Exciting news happening at the Women's Studies program! We now have a new website and blog! Check it out! Our new blog is here (since you are reading this). Our new website is located here:
http://gsw.edu/Academics/Schools-and-Departments/College-of-Art-and-Science/Departments/womens-studies/index
Check back often and follow our blog for all the new things happening!
http://www.buzzfeed.com/donnad/lady-superhero-costumes-redesigned-by-ladies
ReplyDeleteSo I ran across this article that I thought might be of interest. The topic is the way artist depict female super heros and what would happen if women re-designed these characters' cloths. What do you think?
I also found this article about complaints regarding a photography show in Atlanta. The show includes photographs of drag queens in full frontal nude. The interesting bit to me is that the same venue has shown art of women in full frontal nude before without complaint. It seems society believes it is acceptable for women to be looked at in this manner but unacceptable for men to be looked at.
ReplyDeletehttp://thegavoice.com/news/atlanta-news/6610-atlanta-drag-queen-photo-exhibit-forced-to-censor-images-after-complaints
This blog is a great idea. I cannot wait to read more when it opens up to others, and we can respond to comments etc.
ReplyDeletePeg Ellington
Quick announcement! "Women and Blacks and Queers, Oh My!" will be holding their discussion panel regarding the art exhibition this Wednesday night at 7:00PM in the auditorium of the nursing building. Hope to see you there!!! And check out the show too!
ReplyDeleteGreat event tonight! You all did a wonderful job! Thank you for sharing such fantastic work and beginning another great conversation on our campus.
ReplyDeleteMost of the commentary following the presentation was positive and thoughtful leaving me hopeful for the future. I think the only one who didn't get the irony of one of the comments was the one making it. . .
I did find myself wondering if we should consider a name change: The Women's and Gender Studies Program. We seem to be going more and more in that direction and everything is, after all, connected. Thoughts?
Thanks again,
Genie
Hi folks,
ReplyDeleteInteresting video I saw today and I thought I would share. The link is: http://damn.com/p/this-is-what-everyday-sexism-feels-like-to-a-man-must-watch/
This video takes a look at switching genders while keeping to what women experience in a patriarchal society.
Enjoy,
Tonia
Women in Society: Assignment 7- Women’s Study Blog
ReplyDeletehttp://feministing.com/2014/03/25/american-women-like-birth-control-dont-think-companies-have-right-to-trample-on-peoples-freedoms/
An area in politics that has been of particular interest and high debate lately has been the issues of birth control. Should companies be required to include birth control coverage in their employee insurance policies, or should companies be allowed to refuse the coverage of birth control based on religious beliefs? “Feministing.com” covered the issue of businesses’ birth control policies in a current article. As polls show, over half of female voters disagree with business being able to deny covering birth control in their employee insurance policies. It’s no wonder that over half of female voters are against being denied birth control coverage when you consider that: almost all women in their lifetime will have used some sort of birth control in their lives during prime child-bearing years, nearly three-fourths of Americans believe that businesses should cover birth control in insurance policies, many women who do use birth control use it for purposes other than preventing pregnancies, and that almost one-third of women have or will struggle with being able to afford some method of birth control.
The use of birth control insurance coverage in businesses may seem like some issue that’s strictly stuck in Washington D.C.; that the issue isn’t relatable, or even something that Georgia Southwestern students should care about. However, I would argue that Georgia Southwestern students should certainly care as to whether businesses should be allowed to deny coverage of birth control to their employees. Firstly, it should be considered as to why students are here at Georgia Southwestern. Students come to college to get a higher level of education, in hopes to be employed after you graduate and earn a degree. Though at the moment many students may have part-time employment (or none at all) that attend Georgia Southwestern, it is likely to say that students who graduate from here will want a full-time position at some business. Part of having a full-time position is receiving benefits. What would you do if you were employed by a business that wished to deny its employees birth control coverage? Birth control coverage would certainly be an issue of importance to you if you found yourself in a previously said company.
Even though the Georgia Southwestern community is small, the birth control coverage issue still extends to the local community as well. Georgia Southwestern is located in a fairly conservative and religious community. It is not a stretch to say that there certainly some businesses in the community that are founded on, or have, certain religious beliefs. If there are businesses that do have religious beliefs, then what is to say that these local businesses would also try to not provide birth control coverage to employees based on religious grounds? When graduating from Georgia Southwestern and if you are seeking any sort of local employment, birth control coverage many become an issue that is to be a concern.
The issue of birth control coverage says much about our society today. One thing that the birth control coverage issue says about our society that has been true for a long time is that women receive unequal treatment to that of their male counterparts. Why should Viagra, a male performance enhancing drug, be provided in businesses’ insurance policies, but yet deny that women’s birth control should be covered? For many women, the use of birth control isn’t even for the purpose of pregnancy prevention, but other painful and uncomfortable medical problems. By letting businesses the opportunity to deny women of a medicine that not only allows them the chance to decide if they want a family and also helps them live a more pain free life (in some situations), shows that society certainly cares more about the voices of its men than of the voices of its women.
Public transportation can be a scary thing especially for women in bigger cities. There are some people who can afford to own cars for personal transportation, but public transportation is the only option for people who cannot afford their own car. Also, women take public transportation more than men because they earn lower wages. After the end of a very busy day public transportation can become more dangerous because there are not as many people around to witness a crime happening, and more than likely a woman is traveling alone in order to get home. There are some people who take cars, but public transportation is the cheapest and quickest way to get from one point to another.
ReplyDeleteI believe that this story is important because women in our society today have a harder time doing things freely. Overtime much chivalry from men has deteriorated and has become filled with different kinds of deviant people. Some people today view women as very fragile and easy instead of a strong and independent individual which is why women are easily targeted by those deviant people. Since this is a major problem in bigger cities, women should be much more aware of their surroundings. Women should not live their life in fear, but they should be more cautious of the things that they do because there are many careless people in our society. Also, I believe that this is a great story for local women because there are many of us who travel to bigger cities from time to time, and it is important to be aware of what goes on in certain places that we may be visiting. There are some places that may be safer than others, but there are also different crimes that could happen in every place around us. Technology today has also interfered with our attention because, for example, someone may be very busy on their phone that they are not paying attention to what is going on around them which can make them more vulnerable to becoming a victim to those deviants around them. I believe that our culture today has a mindset that forgets about crime until it is actually happening around us, and it is worse when it happens to a certain individual because they had no idea that it could happen to them. I also believe that there are some people today who do not take crime seriously because as long as it is not happening to them they could care less. Women should be very cautious of their surroundings because being in public riding public transportation could be dangerous depending on the type of people around them.
http://www.theatlanticcities.com/commute/2014/03/will-women-ever-feel-completely-safe-mass-transit/8728/
It still amazes me at how our society is still victim blaming. A girl who was raped in Texas was pretty much put down as being a victim. She was blamed, because a certain way she looked or dressed. The media focuses on warning girls about what not to do to attract attention instead of talking to the perpetrators. They are the ones who are at fault. RAINN has undergone a lot of controversy. They are suppose to be rape activists, but they are encouraging colleges to focus more on the females about what not to do to cause their rape.
ReplyDeleteThe women at GSW should be very offended by this. Sending this type of message makes it seem that college girls are asking to be raped. If the women are constantly being blamed how can they feel comfortable with reporting rapes. They may feel as if they are being judged. This issue is very important. It goes against everything women have been fighting for.
Women have overcome so much, but yet we are still getting the finger pointed at us. This article didn't want to take the focus off of rape, because it is still very serious. However, they wanted to show how we as a culture respond to rape. Instead of society saying it's wrong for rapist to rape, they are saying it's wrong for victims to encourage rapist. This is no where near right. When you go off to college you expect to have a good time as well as get your work done.
No woman should have to be lectured about what not to wear or drink when they go to a party. Every girl on campus does not wear turtle necks and long pants to cover their bodies. They should be able to wear anything they want to and expect to be safe in public. However, I have been a witness to these questions, "What were you wearing" and "Did you do something to lead him on." These type of questions make a college student never report what has happened to them. They are afraid of being judged by society.
