE GUIDE

Madrid, 31 ene. 13. AmecoPress.- Desde hace ya cinco años en Women’s Link, pone al descubierto las decisiones injustas y sexistas que hacen retroceder los derechos de las mujeres (Premios Garrote) y las decisiones que protegen los derechos humanos promoviendo el respeto por la igualdad (Premios Mallete) con los Premios Género y Justicia al Descubierto. Cualquier persona desde cualquier lugar del mundo puede nominar y votar casos a través de nuestra su página web de premios.

En España, un Sargento Primero condenado por golpear a su esposa, recibió una sanción de 9 meses de suspensión. Pero, los jueces de la sala de lo militar del Tribunal Supremo, consideraron que la sanción era desproporcionada porque el Tribunal no tuvo en cuenta, ni sus condecoraciones ni el hecho de que por su participación en Afganistán estaba habituado al empleo de la fuerza.

En Argentina, un hombre fue condenado a 30 años de prisión por quemar viva a su esposa (o pareja). Sin embargo, los jueces que conocieron la apelación del caso redujeron la prisión a 18 años bajo el argumento de que este señor había sufrido una “emoción violenta” que lo dejó a merced de sus impulsos.

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This report, produced by the Pan American Health Organization, in collaboration with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control, highlights that intimate partner and sexual violence against women is widespread in all Latin American and the Caribbean countries where survey data are available

 English 

The Spanish version of this report is forthcoming. 

The 156 page report presents a comparative analysis of data from 13 nationally representative surveys from the region. The 122 tables and graphs present illustrate what is known about the prevalence, risk factors, consequences, and attitudes towards violence against women in these countries—including violence by intimate partners and sexual violence by any perpetrator.

This is the first time that nationally-representative data have been analyzed and presented in a single comparative format that allows readers a snapshot of what is known about violence against women across many different countries in the Region.   

The report aims to raise awareness of violence against women within the LAC Region and around the world as a public health problem and a violation of human rights. By making it easier for readers to access comparable data on the prevalence, risk factors, consequences, and attitudes about violence against women, the authors hope to motivate decision-makers to invest more resources in evidence-based prevention and response strategies.

Webinar | February 5, 2013 | 2:00-3:00PM EST

Stalking affects 6.6 million people in the United States each year and stalking victims recount the fear and distress they have experienced as a result of this crime in courtrooms throughout the country everyday. Far too often, these victims’ reports are taken seriously only after the stalkers escalate their behaviors and cause significant property damage, physical harm, or death to their victims. Stalkers create and exploit vulnerabilities in their victims while relying on technology and their ability to manipulate the justice system in order to conceal their crimes and cast doubt on their victim’s credibility. 

This webinar will serve as an overview of stalking and the modern technology used by the stalker. It will discuss investigation and prosecution strategies as well as interviewing techniques designed to maximize victim cooperation and safety. It will also discuss offenders, the correlation between stalking and other forms of violence, lethality, and the importance of using a collaborative approach between law enforcement, victim advocates and prosecutors to assist victims and hold offenders accountable. 

Allied justice system professionals including but not limited to prosecutors, law enforcement officers, community-based service providers, medical and mental health practitioners, probation and parole officers, judges, etc. are encouraged to attend.

To register, click here.

The United Nations aims to achieve an increase of at least 20 per cent more women police officers in peacekeeping by 2014.

That's according to Anne-Marie Orler, the UN Police Adviser. She says women police officers play a critical role in combating the scourge of sexual and gender based violence.

She tells UN Radio's Donn Bobb that women are not only victims. They can also be protectors of security.

Duration: 4’59″

DOWNLOAD HERE

The day before the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) was expected to rule, rumors circulated that the agency would approve Plan B One Step emergency contraception as a non-prescription item and allow it to be sold without age restrictions. Freelance writer Robin Marty predicted via e-mail, "Conservative reaction will be a total shitstorm."

Instead, the next morning, it was Marty and other progressive women who doubled down in paroxysms of shock and anger.

The same unholy alliance of theology and right wing politics that defines zygotes as persons apparently had tied into knots the intestinal fortitude of President Obama and his Secretary of Health and Human Services, Kathleen Sebelius, in a raw political preemptive strike, unprecedented in American history, overturned the FDA'sscientific ruling that would have brought Plan B out from behind the pharmacist's counter.

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