VIOLENTIAM (VIOLENCE)

                               by: Apostol , Almirah M.

Before we dig in to the topic  must know what VIOLENCE means.

VIOLENCE /ˈvī(ə)ləns/

behavior involving physical force intended to hurt, damage, or kill someone or something. strength of emotion or an unpleasant or destructive natural force.

According to WHO (World Health Organization) “That about 1 in 3 (35%) women worldwide have experienced either physical and/or sexual intimate partner violence or non-partner sexual violence in their lifetime. Most of this violence is intimate partner violence. Worldwide, almost one third (30%) of women who have been in a relationship report that they have experienced some form of physical and/or sexual violence by their intimate partner in their lifetime. Globally, as many as 38% of murders of women are committed by a male intimate partner.”

source: http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs239/en/

 

MARITAL & INTIMATE PARTNER SEXUAL ASSAULT

MARRIAGE

As both scientists and poets have noted, men and women are completely different. At the same time, they are clearly created by God to be one. As a violin and bow are one instrument, or a lock and key one mechanism, so also a bride and groom are one.

source: whatismarriage.tumblr.com

For us, both men and women considered that marriage is  one of the most sacred and important event or thing that will come in to our life. It is also considered as a union of two people as partners .What if your happily ever after become your worst nightmare ever?

• Intimate partner sexual assault is an assault that is committed by a current or past spouse or boyfriend. Forced intercourse within a marriage is often called “marital rape.” Marital rape is about exerting power and control over one’s partner. Unfortunately  marital or intimate partner rape was not considered a crime. In many countries, including the United States, rape was traditionally defined as forced sexual conduct with someone other than one’s wife. As a matter of law, rape could not occur within a marital relationship; the consent of the wife to the sexual contact was presumed.

According to a 2006 report from the UN Secretary-General stated that “at least 104 countries criminalize marital rape—if not under explicit marital rape statutes, then under general rape laws.” As of 2011, at least 52 countries had explicitly made marital rape a criminal offense.

MANILA, Philippines – Violence against women. That 3 words is no stranger in our country. It keeps on repeating and repeating. It is happening in every part of our country and it is claiming lives.

According to Fritzie Rodriguez  “Men are traditionally labeled as leaders and providers, while women are seen as nurturers and supporters. “This perception leads to men gaining more power over women,” PCW stressed, adding that “VAW is a form of men’s expression of controlling women to retain power.” 

• NDHS revealed that “one in five women aged 15-49 has experienced physical violence since age 15; 14.4 percent of married women have experienced physical abuse from their husbands; and more than one-third (37%) of separated or widowed women have experienced physical violence, implying that domestic violence could be the reason for separation or annulment”

Spousal Violence

 

• Emotional and other forms of non-personal violence are the most common types of spousal violence (23% of ever-married women). One in seven ever-married women experienced physical violence by their husbands while 8 percent experienced sexual violence by their husbands.
• Patterns in prevalence of spousal violence are similar to those of violence experienced by woman 15-49. Most likely higher among separated, widowed and divorced; currently married women who have married more than once; and in CARAGA region, Central Visayas and SOCCSKSARGEN.

source: http://pcw.gov.ph/statistics/201405/statistics-violence-against-filipino-women

The country implemented the Anti-Sexual Harassment Act in 1995, the amended Anti-Rape law in 1997, the Rape Victim Assistance Act in 1998, and the Anti-VAWC Act in 2004.

In 2004, Violence against women  cases dropped by 13% from the previous year. The decrease continued until 2006. In the succeeding years, however, cases crept higher. This is despite the enactment of the Magna Carta of Women in 2009, mandating the government to ensure that women are “protected from all forms of violence.”