These girls turn to campus security and higher staffing to protect them. If they feel like they will be judge, where will they go? They will keep silent and the rapist will still be on campus terrorizing other girls and even the victim. There need to be better policies on how rape victims are handled and how women are being portrayed in the media. Don't tell a girl, "Don’t turn one night of fun into one night of regret." Instead support her and encourage her to have fun, because she did not plan to go out and get sexually assaulted that night.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/why-we-need-to-keep-talking-about-rape-culture/2014/03/28/58acfec4-b5bf-11e3-8cb6-284052554d74_story.html
SEXUAL ASSAULT AGAINST WOMEN IN THE U.S. ARMED FORCES
ReplyDeleteSexual assault against women in the armed forces has been given more media coverage than ever. Women are finally standing up for themselves; however the problem is they are reporting to the men that are committing these acts. Wow, what a joke! High ranking officials that are in position to investigate the claims of sexual assault are now the ones committing the crimes. Recently a bill designed to better protect these women was killed in the U.S. Senate. If that was not adding insult to injury, the high ranking officer that was assigned to prosecute sexual assault cases was also under the wire. It is obvious there is a problem with sexual assault in the armed forces. The military is aware of this problem and have implemented programs to sensitize men to respect these women in uniforms. The programs are designed to reduce the claims of assault; however the ones implementing the programs are men. Light bulb here! Aren’t they the ones committing the assault? Since the armed forces has rejected the transfer of jurisdiction for assault crimes to civilian court it seems things in the military will remain “business as usual”.
Although women desire to serve their country and have the right to do so, it is obvious the military will continue to operate from the good ole boy syndrome. Women like men have the right to pursue a career in the military. Yet there is little respect for these women. The military continue to turn the other cheek looking the other way, and just slap these men on the hand. With all the strides women have made in the military they are still treated as insubordinate when it comes to being equal to men. They are disrespected sexually assaulted, raped, and domestic violence rank high against women in the military compared to civilian women. However, women in the civilian life have it just as hard. We are up against the same fight. The good ole boy syndrome is working against those of us that are not in the military, because again the men are making the rules.
Our armed forces have come a long way; however women are still treated as sex objects. It is important for the women on this campus to be aware of these findings, because someone maybe interested in pursuing a career in the armed forces. Women as a whole are still treated as if our place is in the house and under a man in more ways than one. Our U.S. Senate is controlled by men, and the more women fight for protection the more men fight to keep us as submissive. These male law makers have mothers, wives, and daughters that these laws will also protect, however they could risk hanging themselves or their buddies if they favor laws that are presented by women activist or feminine groups. Many of these men that engage in these activities are looking out for their own reputation. These women who are serving or have served in the armed forces face a long battle still to be treated equally. Whether they are cooperate women or in the armed forces we all deserve to be respected and given a fair opportunity. Although the military has ban the “don’t ask don’t tell” rule against those of alternative lifestyles, this rule now seems to apply to protect the ones who are committing assaults crimes against women. If the women don’t tell, there is no need to ask, or in the case of sexual assault confess.
Hagopian, J. (2014, March Wednesday). Sexual Assault Against Women in the U.S. Armed Forces.
Retrieved from http://www.dailynews.lk/?q=features/sexual-assault-against-women-us-armed-forces
Would you ever believe that sexuality can deny a child or a student education? In Bedford, Texas, a three year old boy named Landry was rejected admission from New Beginning Montessori School, because he has two moms. The two moms, Dawn and Tracy Kelly were told it was no problem at first with Landry having two moms while on a tour at the school by a teacher. Later that day Dawn and Tracy were notified that Landry has been rejected, because the owner of the school explained it was against their religion to support homosexuals. New Beginning Montessori School is a private school and has the legal rights to refuse enrollment based on religion and anti-gay bigotry.
ReplyDeleteIs it fair for school to have legal rights to discriminate at all? This summary about a three year old boy being deny admission from New Beginning is a form of discrimination. Landry is denied his rights to education based on the sexuality of his parents. The problem with this story is Landry is denied admission, because of his parents, not him. Ultimately, that is not fair to Landry. It is important for not only just the gay community to care, but for Georgia Southwestern States women to care also. Imagine your child being deny, because of the choices you make or the way you choose to live.
Dawn and Tracy are two moms who just wanted their son enroll to get a great opportunity at education. This situation is a local problem, because it sends out the message that only heterosexual families, parents and children are welcome. This can create anxiety, anger, fear, and violence in the community. Women in the community may feel pressure to conform to the norm just to meet the criteria for New Beginning.
This story demonstrates how culture today shames or put the gay community in a negative light. The fact that our society still allows institutions to discriminate based on religion emphasizes the strength and control of religion. The norms that everyone tries to follow are based from a religion background. These norms often create tension, when something is abnormal. Homosexuals are abnormal which creates tension in society. Some of the consequences in the gay community have resulted in homicide, suicide, beating, and burnings. This story shows how sexuality can affect a child or student opportunity for education.
http://www.glaad.org/blog/texas-school-reject-3-year-old-because-his-two-moms
Going against the norm can be difficult. This is especially true for those whose sexuality may not conform to the heterosexual ideal. ‘Coming out’ can be a time of trial for those who fear the reaction from family and friends and society as a whole. Afterwards, there can be feelings of relief and joy or, on the other hand, rejection and mistrust. Of course, this is a unique experience for each individual. Imagine for a moment that you had to expose a piece of yourself (could be anything that you keep private) that no one knows to your closest friends and family. Perhaps they would accept whatever your secret is. Now imagine that you have to expose a piece of yourself to the entire nation. Now everyone knows something about that you have kept hidden. This is exactly the situation that Michael Sam just endured when he came out as a gay male on national television.
ReplyDeleteMichael Sam is an NFL prospect for the 2014 draft. If he is drafted, he will be the first openly gay football player in the NFL. This is will be a land mark in not only NFL history but also in the history of the United States.
"I understand how big this is," Sam said in an interview with ESPN. "It's a big deal. No one has done this before. And it's kind of a nervous process, but I know what I want to be ... I want to be a football player in the NFL." (Conolly 2014)
In May, 2014, the nation will discover whether or not Sam will be drafted. Regardless of whether he is drafted or not, he will forever make history for his audacious and honest move. More importantly Sam is important to the average person (and those of us at GSW) because he has become a role model for boys and girls everywhere. Men in the NFL and in other organized sports often fit a profile of being hyper masculine. After all, football players often appear as having a muscular physique, extreme wealth, and the most seductive women. Men around the nation aspire to be like these players. Acquiring these attributes lead to the image and feeling of being superior, and superiority is what the ideal man constantly strives towards in the American culture. The result is that men who do not fit into these roles (basically most men in the US) often feel inadequate. If the qualities that are attributed to the ideal man grows to encompass more varieties of males (including those of other sexualities), we will see the role of men in society change.
Michael Sam has begun to shift what Americans view as masculine. After all, many people agree that only the manliest of men play in the NFL. If traditionally marginalized people now have an equal opportunity to play in the NFL, then perhaps in all areas of life we will begin to see a shift. This is the root of the significance of Michael Sam’s coming out tale. When the ideal male has greater flexibility, more people can achieve the status. Therefore, our society as a whole will be more accepting of those who do not fit into traditional roles. This benefits people as a whole as diversity is key for survival.
http://espn.go.com/espn/otl/story/_/id/10429030/michael-sam-missouri-tigers-says-gay
TEEN SPIRIT ARTICLE PART 1
ReplyDeleteThe article I read was Teen Spirit: Young Feminist Heroes, is about how young adults in England who have started to take a new interest in feminism. The teens do not agree with the idea that society is in a “Post Feminism” era because they all have experienced some event in their lives that proved otherwise. They have been influenced not only by their own experiences but also by the many recent movements and rebellions such as; the Arab Spring and the Occupy Movement. The article discusses more than just feminism, it includes a selection of young feminists taking part in this new movement who are talking about their own experiences. The teens come from different backgrounds so they each have a different view and main objective to what they are pushing for.
