Survivor Stories

Survivor Stories is a yearlong campaign by Equality Now that features first hand narratives from survivors of trafficking and commercial sexual exploitation from around the world.  The project was launched to coincide with the 57th session of the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women (March 2013), which discussed the elimination and prevention of all forms of violence against women and girls.  The campaign provides a forum for survivors to shape the conversation and be a part of the solution, and provides readers with related actions they can take to support the anti-trafficking and exploitation movement.   Read more…

Child Brides in Pakistan

In Pakistan children as young as five are being forcibly married off as compensation for family and tribal disputes.  The custom known as ‘swara” is illegal but there were 180 reported cases in 2012 with many more cases remaining undetected.  The Sydney Morning Herald recently reported, “According to tradition, the compensation should end the dispute and bring the two warring families together in harmony.  In practice, however, the marriage only provides cover for revenge.  Swara girls become the targets of all anger and hatred in their new home. They are often bitten, emotionally tortured, and sometimes raped by other men in the family. They are made to suffer for a crime they did not commit.”  Read more…

SOLWODI Newsletter No 96, June 2013

SOLWODI stands for Standing with Women in Distress.  In their latest Newsletter contains article on how SOLWODI is trying to make a difference including their efforts in Berlin to urge the implementation of EU Human Rights Convention Against Human Trafficking and their involvement in Munich with the Info Bus Project.  The Info Bus Project offers concrete advice and assistance which comes to the people.  The Newsletter also contains an article on being a women in Columbia.  Read more…

Media Representations of Women and Men in Australia

Professor Bob Pease is from the  School of Heath and Social Development at Deakin University.  His research interests are in the fields of critical masculinity studies and critical social work practice. In the former area his specific research focus is on men’s violence against women and cross-cultural and global perspectives on men and masculinities.  His article entitled The Sex Factor: Media Representations of Women and Men in Australia appeared in the Centre for Citizenship and Globilization Research Papers December 2013 issue.  In this paper he argues that the media has a public role to play in fostering discussion about why men purchase sex.   He concludes this article by challenging readers to ‘pressure the media to raise awareness of the demand side of prostitution and sexual exploitation and the role that men can play in challenging it.”  Read more….