Violators of the Anti-VAWC Act can be imprisoned. The law also requires offenders to provide support to the offended party if needed. To prevent further abuse, the law allows victims to issue protection orders (PO) against offenders, requiring the latter to stay away and to cut off contact, either temporarily or permanently.

source: http://www.rappler.com/move-ph/issues/gender-issues/85640-women-girls-violence-ph

 

10 Warning Signs of an Abusive Relationship

by: Gutierrez, Danica 

“Abuse doesn’t always have to mean a bruise”

Physical or sexual violence may occur without warning. Sometimes, however, there may be signs or “red flags” that serve as warnings that the relationship is abusive. The following are examples of a person’s behavior or personality that may be that warning:

• Does your partner tease you in a hurtful way & play it off as a “joke” or tell you you’re being too sensitive?
• Does your partner get angry about or make you change the clothes & shoes you wear, how you style your hair, or whether or not you wear makeup & how much?
• Does your partner check-up on you by repeatedly calling, driving by, or getting someone else to?
• Has your partner gone places with you or sent someone just to “keep an eye on you”?
• Does your partner insist on knowing who you talk with on the phone, check your call log or phone bill?
• Does your partner blame you for his problems or his bad mood?
• Does your partner force you to have sex in ways that you do not want to?
• Does your partner threaten to kill you or themselves if you leave?
• Does your partner threaten to hurt you, your children, family, friends, or pets?
• Have you lost friends or no longer see some of your family because of your partner?
  Noticing and acknowledging the signs of an abusive relationship is the first step to ending it. If you recognize yourself or someone you know in the following descriptions of abuse, reach out now. There is help available. No one should live in fear of the person they love.

  University Survey Highlights Role of ‘Verbal Coercion’ in Sexual Assault

  An internal survey at the University of Michigan of students’ experience with sexual misconduct found that more than 20% of undergraduate women had been touched, kissed or penetrated without their consent, prompting the university to use new tactics to address the problem.

  University administrators were not surprised by the high level of reported misconduct, but they conducted the survey to identify particular areas for improvement. Ten percent of female undergraduates surveyed said they had experienced unwanted sexual conduct as a result of “verbal pressure,” an area administrators say now warrants greater focus.

   According to Holly Rider-Milkovich, director of the Sexual Assault Prevention and Awareness Center at the University of Michigan. “The role that verbal pressure and coercion play has not had the same national spotlight that sexual assault has had, the University of Michigan will expand the healthy sexual relationship training the school already holds for incoming freshmen to sophomores, juniors and seniors, so that they can address age-specific issues as students mature.”

  Ever since the White House recommended anonymous sexual misconduct “climate” surveys in April of last year, they have been an important hallmark of reform at many colleges. Sexual assault is a vastly underreported crime and the surveys are designed to give a more realistic picture of what is happening on campus. The University of Michigan is one of the few colleges that have chosen to make its survey results public.

  In October, MIT published survey results that showed 17% of female undergraduates experienced unwanted sexual behaviors while at MIT, involving use of force, physical threat or incapacitation. The University of New Hampshire, a unique school in that it has been doing climate surveys for years, found in 2012 that 16% of its undergraduate women had experienced unwanted sexual contact or intercourse through force, threat or harm, or intoxication.

  At Michigan, Rider-Milkovich said the data shows that the real need on the campus is in “changing our cultural expectations, so that sex is something people engaged in when it is equally desired, not a goal that someone strives toward, regardless of objection.” At Michigan, she added, “We are really transforming how students think about way interact with each other. We will put everything we have towards that goal.”

  references :

•  http://time.com/3936005/university-michigan-sexual-misconduct-survey/ 
• http://newchoicesinc.org/help/DV/signs

SEXUAL ABUSE (CHILDREN)

by : Prencisa , Cheryl Faith 

Many of us wonder how these things (sexual activity) can be so widespread problem. When a executioner intentionally harms a minor physically, psychologically, and sexually, the crime is known as child abuse. This blog mainly  focuses specifically on child sexual abuse and the warning signs that this crime may be happening.

WHAT IS CHILD SEXUAL ABUSE?