I think this article is important to women at GSW because this movement is quite spread out through England and getting a lot of attention. Its effects are spreading because these young activists are going around talking to students in schools and getting media attention. After reading this article and seeing how much attention and involved people are in this movement, it made me wonder why GSW doesn’t have more women based clubs. What is happening in England that made these young adults so active in the feminist movement at such a young age? What motivated them to start their own websites and clubs? Comparing the sexism discussed in this article, based in England, to sexism experienced in America, there seemed to be many similarities. The article made it seem like women in England suffer through the same social problems as American women. The activists interviewed for this article are in the same age range as the women who attend GSW, except for the few sixteen year-olds. Could the difference be that they are closer to the Arab Spring movements, so have a greater feel for their impact? I also think this article is important to GSW because some of the feminists in this article were young men. They spoke about how society’s oppression of women also oppresses men. The diversity of this article made me think anyone could read this article and come away with a new understanding and perspective of feminism.
TEEN SPIRIT ARTICLE PART 2
ReplyDeleteThe effect on local women, in the Americus area, is the diversity of the article which brought up the topic of intersectionality. It was not an article with white, upper class women talking about universal sisterhood. There were refugees, an African American woman, and women from the Middle East giving their perspectives. Their own experiences and backgrounds effected them, the way they went about their activism, and who their target audience was. These different perspectives could closer to the experiences of women here in Americus and bring them more understanding. Another reason why I thought this article could affect women in the Americus area, was the huge push by these young activists to get better sex education in their schools. In my opinion, growing up in the Bible belt, I feel our schools slack or try to work their way out of giving sex education. Since coming to GSW for school, I have heard that the local schools are not the best and wondered if this has negatively affected the sex education.
This article says that our culture still devalues women and that we are nowhere close to being in a “Post Feminism” era. These teens supposedly grew up in the “Post Feminism” era, yet they have managed to find a long list of problems that prevent women from being truly equal with men. However, the positive reaction to this, young adult led movement, is something to give people hope about the future of feminism. If people are starting to become involved in the movement at such a young age and causing so much change then things can only get better from here. The article made it seem like these young adults were creating a domino effect with their activism, inspiring each other and their peers to push for more change. This shows that people are interested in what happens to women, that they see the problems with our society and are willing to work and change it.
Link for the article http://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2014/mar/29/fifth-wave-feminists-young-activists
Current News Story: Supreme Court Hears Cases on Contraception Role
ReplyDeleteObama’s new healthcare plans is trying to create laws that require employers to provide insurance coverage for contraceptives. There has been a lot of controversy about this issue. Hobby Lobby and Conestoga Woods Specialties run their businesses on religious principles. They are fighting against this because they believe that it is against their religious beliefs and don’t feel like they should be made to pay for contraceptives. Not all employers have to provide this type of insurance for their employees, small businesses and churches are exempt from this. The administration argues that people from low income can’t always afford contraceptives and the administration believes that everyone should have an equal opportunity at getting affordable contraceptives. The administration believes that this law will prevent unwanted pregnancies and will cut down on the number of abortions that women are having. The companies aren’t against all forms of contraceptives, but they believe some of the contraceptives that this insurance will cover are kind of like an abortion and some can prevent embryos from implanting in the womb. The decision from the Supreme Court will be released in the summer of 2014.
I am kind of on the fence about this situation. I am a Christian and I take birth control. I don’t think taking birth control is a form of abortion. I think taking birth control is a responsible thing to do. People who take birth control take precautions and responsibility of trying to not get pregnant. I am still on my parents insurance and my birth control has always been a reasonable price. It is now free, but because of that my parents insurance went up.
I don’t necessarily think that birth control should be completely free. I use to have to pay a co pay for my birth control and it was no more than forty dollars a month. Forty dollars a month can be a lot for some people and I understand that, but there are ways around this. People that are categorized as low income have other options. Anyone can go to the health department and say that they only make so much money a month and can get birth control for free. The people that go to the health department and do this, don’t even have to prove their income, so I am not sure why everyone always complains about not being able to get contraceptives. Some of the problem with this, is that people are just too lazy to actually go to the health department and go through the process of getting the birth control.
One thing this says about our culture is that the government wants everyone to be equal and that everything should be free. That is not how it should be. Women should start taking responsibility for their actions and actually go to the health department to get the free birth control if they can’t afford it. I think that if Hobby Lobby and other companies don’t believe in paying for the birth control then they shouldn’t have to or if the employees don’t like it then they can get another job elsewhere. Life isn’t fair, it never has bhttp://www.nytimes.com/2014/03/26/us/politics/q-and-a-on-challenges-to-health-laws-birth-control-requirement.html?_r=0een and it never will be.
White Privilege, Class Privilege, and Crime *Trigger Warning*
ReplyDeleteI read an article on feministing.com called “Rich white man gets no jail time for raping his three-year-old daughter because he ‘will not fare well’ in prison”. The title alone should give you a pretty good idea of the fucked up shit you’re about to read regarding our criminal “justice” system. Robert H. Richards IV, a very rich white man who lives off of a trust fund, was convicted of raping his 3-year-old daughter and sexually abusing his toddler son, but will not have to serve jail time because the judge thought he would not “fare well in prison”. Instead, he will be put on probation and will receive “treatment”. The author of the article then goes on to make some very good points about how our prison system is a failure.
Stories like this leave me with very little hope for humanity or faith in our criminal justice system. This is not the only case of a wealthy white man getting away with horrible crimes. Just a few months ago the “affluenza” case was all over the news. This term was constructed to portray wealthy people who commit crime as being mentally distraught in some way because of their wealthy upbringing. They are unable to connect with society on a larger scale because of their spoiled-rotten condition. As a result, they are constructed as needing help rather than imprisonment for committing crimes.
If the race and class were changed but everything else about the crime remained the same, Richards would be sentenced to prison. Black men and working class men have been imprisoned for a very long time for committing minor crimes, especially in comparison to raping ones’ children. Black men are overrepresented in prisons because of racial profiling and other legal forms of systematic racism. Prison is seen as a place far too dangerous for rich White men who have never had to fight for themselves before. White people are far more likely to receive “treatment” for their crimes rather than serve time. In some cases, I believe treatment is the better option (but should apply to everyone, not just Whites). Rapists, however, deserve punishment. I believe there would be far less sexual violence cases if our culture did not hold violence on a pedestal, objectify women and girls, blame victims, and let certain people get away with rape.
Feministing.com news article: http://feministing.com/2014/03/31/rich-white-man-gets-no-jail-time-for-raping-his-three-year-old-because-he-will-not-fare-well-in-prison/
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/03/20/gay-honey-maid-one-million-moms_n_5001438.html
ReplyDeleteLast night, I saw a commercial aired by Nabisco, the company known for Teddy Grahams and Honey Maid, in which a gay couple and their children were featured. The essential idea behind the commercial is that their product was “wholesome,” just like the families that bought them. Needless to say, conservatives were not particularly moved by the commercial as those who support gay families. One particular right-wing conservative group, One Million Moms, spoke out against the commercial referring to it as “an attempt to normalize sin,” and suggested that it promotes homosexuality as wholesome. Of course this is not the only LGBT matter in which the group spoke out against. They asserted their disapproval of the feature of a lesbian couple on a Disney Channel program, the hiring of Ellen DeGeneres as a spokesperson for J.C. Penney’s, and a comic book issue showing a character marrying his gay lover.
An obvious connection for why this story is important to women here in Americus, is because One Million Moms is in fact a woman interest group. Here we have active voice standing firmly on traditional notions of “the American family.” These women are suggesting that non-traditional families cannot be wholesome, despite the idea that there is no such thing as the ideal “American family.” Instead America, even in our own neck of the woods, is comprised of various family structures, not only with LGBT parents, but also single parents, interracial parents, and in many cases non-parent guardians. There are limitless amounts of familiar structures, many of which that could be considered healthier and more “wholesome” than most “traditional” families. This sentiment that these couples cannot have decent and happy families is a central cause for the discrimination against LGBT couples that want to marry and adopt.
Furthermore, the group’s main basis for showing disgust with this commercial is that it “normalizes sin.” This is clearly an allusion to religious ideologies in which case the matter is extremely subjective. Every organization and group in the United states, hold different moral codes and ideas, therefore while it is okay for the group to announce their own beliefs, it would be exhausting to constantly critique every single thing in society that does not correspond with your groups morals. Also I would like to point out the many other sins defined within religious texts aside from homosexuality. This means that this organization would have speak up about other sins such as lust and murder. Both of which in their own way affect the family life in different way, and both are constantly being promoted in media images, yet neither are the point of protest for this organization. In fact it is often stereotyped that right-wingers support murder through the military, capital murder, and self-defense.
Finally I want to look at the internet debate over this article about the difference between “promoting homosexuality” and “supporting homosexuality.” In the case of promoting something we are suggesting that the goal is to spread what is being promoted. When a public service announcement is aired promoting generosity, the intended goal is to get people to be more generous. Therefore by suggesting this commercial is promoting homosexuality, the group is suggesting that the commercial will influence individuals to be homosexual. However, it is easy to critique this argument by saying there was nothing that directly said people should be gay. Instead the commercial simply showed the Nabisco’s acknowledgement and support for LGBT families.
http://feministing.com/2014/03/05/new-study-finds-that-drinking-doesnt-cause-sexual-aggression-predators-target-drunk-women/
ReplyDeleteThe article I chose is about how drinking does not cause sexual aggression in men but yet they are already predators. Most people would think that alcohol makes men sexually aggressive. Actually drinking only enhances the person who they are which mean they already predator looking for women who are intoxicated and can’t fully function. “Alcohol is a tool, not a root cause” (Maya). Men who are predators know exactly what they are doing and tend to blame it on the alcohol or normally they aren’t drinking at all, they just set out to target drunken women. Drunken women usually don’t see the signs because either they are under the influence or they may think that the predator is under the influence and are just touching on them being aggressive.
I think that women at Georgia southwestern should really read and understand this blog. This is an important cause especially among college students because, they are known for partying and not being aware of predators because they are too busy having fun. I have been to the bar several times here in Americus and I see often that girls are highly intoxicated and often times they aren’t aware of what is going on. Sometimes guys will be really aggressive and don’t go away when they are told to. It is hard to tell the signs of an alcoholic person versus and actual predator. Predators will often try to blame the drunken female and say that because they were intoxicated they came off as strong and gave mixed signals. This is unfair to an intoxicated person because the alcohol has already taken over their brain and they are usually unaware of their actions.
When females go out they should become more aware of their surroundings and also go with at least two friends who will not drink or will not drink as much. Females should always stick together because they are easy targets and predators can easily make them a victim of rape. The women at GSW should care about this issue because no one wants to be a victim of sexual abuse. And if they have already been a victim of sexual abuse they should understand now they it is not something you want to be a part of. I carry mace to protect myself even if I am with a group; I never travel alone because I know that I am small and can easily be taken advantage of.
Women should always be on the lookout for predators but at the same time understand that is still safe to have fun. If men are too aggressive and won’t let up that is when women should take precaution or get a sober male to handle the situation. At the end of the article it is suggested that we start calling out this absurd behavior. And I think that is a good idea. I think that women should know the signs so that they are aware when they go out.
A Delaware state Superior Court judge ruled that a man “will not fare well” in prison after he was convicted of raping his three-year old daughter. Instead of prison, he will be on probation. This “father” is Robert H. Richards IV, an unemployed heir who lives off his trust fund. His ex-wife who accused him of using his fingers to penetrate his daughter while masturbating and assaulting their son originally filed the lawsuit. Richards admitted to assaulting his children from 2005 to 2007. These felonies, second-degree child rape, rendered a mandatory jail sentence of 10 years per count. With one of the state’s top lawyers by his side, Richards was able to acquire a plea deal of one count of fourth-degree rape charges. This charge translates into no mandatory minimum prison sentencing. Judge Jan Jurden, who presided over the case, assessed the situation as one where a sex offenders’ rehabilitation program would be more beneficial than prison.
ReplyDeleteThere are so many things horribly wrong with this case. However, it just an example of the unfair and unjust society we are already aware of. Firstly, it is no surprise that wealth and status provides individuals with favor in the criminal justice system. Our society caters to people with money and influence. If Richards were not the great grandson of du Pont family patriarch Irenee du Pont, would he have been able to afford his $60,000 bail or a top law firm? Probably not. The second aspect that is ridiculous is Judge Jan’s reasoning for giving Richards probation. The United States incarcerates more people than any other country in the entire world. We incarcerate the guilty and the innocent. Seldom, if ever, is the well-being of the offender considered! The purpose of prisons is to act as a deterrent, to protect the innocent and victims, and a goal that is often times not accomplished, to rehabilitate. The concept of prison has never been one that correlates with creating an environment in which offenders may “fare well.” No one fares well in prison. If “faring well” in prison is a criteria for sentencing, I would like to request that the millions of black men incarcerated on minor drug charges with murderers be relinquished from prison. However, I doubt that is going to happen. The third baffling part of this story is the importance placed on the crime. I think this aspect is important to GSW women, local women, and all women. Rape, or molestation of a child, is treated as an excusable crime or one handled with lax. This ruling is telling victims that they are not priority and our system chooses to protect offenders. The message that this ruling is sending aligns itself with the rapist justification “She was asking for it. Look how she’s dressed.” The message is victims are not important and any other irrelevant factor triumphs the crime and your justice. As women, we need to demand importance be placed on rape. When injustices such as these occur, it causes people to avoid the criminal justice system because they do not believe they have much political efficacy. However, there is power in numbers. If more women have knowledge about the injustices affecting them and are willing to get involved, the greater the chance for change.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/03/30/robert-richards-rape_n_5060386.html
In this article it discusses a survey done by the National Association of Women Business Owners, out of 600 women who are business owners, majority of the women are more optimistic about their business now than last year. This was a 12% increase from last year. They also predict that more women will be starting their own businesses successfully this year. This article also mentions ways that they feel like they can improve their businesses through customer service skills and through the social media. They also discuss some of the issues that they may have such as health insurance costs and energy costs. I think that this article is important because it shows a possible change in the future towards our leaders who are mostly older white males. We currently do not have many CEO’s that are women but if more women are more optimistic about the future of their business, it will more likely become more successful. Having more business owners that are women can encourage other women to begin their own businesses if they want. I think that articles such as this one could encourage women in our community as well. I think that in smaller towns such as Americus young women may feel more discouraged when it comes to owning businesses or they may feel like their business may not be successful and this article can be encouraging. I believe that our culture is slowly changing and through advances in technology such as social media which could help our women feel more optimistic about owning a business. More women now days are able to advertise their business through social media which can help. An increase in female CEO’s could lead to more women getting jobs. An increase in CEO’s that are women could also change the way that society sees women sometimes as unable to take on leadership positions. If we have more women as leaders in our country, it could lead to more women becoming political leaders. If more women were to become CEO’s, it could also change the way that women tend to make less money than the men so women could eventually make the same amount of money as men by doing the same job they do.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.bizjournals.com/albuquerque/bizwomen/news/latest-news/2014/03/women-business-owners-are-more-optimistic.html?page=3
Women reproductive right have been a hot topic for many years. After fight years for the right to control their reproductive rights, more controversy comes to rise concerning birth control. Today with the health care mandates it is back on the front eyes of the country. Under the new law (Affordable Care Act), most oral contraceptives and IUDs are available to women with no out of pocket cost. Before 2012 however majority of insurance policies covered a portion of the cost contraceptives. Yet, studies show that less than half of women knew ages 18-45 knew this provision was now required. On the same note, recently there has been high court debate regarding companies wanting to refuse to provide certain methods of birth control that they feel violate their religious beliefs. The dispute concerns certain methods of birth control particularly emergency contraceptives like Plan B .The argument is mainly fought by family owned business such as Hobby Lobby with support of the Tea party and small amount of shareholders. The question that follow the fight is should profit companies or corporations be proclaim the beliefs as it pertains to the policies provides to their employees? Will women even be given the option to choose? Some argue this would be a huge violation of First Amendment that gives the right to believe as you choose. I think this is should be a key concern for women especially in college. Nearly 30% of women on college campuses use contraceptives in combination with other methods of birth control as a means to prevent unplanned pregnancies. In these critical years, women are generally more sexually active, have more partners and have an increased risk of getting pregnant especially if they do not use protection. Using contraception in combination with condoms also helps reduce the risk of contracting STIs. Other methods such as Plan B are great have as an option even if we you choose not to use them, we was women have earned that right. Women have fought years to earn the rights to our bodies and it should not now be dependent on the companies we work for because what we believe may not align with their beliefs. We only get on body and it is up to the women to make decisions for it and take care of it, because honestly who else will?