According to RAINN ORG. “Child sexual abuse is a form of child abuse that comprises sexual activity with a minor. A child cannot consent to any form of sexual activity. When a executioner engages with a child this way, they are committing a crime that can have lasting effects on the victim for years.” Child sexual abuse does not need to include physical contact between a executioner and a child. Some forms of child sexual abuse include:

• Exhibitionism, or exposing oneself to a minor
• Fondling
• Intercourse
• Masturbation in the presence of a minor or forcing the minor to masturbate
• Obscene phone calls, text messages, or digital interaction
• Producing, owning, or sharing pornographic images or movies of children
• Sex of any kind with a minor, including v*ginal, oral, or an*l
• Sex trafficking
• Any other sexual conduct that is harmful to a child’s mental, emotional, or physical welfare.

 

Placing childhood sexual abuse in historical perspective

According to Historians of the family “Sexual abuse of children is far from new. They have discovered that adults in elite households in fifteenth- and sixteenth-century Europe sometimes treated young children as sexual playthings. An example of it involves the future King of France, Louis XIII. According to a diary kept by the royal physician, members of the French royal court fondled his genitals and ladies in waiting played sexual games with his tiny fists.” Even before this kind of act of immorality is being distinguished and being practiced.

Alfred Kinsey said “that fully a quarter of all girls under the age of 14 reported that they had experienced some form of sexual abuse, including exhibitionism, fondling, or incest (at rates roughly similar to those reported today)”

As the late 19th Century industrial age dawned. Mechanized agriculture allowed parents to abandon the practice of treating their sons and daughters as little-adult field laborers. They could for the first time acknowledge their offspring’s rightful identity as children who deserved nurturing, protection and education. At the same time, cities grew, and the sight of kids slaving in sweatshops or beaten on the streets by parents became incompatible with the enlightened thinking of the Gilded Era

CHILD SEXUAL ABUSE (TODAY)

According to 1 in 6, “[Child] sexual abuse is the result of abusive behavior that takes advantage of a child’s vulnerability and is in no way related to the sexual orientation of the abusive person.”

 

Abusers can manipulate victims to stay quiet about the sexual abuse using a number of different tactics. Often an abuser will use their position of power over the victim to coerce or intimidate the child.

 From 2009-2013, Child Protective Services agencies substantiated, or found strong evidence to indicate that, 63,000 children a year were victims of sexual abuse.

source:https://www.rainn.org/statistics/children-and-teens

        Perpetrators of child sexual abuse are often related to the victim 

MANILA PHILIPPINES

 

 

According to a new study of the Council for the Welfare of Children and the United Nations Children’s Fund that 8 in 10 Filipino children suffer from a form of violence. most of the children experience violence where they should feel safest – in their own homes.

The National Baseline Study on Violence against Children launched on Tuesday, December 6, said that 60% of physical violence suffered by children, and 38% of psychological violence, happen in their homes. The study was conducted among the 3,866 study respondents, aged 13 to 24, from 17 regions in the Philippines.

Recently ,

World Vision PHL launches campaign to end sexual abuse of children.

International humanitarian relief organization World Vision Philippines on Thursday launched its campaign to end sexual abuse of children in line with its 60th anniversary celebration.

World Vision Philippines’ three-year advocacy campaign, “It Takes a World to End Sexual Exploitation on Children,” aims to protect over three million children from online sexual exploitation and other forms of violence by 2020.

The campaign was launched in partnership and coordination with the International Justice Mission (IJM), Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), Inter-agency Council Against Trafficking (IACAT), and other advocacy groups.

It will be implemented within 23 areas in the country. On the first year, it will be implemented in Manila, Cebu and Misamis Occidental; on the second year, Malabon, Albay, North Cebu, Leyte, Bukidnon and West Misamis; and on the third to fourth year, Camarines Norte, Camarines Sur, Batangas, Pangasinan, Sorsogon, Leyte, Samar, Bohol, Aklan, Antique, Zamboanga del Norte, and North Cotabato.