ReplyDeletehttp://www.today.com/money/birth-control-free-obamacare-most-women-didnt-know-2D11624208
http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2014/03/25/supreme-court-to-take-up-obamacare-contraceptive-mandate-in-landmark-case/
Women’s Study Blog
ReplyDeleteA teen boy by the name of Matthew Barnett from Maryville, Missouri faced sexual assault charges after a teenage girl was found heavily intoxicated and incoherent in below freezing temperatures wearing nothing but a t-shirt and yoga pants. Her brother, who stated that her face was blue, her hair was frozen and “she didn’t look alive”, found Daisy Coleman on their front lawn the next morning. The two teens got drunk at a house party where Daisy and Matthew supposedly had consensual sex. However, Daisy reports she was so intoxicated at the time that she does not remember the event. Daisy was only 14 years old at the time of the encounter while Matthew was 17. Another boy reportedly videoed the sexual encounter that took place between Coleman and Barnett. Daisy faced so much scrutiny via social media sites and kids at school that she attempted suicide. Barnett plead guilty to counts of child endangerment and the sexual assault charges were dropped since the video could not be recovered. Without proof Barnett is a free man with just two years of probation.
It took an unbelievable two years for the family to get a court sentence and by then much of the evidence had dissipated. Daisy alleged that she was raped by Barnett and perhaps given a date rape drug so she would not remember anything. Without video evidence, the sexual assault of Daisy Coleman goes unpunished. The family however, was satisfied that some charges were made and felt that justice was done. Personally, I feel like this could influence the idea of rape culture and that cases like this are making the raping of young girls acceptable. Daisy faced the harshness of victim blaming and almost took her life because of it. People told her it was her fault since she got drunk and that she was lying about being raped. Video evidence should not have been required for a conviction. If a rape kit had been done or a blood test to see if she had in fact been drugged, then the verdict would have been more certain. Many cases go without ever being heard or the perpetrator facing no charges at all. At least in Daisy’s case some justice was done.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/01/09/daisy-coleman-rape-case_n_4569706.html
http://www.kansascity.com/2014/01/09/4739016/misdemeanor-charged-filed-in-contentious.html
Florida Woman Sentenced to 20 Years for Firing Warning Shot Wants Bail
ReplyDeleteMarissa Alexander of Jacksonville, Florida was convicted of aggravated assault back in March 2012 and she was sentenced to 20 years behind bars. When I first read the headline I was a little confused. Alexander fired warning shots into the air while she was in a heated dispute with her husband. If I had to imagine she was probably trying to scare him away because he may have been beating her. Her conviction outraged many people because of her race, African American, many people said that her conviction was a racial double-standard. People said that it was a racial double-standard because George Zimmerman, whose mother is Hispanic and his father is white, got off of the shooting death of Trayvon Martin who was black. Zimmerman argued in trial that he was using self-defense and he was not found guilty and Alexander was trying to protect herself by using Florida’s “Stand Your Ground” law and was found guilty. Alexander was attacked by her husband when he questioned the paternity of the one week old baby, she ran into her bathroom and he knocked down the door and started to choke her. Alexander was finally able to get away and she ran into the garage, she noticed there was no way out so she grabbed a gun that she legally owned. Her husband charged at her and told her that he would kill her, she raised the gun and fired shots in the air to try and scare him. No one was injured during this altercation. The jury said that her actions weren’t self-defense and she was sentenced to 20 years in prison.
I can see where this case caused much controversy. Alexander was sentenced to 20 years in prison for trying to protect herself because her husband was physically abusing her. Now I know why many women don’t report domestic violence cases because most of them are ignored or the woman will be charged for trying to protect herself. If a police is called to a domestic violence case, the police usually interviews both people, but if the woman strikes back at the man she will be arrested and charged too. If the man and woman have children together, and both of them are arrested then the children are taken to an unfamiliar home for the night. When the woman gets out of jail she will more than likely have a criminal history now, and all she was trying to do was defend herself.
Woman all around the world have read this story and it does nothing but put them in more danger. When a woman reads this story and sees that a woman gets 20 years in prison for trying to defend herself, it is going to be very unlikely that she will call the police if she experiences abuse by her partner. These type of stories make women afraid to take any kind of necessary action. Alexander didn’t kill her husband, no one was even injured, but yet she was still found guilty and the jury didn’t think her actions were used for self-defense. I think that if she wanted a different outcome of the story that she would’ve shot him instead of shooting in the air. I think more awareness needs to be brought to violence against women and women shouldn’t have to serve jail time if she was trying to protect herself or her children.
Jameis Winston, a sophomore FSU football player and a pitcher of baseball, was accused of raping a white female at a party. She made these accusations the morning after this event happened. At that time the alleged victim claimed that she could not identify who her rapist was, but she described him as a black male with a short afro that needed to be cut. That description could have been of anybody, but she later pointed out Winston after noticing him in her class one day. This allegation was made a month later. She would later get counseling on bringing charges against Winston because of his popularity on campus. There was even an 11-month lag between the initial report and when police interview the witness. Later the Florida State Police Department said that the accuser stopped cooperating and eventually gave up on her accusations. Although she, her family, and attorney denied this all charges against Winston were eventually dropped. He later went on to win the Heisman trophy and brought Florida State University a championship.
ReplyDeleteI actually do not know how to feel about this case because it seems as if there is actually more to the story, but the full truth will never be known because of the lack of enough evidence in my opinion. Women are raped every day, but what are the odds that they are raped by someone that they aren’t familiar with? How can anyone draw conclusions as hard as it is to separate rape from consensual sex? And the odds were definitely against the alleged victim due to Winston being a star athlete on campus. Everyone was familiar with Winston due to his skills on the football field especially knowing that he was a freshman and was actually getting play time. And with these allegations being brought against him how could he bring FSU the wins they needed with their greatest asset being behind bars? In a sense, the police department and others could’ve been bias because of their love for football and the potential they seen in this young male. They could’ve have also based it off of the lack of evidence that was provided. The woman could’ve also not been very believable when she presenting her case. If she would’ve shown how he had instilled fear into her and provided more evidence I believe that they wouldn’t have abandoned the case.
"Inside the Jameis Winston Rape Case File." CBSNews. CBS Interactive, n.d. Web. 27 Apr. 2014.
Hala Gross
ReplyDeleteJameis Winston, a star athlete at FSU, is at the beginning of his prime in his career. He recently underwent a devastating and serious accusation of being a rapist. Although the case never went to trial, much of the evidence shows that he was, in fact, a part of some ruthless behaviors. The woman who accused him went to the police directly after the alleged rape occurred – specifically within an hour. A few days later, the woman identifies Winston as her rapist. However, she is still unaware that he is a star athlete.
Shortly after the rape is filed, the police inform Tim Jansen, Winston’s attorney, that they case is “basically closed” (Tampa Bay Times). It is not until the press gets a hold of the story several months later that the case is forwarded to the appropriate office. In other words, this case (like many others involving celebrities and/or athletes) got swept under the rug in order for the accused to not get prosecuted.
Another important aspect about this case that contributes to it being labeled as controversial is the excessive victim blaming. For example, the victim in this case eventually withdrew from classes because of the harassment she was receiving. She was also labeled a slut and as being ‘just after the money’. In other words, she was being blamed for the rape instead of the rapist.
Another theory that sheds light on this case is a sociological theory called deterrence theory. Too often, people of extreme wealth and/or prestige are not prosecuted the same way someone who is poor might prosecuted. Like Winston, these people have connections and are often more valued in society. Because of this, they may get reduced sentences or not go to court at all. Because there is little chance of getting in real trouble, they are not deterred from doing their criminal activities. Without any deterrence, they will not feel the need to refrain from their ‘hobbies’. If Winston (along with others in the past) had actually been charged with rape, it would deter them from doing the act again and perhaps others from doing it at all.