Its campaign strategies include raising awareness, empowering caregivers and children, establishing an online hotline, supporting frontliners, conducting rescue operations and legal interventions, and supporting safe shelters and reintegration programs.

World Vision Philippines urged Filipinos to join the campaign and raise awareness on the issue of sexual violence on children especially online.

It was hosted by World Vision Ambassador for Disaster Risk and Reduction Marc Nelson and new World Vision Ambassador for child sponsorship Joyce Spring. Other celebrities (ambassadors) also went to the said press launch.

source: http://www.gmanetwork.com/news/lifestyle/healthandwellness/604374/world-vision-phl-launches-campaign-to-end-sexual-abuse-of-children/story/

 

Undoing a Damaging Trend in Sexual Abuse Cases

by : Nucos , Cristine Mae

July 29 , 1988

According to Elizabeth Mehren (Time Staff Writer) “On opposite sides of the country, Boston last month two major cases of child sexual abuse grabbed headlines, raising questions yet again about what happens when children are enlisted as witnesses in a legal system designed for adults.”

Social scientists says “their expanded understanding about the suggestibility of young minds is directly attributable to research spurred by these high-profile prosecutions. Often using this research, judges have been educated about assessing children as witnesses. District attorneys have established new training methods for prosecutors and investigators who work with large-scale child sexual abuse cases.”

Daniel S. Armagh an attorney who directs the National Center for the Prosecution of child Abuse in Alexandria, Va. Says “Because of the glut of cases that may or may not have been mishandled, I think we’ve learned a lot,We’ve learned how to talk to children in a way which probably facilitates their ability to tell us what happened in their own way and to understand that they don’t always speak the same language that adults do.”

One result of this new understanding, Armagh and other legal specialists say, is that multi-victim, multi-defendant child sexual abuse cases are probably becoming things of the past. Efficient prosecutions are more likely, they have determined, when a single, credible victim offers consistent, abiding testimony.

The fallout from these cases has touched the arena of mental health as well. Just last year, the leading professional organization of child and adolescent psychiatrists adopted new interview guidelines that stress that the symptoms of a sexually abused child can also describe a myriad of other conditions. Experts have also learned that the interview setting may affect what a child says. As a result, about 300 communities across the country have set up child advocacy centers–such as Stuart House in Santa Monica–where trained professionals work only with suspected cases of child sexual abuse.

According to John E.B. Myers, a professor of law at the University of the Pacific’s McGeorge School of Law in Sacramento says “For me the most important legacy of these cases is, first of all, a negative one, and that is the rekindling of skepticism about children’s credibility, But then there is the good news, and that is that we really have learned a lot about interviewing [children] since the early and mid-1980s, when these cases really were debacles.”

Here’s another article / story about child sexual abuse :

CHILD PROSTITUTION

by: Aquino , Kid Kyrel S.

  “ROSARIO IS DEAD”

Rosario Baluyot died at age 12 or younger; it wasn’t very clear. She was a street child from Olongapo – then known as “Sin City” due to its widespread prostitution mostly catering to tourists and Americans stationed in what was then the US Naval Base in Subic. Rosario died from a severe infection in her cervix in May 1987. Parts of an electronic vibrator were stuck inside her vagina for over 7 months. Nobody helped her until it was too late. The man who violated her, Dr Heinrich Ritter, brought Rosario and her friend Jessie Ramirez – a young boy – to a hotel where he allegedly abused them sometime in late 1986. He paid the children P200-P300 each. Ritter was jailed in September 1987, but was released after an out-of-court settlement of P15,000 with Rosario’s grandmother. In the same year, Ritter was rearrested when the judge nullified the settlement. In 1989, the regional trial court (RTC) charged Ritter with rape and homicide. He was sentenced to life imprisonment and was ordered to pay Rosario’s grandmother P60,000. In 1991, however, the Supreme Court reversed the RTC’s decision. It acquitted and deported Ritter back to Austria. He was ordered to pay P30,000 (around $1,000 at the time). In total, Rosario’s pain and life amounted to a few thousand pesos.

source: www.rappler.com

Apparently , Rosario Baluyot is one of the victim of child’s prostitution. The mainly reason why it is happening because of poverty. A child’s purity and innocence in exchange of money.

According to Puiling Gee “Philippines is the top four among 9 nations that involves child prostitution  Angeles City, two hours north of Metro Manila is the home where most sex industries takes place. In 1984- 7 provinces involves child prostitution. Today child prostitution  rise to 37 provinces. 1991-1996- 8,335 child abuse cases that were reported, 96% where females. 1996- 492 of 3,776 cases reported involves child abuse such as pornography and/or child prostitution.Most men whom buy prostitutes are laborers., businessmen, taxi drivers, foreigners or teenage males who are eager to lose their virginity. o Customers usually pays at the range of 50 cents to $2.50 for the service”

Philippines signed an anti-pedophilia cooperation agreements with Great Britain and Australia. In 1997 Britain and the Philippines are cooperating to stop child sex tourism with signing a pact in August 1997 to provide co-operation between the police force . British police experts gave a training course in Manila for Filipino police on how to deal with child victim abuse.

 

 

SEXUS (SEX)

SEXUAL HARASSMENT

by: Engracial, JohnmarHarassment of a waitress, by Johann Michael Neder, 1833, Germanisches Nationalmuseum

Sexual harassment may occur in a variety of situations —in workplaces as varied as factories, school, Hollywood and the music business.  Often, but not always, the perpetrator is in a position of power or authority over the victim (due to differences in age, or social, political, educational or employment relationships) or expecting to receive such power or authority in form of promotion.

In the workplace, harassment may be considered illegal when it is so frequent or severe that it creates a hostile or offensive work environment or when it results in an adverse employment decision (such as the victim being fired or demoted, or when the victim decides to quit the job).

source : https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sexual_harassment

SEXUAL HARASSMENT

Unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature that tends to create a hostile or offensive work environment.

Sexual harassment was examined in great detail, but one aspect remains unclear: Just how widespread is it? An analysis of national surveys on sexual harassment-each conducted before the hearings-shows that from 42 to 60 percent of women questioned reported being harassed. One of the first surveys was conducted in the 1970s by 9to5 of the National Association of Working Women, based in Cleveland.

According to Barbara Otto, spokeswoman for 9to5, a membership advocacy group for employed women , she stated that “It was a big problem even then,We don’t have records of results, but the overpowering conclusion from it was that sexual harassment is rampant” 

Two decades later, in 1990, Working Smart, a national business newsletter published in New York, asked readers what they wanted to read about. According to  editor Charlene Canape ” We were surprised that sexual harassment came out so high,We realized that there was more going on than we had thought.”

As a result, Canape says, later that year Working Smart surveyed 750 female readers, mostly managers, and asked about harassment. “We found that more than 50 percent of the women, all professionals, had been sexually harassed at work,” said Canape. “The harassment ranged from finding obscene photographs on their desks to unwanted touching by male co-workers.”

Women Employed (WE), a national membership organization of women at all levels of employment, estimates from analyzing studies of the subject that 45 percent of the nation’s 58 million employed women experience sexual harassment at work over the lifetime of their careers.

Nancy Kreiter , WE’s research director says “We’ve done no surveys as such, but one-third of the discrimination complaints we handle out of 1,200 annually are sexual harassment”

• A 1987 survey of the U.S. Department of Labor showed that 37 percent of its women employees had been sexually harassed.
•  A 1988 survey by the U.S. Merit Systems Protection Board of 10,648 female federal employees showed that 42 percent were harassed on the job.
• A 1989 study of 193 female doctors and medical students by the American Medical Women’s Association  indicated that 27 percent of the women had experienced sexual harassment.
• A 1989 survey by the National Law Journal of 3,000 high-ranking female lawyers in the nation’s 250 top law firms found that 60 percent had experienced sexual harassment at some point in their careers. The women in the survey were lawyers who were partners or associates in their firms.
• A 1990 survey of 1,300 members of the National Association of Female Executives indicated that 53 percent were harassed by male supervisors.