This case, like so many other cases of sexual violence, is often swept under the rug when the perpetrator is not portrayed as a criminal in the public eye. Too often there is victim-blaming. People label the victim as being ‘sloppy’, ‘asking for it’, and ‘just stirring up trouble’. Somehow, the act becomes the victim’s fault. Similarly, if the perpetrator does not face any real repercussions, he is likely to recidivate. The result is that many rapists walk free.
16-year-old Maren Sanchez was stabbed to dead at Jonathan Law High School in Milford, Connecticut. She was killed by a 16-year-old by the name of Chris Plaskon. The incident took place Friday, April 17, 2014, at the school the two attended. Maren was stabbed by Chris several times in the torso and the neck. Chris had asked Maren to the prom, but she turned him down because she was going with her new boyfriend. Chris has been charged with murder as a juvenile, and is currently being held in a hospital under psychotic evaluation. His attorney stated that he feels that Chris will be trialed as an adult. He scheduled to go to court on today, April 27, 2014.
ReplyDeleteChris was an athlete at Jonathan Law High School, and seen as a genuine and respectful young man. Many of his friends stated that he has a good sense of humor and that it is hard to believe that Chris would have done anything to that sort. Maren was an active member at their high school as well. She was a part of the National Honor Society, drama club, and many other school activities. Before she was killed her friends and relatives stated the she was eagerly awaiting prom, and had been posting pictures of her in her prom dress. Sadly for Maren, she never got to see prom.
This case can be looked at from many different angles. When Maren turned down Chris’ offer to the prom, that could have been a direct shot at his ego, and he may have felt that is masculinity was being challenged. Men like to feel that they are have dominance and are in control. Maren saying no to him gave her control over the situation and Chris may have felt that he had to take back dominance over the situation. Like we have discussed in class, often times when these things happen, it is said that the perpetrator is mentally unstable. This is a way of making excuses, and basically saying that the incident was a mistake and was not meant to have happened this way. However, with a case such as this one, that could certainly have been the case. He may have not meant for the stabbing to end in death, he may have psyched out for a while and just retaliated.
This case could send a negative message to young boys, but on the one hand it could send a positive message. It may say to them if they are turned down by a female that some type of actions must be taken to get back at her. They may read this and say, “She should have never turned him down.” On the other hand, it could say to them that killing someone because they turn you down is not something to do. They may look at the consequences as a turn away from that particular behavior.
The Steubenville rape case occurred in Steubenville, Ohio and involved two sixteen year old football players, Ma’Lik Richmond and Trent Mays, who sexually assaulted and raped a drunken teenager girl. On August 12, 2012 an intoxicated, sixteen year old girl left a party with several football players. She was photographed and filmed while being sexually exposed, assaulted, and penetrated. Since she was intoxicated, she was unconscious for the majority of the acts and remembered little if any details of the incident. The other football players who witnessed the incidence shared the photos with many people through social media including Facebook and Twitter. Both defendants as well as several adults were arrested and convicted for rape and for failing to report the rape. Much of the controversy surrounding this case involves how the perpetrators and witnesses glorified the rape by posting it on social media and further degrading the victim. Some community members engaged in victim blaming by blaming the victim for her rape and for bringing negative attention to their community. Another major controversy involved several adults including the coach and school officials who attempted to cover up the rape.
ReplyDeleteBy using the sexual violence themes discussed in our family violence class, we can interpret several things about this case and the controversy surrounding the case. Although our society has become more aware of sexual violence, many people still tend to blame a victim for her assault. In order to be considered a true victim, the woman should not be drinking, should not have a promiscuous reputation, and must fight back against her assailant. In this case, some people blamed the victim for the rape because she was intoxicated and was bringing negative attention to the community. Another thing we can interpret about rape is that some people do not take rape seriously and believe covering up the act is more important than punishing it. For example, the coach and school officials were more concerned about maintaining their public image rather than making sure the perpetrators were appropriately punished. Finally, this case proves how difficult it is to convict someone of rape in this country. Luckily for the victim in this case, there was plenty of photo and video evidence to prove that a rape did occur. If there had not been so much evidence, the perpetrators likely would have not been punished because the vast majority of rapists are not convicted for several reasons.
In Torrington, Connecticut, two high school football players, Edgar Gonzalez and Joan Toribio, have been accused of sexually assaulting different thirteen year old girls. The two eighteen year old football players were charged March 18, 2013 with felony second-degree sexual assault and other crimes in February in cases involving different thirteen year old girls. According to Torrington police Lt. Michael Emanuel, the accusers and the suspects knew each other which led to the “voluntary encounters” in a private residence. However, sexual encounters between a thirteen year old and anyone more than three years older are illegal based on state law. At least one of the girls has been taunted on social media by upset classmates who claim the girls have ruined the football player’s lives. These classmates have gone as far as to call the girls “whores” and have also accused them of “snitching” on the players. Toribio has posted bail, while Gonzalez is being detained at the Correctional Center.
ReplyDeleteMen like to feel as though they have control over a situation. These two eighteen year old boys took advantage of two thirteen year old girls who had no reason to believe that something as horrible as sexual assault would take place. These two boys were seen as having a higher social status over the girls because they played high school football. Their classmates participated in victim blaming because of the harassing comments that were made towards the girls over social media. It somehow always manages to be the victims fault. This is sending a negative message to other teenage boys. This is making the statement that if you want something it is acceptable to just take it. This is also sending the message that there are consequences for actions regardless of social status. Without deterrence, individuals will feel as though their actions will never face any repercussions.
http://www.cbsnews.com/news/connecticut-high-school-rape-case-two-conn-high-school-football-players-accused-of-sexual-assault/
The case that I chose to talk about happened in Petersburg, Virginia on April 23rd of this year. What happened was a man, Alexander Hill Jr., set a house on fire killing a 67 year old woman, her daughter, granddaughter, as well as her great grandson. There were reports that Chavis, the oldest killed in the fire, tried to have a restraining order against Hill but the judge did not sign it until two days after the fire occurred. The restraining order was due to the fact that Hill had physically and emotionally abused Chavis for years. It was only after the fire that the family found photos of Chavis with a bloody face and bruised body and they believe that she was hiding the photos to begin collecting evidence against Hill. The family is now questioning why the protection order was not signed earlier, after sitting for two weeks after it was filed, and what can be learned from this tragic situation that can help other women and other innocent bystanders in the future. All the while, Hill is still loose.
ReplyDeleteThis tragic case deals with a lot of aspects that we have talked about in class. One is that the abuser will begin to bring the victims family into the situation of the victim does not cooperate. Secondly, and it is shameful that this happens, but restraining orders are not pushed through like they ought to be. This also plays into the justice system not taking violence against women as serious as it ought to be taken. In the article about the case, a worker from a local women’s shelter states that it takes about 7 to 8 times for a woman to try to leave an abusive situation before it actually happens. This claims to be true if the victim, Chavis, really was taking those pictures of herself to use against Hill when she did leave. Of course, after this situation occurred, councilmen and other people of importance were claiming that something was going to be done to try to prevent this from happening in the future- such as getting more information out there for battered women and for more laws to be passed- to protect these women, but more laws are not going to help the situation if there are going to be continuously broken by civilians, lawmakers and policemen alike.
I found an article from April of this year about a woman named Ana Trujillo, in Texas that stabbed her boyfriend which was a college professor, her stiletto heel more than 25 times. The victim was a college professor at the University of Houston's Center for Nuclear Receptor and Cell Signalingwith. When the police came to the door she was covered in blood and the shoe was found by his head. She recently moved in with him and she stated that he grabbed her right before she picked up her shoe. The incident occurred in June of last year and she now faces life in prison. The defense stated that she was a victim of domestic violence and that she was acting in self-defense while the prosecutor stated that she had no motive. They also stated that she had a history of violence and showed no emotion during the trial.
ReplyDeleteI think that with this case, the predator was a woman but if the boyfriend was really abusing her then he would be the predator. Most of the time it is a man that is violent and it is not too often you hear about a woman that has been domestically violent towards a man. Ana had a history of violence which would mean that she would be likely to use violence towards someone or she could have been drawn to situations that are violent. If she really was telling the truth about acting in self defense, it is unfortunate that people did not believe her as I believe may happen often, and she now faces life in prison. I think that it is important to know of the warning signs that may lead to a violent relationship so that it does not turn into an incident such as this.