Many women wonder if the high percentage of women who experience sexual harassment will be more likely to come forward. Now that word is out that sexual harassment should not be tolerated and that city, state and federal laws protect women from such workplace abuse.

MANILA, PHILIPPINES

What is sexual harassment?

In Section 3, Republic Act 7877, or the Anti-Sexual Harassment Act of 1995, classifies sexual harassment as:

Work-related or in employment environment  Refusal to accept sexual favors would mean discrimination or deprivation of employment opportunities.

Forms of sexual harassment:

• malicious touching
• overt sexual advances
• gestures with lewd insinuation
• requests or demands for sexual favors, and lurid remarks
• use of objects, pictures or graphics, letters or writing notes with sexual underpinnings
• other forms analogous to the ones mentioned

source: www.rappler.com 

Street harassment is among the most common forms of sexual harassment.

According to Stop Street Harassment Organization “Unwanted comments, gestures, and actions forced on a stranger in a public place without their consent and is directed at them because of their actual or perceived sex, gender, gender expression, or sexual orientation.” 

In Quezon City, Metro Manila’s biggest city with a population of over 3 million, 3 in 5 women were sexually harassed at least once in their lifetime, according to the report. In barangays Payatas and Bagong Silangan, 88% of respondents ages 18 to 24 experienced street harassment at least once. Across all ages, 12 to 55 and above, wolf whistling and catcalling are the most experienced cases.

‘Hi, sexy!’ is not a compliment it’s  harassment

“Hi miss beautiful.”
“Hi, sexy.”
“Wow legs!”
“I love you, miss!”

those are the words we often hear whenever and wherever.  We’re told when we don’t acknowledge the unsolicited remarks. It seems that the only way to treat rude men is how one would treat barking dogs: Do not make eye contact. Do not appear bothered. Calmly walk away as fast as you can. Do not provoke the animal. It is unattractive and only guarantees you will be disliked. Or maybe that’s the whole point? Knowing they have no chance, do these men have no recourse but to be instigators, to make remarks at passing women as if they were passing goats?

According to Roland, a notorious cat caller I know. I asked him what qualities make a woman deserve harassment. He said women wearing “sexy” clothing are asking for it. Whatever it is you say to a woman passing by, it is not a compliment. Coming from a stranger, a woman is always put in the defensive when catcalled. It does not feel good to be accosted with comments, no matter how positive or well-meaning your “Pa-kiss naman diyan!” (Kiss me) seems to be.

To those men who believe catcalling is all fun and games, I challenge you to leave your young daughter to be harassed and propositioned in the street so you can see for yourself if she likes it or not. Your daughter is not bastusin (slutty)? Unfortunately your judgment is not the same as your fellow catcallers and you will not be present at all times. Someone like you will make rude comments at your daughter in the way you feel is innocent and fun.

“Ganyan talaga ang lalake” (boys will be boys). We often say this to excuse our men from their inappropriate behavior. This is a dangerous response to harassment. When we invalidate our own feelings about men’s actions, we fail to hold them accountable. We give them no responsibility when we shrug off their unwelcome advances as petty and innocent behavior. Even on social media we tend to encounter this horrifying and spiteful experience (as shown below)

https://web.facebook.com/HuhsmileTheArtist/

here’s another article about the said topic (sexual harassment)

Terrified woman shares sexual harassment trauma in jeepney ride

A serious problem facing any woman in this modern age is the threat of sexual harassment by perverts. It’s an unfortunate fact that many women, at some point in their lives, have been sexually harassed in some form or another, as many statistics have shown.

Society has a strange relationship with such cases. While women are encouraged to speak up on abuses they’ve experienced, they are also shut down by doubters and those who victim shame. 