Julian Jones
ReplyDeleteIn this week’s assignment, we were asked to pick a Case within the past year, which involved some form of sexual violence against women. The case of my decision is one that had gathered a lot of attention; especially during “Football season”, involving Jameis Winston,(a young quarter back at Florida State University). The over all summary of this case is an alleged victim first went to Florida state police in December of 2012, saying that she had been raped that early morning but did not know the identity of her attacker. Then, in early January, she left a voicemail again stating that she had believed her attacker was Jameis Winston, and that he was in one of her classes as well. While reading some of the details within the case, police noted that once the victim gave the name of Jameis Winston, she began fearing if she should pursue the case because Jameis had such a big name around campus.
What seem to happen next as the case continued seems to be of some dispute. In February of 2013, Winston’s attorney had reportedly told police that his client would not consent to an interview. Winston's attorney, Tim Jansen indicated that the sex between his client and the accuser was consensual and said that Winston did "nothing wrong." Winston also had two other men with him on the night he was questioned and their story seem to add up with Winston’s claim. But the accuser and her family made much of this nearly year-long lag, pointing out that it may have gave Winston time to prepare for his defense. The overall case was said to have been closed due to the victim’s lack of evidence and the accuser’s memory problems regarding the night in question as reasons for this decision.
In the summer of 2013, four former Vanderbilt football players were charged with rape. A fifth player was charged with video taping the incident. One of the players was actually dating the victim for a short period of time. He took her out to a bar where they met up with of the players of the of the team. She got so intoxicated that she became unconcious. The players drove her back to one of the player's dorm and began to rape her. They also used other objects to penetrate her. These acts were also recorded. No videos or photographs are being releases to protect the victims. However, the prosecution claims that this is just a cover up for the defense to tamper with evidence. All boys are pleading not guilty. The coach has also been called into question, because he supposedly told one of the players to delete all videos and photos of the incident. He however, says this isn't true. Some people are taking up for the boys saying that they are all eagle scouts and never been in any trouble. All players have been released and waiting for further trials. This case sounds like so many of the cases we talked about in family violence. First, the victim was introduced to the situation by someone she was dating and trusted. He brought her into the situation of being gang raped. We talked about how in gang rape the victim typically agrees to go with only one person. That person normally takes the victim to meet up with multiple people. Where the victim is then gang raped. We also talked about how football like to stick together. They consider themselves as brothers. These players are sticking to their stories regardless of the lawyers' advice. The contraversy is that lawyers are trying to throw race in the defense. They are saying that their clients are being targeted because they are black. The other defense lawyers for the white boys are saying that their clients are being target because they have money. The biggest issue of all is how the coach handled the situation by telling the players to delete evidence. The focus has somehow left the victim and is focused on the suspects. No one is taking up for her in the media. They are just focusing on her being intoxicated. The media seems to be blaming the victim.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/ncaaf/2013/08/21/four-ex-vanderbilt-players-plead-not-guilty-of-rape/2681287/
The Steubenville High School rape case is one of the most controversy stories boiling in the United States, because of the allegations that school officials and coaches participated in the cover up of this unpleasant incident. On Saturday night, August 11, 2012, a high school girl, who was intoxicated at the party, was raped by Ma’lik Richmond and Trent Mays. This event took place in Steubenville, Ohio. At the time of this event the high school girl was sixteen years of age and the two perpetrators were seventeen years of age. Ma’lik Richmond and Trent Mays were two of the star football players with a bright future ahead of them. In March of 2013, they were both found guilty of digital rape (the act of penetration by a finger). Ma’lik Richmond served one year in juvenile detention and Trent Mays served two years in the juvenile detention. The judge classified them both as sex offenders. The school officials and coaches who participated in the rape incident tried to cover up the incident to save the two football player careers. By the school officials and coaches covering this incident up, it sends the message that what they did is okay.
ReplyDeleteViolence against women has been a struggle in the past and present to get recognition for. In this case, justice was fulfilled and a reminder that our patriarchy society still caters to men benefits. There are many more cases similar to the Steubenville High School rape case of girls being raped with no justice in their favor. It is important to bring awareness to violence against women, because it will help others call for help, tell their story, and create more diversified programs to accommodate all types of women. For example, a diverse program that caters to the homosexual community oppression of sexuality, and gender. These women who are raped suffer tremendous pain, anxiety, depression, and despair. According to studies, the emotional impact is more traumatizing than the physical impact. Women have came a long way in America to gaining self rights and power, violence against women is another task on our hand to conquer.
http://abcnews.go.com/US/steubenville-ohio-high-school-student-convicted-rape-released/story?id=21435713
At Central College in Pella, Iowa, a senior was found to be responsible for the rape of another student. The student was given a choice in what punishment he received by the institution. He had two options. The first was to be expelled from the institution before graduation. The next was that he could remain in school and graduate but not be able to walk in the graduation ceremony. He also had to agree to allow the school to tell others that he violated the code of conduct. When the victim found out about this she claimed to be shocked. She felt that she was the one who had been treated like a criminal. The victim claimed to have met her perpetrator to watch a movie. He asked her about sex in which she replied no, but he forced himself on her. The young woman eventually became suicidal and told her parents of the incident.
ReplyDeleteThis case shows that rape is not taken nearly as seriously as it should be. People do not see it as a huge issue because of the way media has programmed us to think about women and sex. The media has created a rape culture that numbs us to the seriousness of rape and sexual assault. Men feel that they can impose themselves on women to display power. This case also shows the problem of victim blaming. This victim claims to feel as if she is the one being treated criminally for being victimized. The perpetrator is basically getting a slap on the wrist for his actions when he should be faced with much harsher consequences. I find it unbelievable to give options to someone who raped a fellow student. The university should have given him a fair punishment that matched the seriousness of his actions.
I chose to investigate an incident that I remembered hearing about on a Youtube video. The case concerned 28-year old woman Jamie Carillo who, in the initial online video that sparked the controversy, recorded herself calling and confronting her ex-teacher, now an assistant principal, who sexually molested her when she was 12. Carillo did not believe that any justice would come from this action because her statute of limitations for the crime had expired. She was simply seeking closure to her trauma. The video spread around the internet however and soon found its way to the administration of the school that the alleged violator worked for. Since then, the school has investigated the claims, and the assistant principal in question resigned shortly afterwards. It is worth noting that in the online video, the offender seems to admit to the allegations and even seems to regret her actions in some ways. She was not aware she was being recorded however, which makes the video a grey area for legal evidence. The assistant principal has not been charged with any crimes as of January when the story broke, although a lawyer is standing with Carillo about pursuing a civil suit, saying that the statute of limitations may not stop them from being able to win a civil suit.
ReplyDeleteI believe a big question that a layman may ask when viewing this case is why Carillo waited 16 years to speak up about being attacked. Now that we have gone through this family violence course, I know that a lot of that has to do with despair concerning what could be done about the situation, and fear. It is also worth emphasizing that Carillo was attacked by another woman. In class, we read an entire book concerning woman-to-woman sexual violence, which spoke several times about how effects preventing victims from taking action can be felt particularly harshly by bisexuals and homosexuals. While Carillo does not identify as either of these, she could still feel that same fear of being ostracized by society. People are less inclined to believe these accounts, or may downplay their severity even if they are believed. Because of this, I believe we should applaud Jamie Carillo for her immense bravery. She has not only found the courage to take on these fears, but she was so motivated that she confronted her abuser herself, even when she did not believe the legal system could help her. A victory for this case would not only be a victory in tackling both homophobia and sexual violence, but would be able to stand as an example for other women going through similar situations, that there is in fact hope for them.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/01/21/jamie-carrillo_n_4637398.html
Baltimore Ravens’ running back Ray Rice has been charged with aggravated assault for knocking his fiancée Janay Palmer out cold (Bien 2014). It all happened while the two were relaxing the Atlantic City at some casino. It was caught on camera that Ray Rice pulled the unconscious body of Ms. Palmer out of the casino elevator (Bien). The controversy of this case is how Ray Rice will be treated for his actions. His teammates and bosses support him but said they don’t disregard his actions (Bien). Most people believed he will just pay his way off and get a slap on the wrist. Especially, since he is a key player to the Baltimore Ravens organization. Another thing, is that all the attention is on him and will he be able to play for the Ravens, but I haven’t seen one thing about how Ms. Palmer is recovering from this ordeal. Mass media at its best and the system is relying on the status quo once again.
ReplyDeleteThis case is another domestic violence dispute on women again. Even after this ordeal, Ms. Palmer still plans on marrying Mr. Rice (Bien). I don’t know if she is dependent on him to live a certain lifestyle that football wives live or that she is afraid to leave him. I asked myself why she would stay in an abusive relationship when she has a chance to get out before she is stuff in marriage. It reminded me of some of the women in Potter’s book about how they only stay with the abuser because they were dependent on them financially. In the world of rich and famous, they tend to slid through the legal system with a payoff, which means they never really learned their lesson. We should interpret this case as another woman failing to realize that she is a victim and the abuse probably will not stop here. Hopefully she realizes that she doesn't have live like that and/or Mr. Rice learns from his mistakes and never abuse another woman again. Overall, this case shows how most domestic violence issues are handled in the eyes of the rich and famous.
Bien, Louis. "Ray Rice Indicted for Aggravated Assault in Domestic Violence Incident with Fiancée." SBNation.com. Vox Media, Inc., 27 Mar. 2014. Web. 28 Apr. 2014. .
Potter, Hillary.2008. Battle Cries: Black women and intimate partner abuse. NY. New York University Press
Trenisha Hallmon
ReplyDeleteSOCI 4350
29 April 2014
No one should ever accept violence and violence should never be the key. Violence is considered negativity in the eyes of society and unless you must absolutely use it to perhaps defend oneself, one should always refrain from taking on such behavior. But who’s to actually decide on when it’s appropriate to use violence? Who can give a person the green light and who can’t? You would think the answers to these questions would be “you,” meaning you’re the judge of your own battles. However, in cases such as that of Marissa Alexander, you may not have the right to choose when to use violence, even in your very own situations.
In the case of Marissa Alexander, a 31 year old African American woman, an appellate court sentenced her to 20 years in prison for using a gun to scare off her allegedly abusive husband (Hanna 2014: 1). This incident took place in September of last year. The facts stated that her husband was trying to strangle her and she was trying to escape and felt as though a gun was appropriate to use to protect her. So, where does the 20 years come from? Wouldn’t you think it’s appropriate to use a gun as well? This is what makes the case controversial. The appellate court requested that Alexander prove that her husband was “seriously” about to harm her because the prosecution had already claimed that she was guilty of aggravated assault (Hanna 2014: 1). The truth of it all was that Alexander’s husband was actually trying to strangle her because he had become angry after finding text messages that were sent to her ex-husband. Indeed, Alexander used a gun and because of that she received 20 years of prison.
As I said before, “you” should be the judge of your own battles. The fact that Alexander was granted 20 years of prison in a case where she felt it was appropriate to use violence is absolutely baffling. Many spectators of the case concluded that her charges were a direct result of her race (Hanna 2014: 1). I absolutely agree with this observation and conclusion. In some societies, African American women are known to be “strong, black women.” They are known to fight back, and be “fighters” instead of victims. This is known as the Strong Back Woman Syndrome and dynamic resistance (Potter 2008: 1). As a matter of fact, most victims in societies are white women (McDonald 2014). According to McDonald (2014), white women are usually considered the victims because they are not known to fight back and they are quick to seek help. Because African American women don’t fit the stereotype of women being weak and submissive, they are treated as men per se. Hence, this is why Alexander was charged and given 20 years automatically. The appellate court didn’t believe her at all when she tried to claim that it was self-defense. All of this evoked all because she fought back. There is an actual theory known as the Cultural of Violence theory and it states: men are supposed to be masculine, dominating, and controlling; Women are not supposed to be this way (McDonald 2014). I say this to further support the idea of race playing a part in the case, because Alexander didn’t fit the description of a victim. As I said before, you should be the judge of your own battles. And at the end of the day, no matter the color of your skin, everyone should be treated the same.
Steubenville Rape
ReplyDeleteIn August of 2012, a group of male student athletes from Steubenville, Ohio sexually assaulted a young teenage girl. The girl was highly intoxicated and was publicly and repeatedly raped digitally by a group of young men. Digital penetration is defined as rape under Ohio Law. What is very uncommon about this case is that the perpetrators basically gave themselves away. They didn’t just rape this girl and try to hide it. These students blatantly publicized the rape on many social media outlets. The rape was broadcast in profane and vulgar way on instagram, facebook, twitter, and youtube for everyone to see. There were even several text messages sent out to other students. Some of the pictures included images of the young girl completely incapacitated being carried by her hands and ankles by two teenage boys. During the investigation there were obstruction issues as it seems that local authorities were trying to help out their star athletes.
This case is absolutely the stereotype for our family violence class put into reality. It realistically shows many different themes and ideas that we have addressed about sexual assault all the way from the act to the response to it. In the actual case of the rape, you have a group of high school athletes. These would be the masculine men of the high school. Throughout our class we have drawn a correlation between society’s idea of masculinity and asserting some type of sexual dominance over females. We also see the underlying idea that somehow women can deserve to be sexually assaulted. One of the boys who had some involvement with the rape was quoted as saying “Some people deserve to be peed on.” This quote was in referral to the victim. Somehow a young teenage girl deserves to be peed on his mind, but it reflects the attitude of most of our society. If a woman is considered a “slut” or whatever term you prefer, then she somehow deserves to be raped or sexually assaulted. We could go on and on about this particular case. It is a prime example of violence against women that it rooted deep within our culture and the way we think as a society.
Colton Taunton
Soc 4450
Assignment #10
ReplyDeleteIn 2008 a Delaware man, Robert Richards IV, confessed to raping his three-year old daughter. Judge Jan Jurden sentenced him with probation for charges that typically would lead to over two years of imprisonment. Jurden herself was prepared to imprison Richards for eight years, but reconsidered because she believed the man would not fare well in prison. Why wouldn’t this man fare well in prison? Defense lawyer, Joseph A. Hurley points out that the judge’s decisions was “right on” since Richards was a wealthy, White “wuss” and
“child perv.” He also stated that sex offenders are the lowest of the low in prison.” It is the interesting that the judge is approaching this as if Richards was a sick individual in need of help. Some point out that it is not unheard of for a judge to use a public health approach towards drug-offenses, though is rarely used for cases of child abuse and sex offenses. Something else of interest is the simple fact that the mother of the children has recently filed a civil suit against Richards not only for the raping of their daughter who may face emotional scarring due to repressed memories, but she is also pressing charges for the possible sexual abuse of their even younger son. While these allegations of Richards doing similar acts to his son are still under investigation, there is a sense of fear about rather or not Richards may have another victim. It is her goal that Richards compensates for the damages done on their daughter and son.
Something that is criticized about the judge’s decision in this case is the comment that Richards would not fare well in prison. When looking at this I am reminded of the conflict theorist perspective that views the laws and the entire justice system as an instrument of the elite. The criminal justice system presents the idea that the more one spends on his or her defense, the better chance they have of avoiding conviction and strict punishment. This is in contrast to poorer individuals who make up most of the prison system, mainly because they could not afford that same level of defense. Connecting this to family violence, if the offender had been poor, and a poor minority at that, it is possible that he would have received a harsher sentencing. Just by considering his race and social class, the judges and the defense are presenting the institutional discrimination within the justice system. They present the idea that incarceration is meant to “cage” poor men and men of color. While at the same time showing that the system is to protect White people, and wealthy people. This is dangerous because at a certain point this may give off the impression that wealthy White individuals have a certain degree of immunity, opening the door for similar scenarios to occur, even if they do not occur in great numbers.
Furthermore there is a perpetration of Richards being “sick.” This simply implies that he could not help himself and he probably had pedophilic illness. If there is one thing that a person must be mindful of is that not all people who sexually abuse children are pedophiles and not all pedophiles sexually abuse children. With this said, to assume that these are Richards natural attractions, is playing into an essentialist idea of sexuality. If view these actions as natural, then a consequence is that they can be excused and not harshly punished. By harshly punishing, the can be a deterrence, preventing more cases of this type of abuse.