 

Artwork Credit: http://theorion.com/42570/opinion/support-victims-of-sexual-assault/ 

Skeptical people, who are mostly male, tend to blame a woman for being sexually harassed because of what she wore, the places goes to or generally accuse her of being immoral. What these people don’t realize is that it doesn’t matter what a woman wears or how her attitude is – harassment is harassment.

 

(via facebook.com/luthilagreyth)

WHAT CAN THE VICTIMS DO?

The Philippines has laws regulating acts of sexual harassment such as the Anti-Sexual Harrassment Act of 1995, the Anti-Violence Against Women and Their Children Act, and the Revised Penal Code on Acts of Lasciviousness. Senator Risa Hontiveros recently filed 3 bills or the “Tres Marias” bills which seek to criminalize online sexual harassment.

Victims of sexual harassment may file a case with the appropriate Regional Trial Court, designated as a Family Court, which has exclusive jurisdiction over cases of violence against women.

The Philippine Statistics Authority provides assistance to victims of sexual harassment in the agency which includes counselling, referral to agencies offering professional help, and advice or options before the victim files a complaint.

A victim can address sexual harassment in a number of ways, as suggested by street harassment expert Martha Langelan in her book, Back Off! How to Confront and Stop Sexual Harassment and Harassers. Langelan suggested that the victim should show that he or she is neither a passive object of lust nor a hysterical victim. For Langelan, aggressive responses might lead to the harasser becoming aggressive in turn, or dismissing the anti-harassment message.

This can be done through “all-purpose” statements such as: “Stop harassing. I don’t like it. No one likes it. Show some respect,” or “When you say, ‘Hey sexy’, it makes me feel uncomfortable, and I’d prefer just a hello.”

A victim may also name the behavior and then make a command: “You’re taking pictures of the women on this train without their consent. It’s incredibly disrespectful. Stop right now.”

source: www.rappler.com

WATCH : https://web.facebook.com/attn/videos/1077417512293707/?hc_ref=ARRWpFVKpVKjzzX3FhC9vKkle-Y3Xe5tMb2dYR_Rqb0W-379iI678SFbxI7JV5BmEuM

 

 

SEX & VIOLENCE IN MEDIA

by: Fabricante, Aleah

“More Sex , More Violence , More Troubled Kids”

According to a newly released study by the Parents Television Council (PTC) that prime time network television is more violent than ever before.  Not only that, but the violence increasingly is of a sexual nature. 

Among the most sexually violent shows are those in the C.S.I. franchise on CBS.  According to Nielsen Media Research, on average more than a million children tune in to C.S.I. every week.

The PTC found that portrayals of violence are up 75 percent since 1998.  And the violence portrayed is now a fundamental part of storylines, whereas in 1998 violence was incidental to plots.  The study also found that violence is depicted more graphically than ever before.

Producers and programmers are filling the airwaves with violence and millions of children are watching it.  And it is a very real public health issue. Why?  Because thousands of studies indicate that exposure to violence on television is directly correlated to an increase in violent behavior and aggression in children.  This is accepted fact in the social science community.  Textbooks on human development now dedicate pages to the effect television viewing has on the development of children.

The PTC’s study includes an expert commentary by Deborah A. Fisher, Ph.D., from the Pacific Institute for Research and Evaluation.  Fisher states that children, on average, will be exposed to a thousand murders, rapes, and assaults per year thanks to television.  She warns that early exposure to television violence has “consistently emerged as a significant predictor of later aggression.”  Fisher also describes other effects that viewing televised violence has on children: increased fear, anxiety, obsessive thoughts and sleep disturbances. 

Perhaps most troubling, because of its societal implications, is the finding that viewing violence desensitizes children to violence in real life.  They become less sympathetic to the victims of violence and less willing to intervene to stop violence.

So the entertainment media bombard children with violent images, yet we’re still astounded when kids kill kids in schools, on playgrounds, at the mall. Is it any wonder schools are now forced to have anti-bullying curricula? Let’s put two and two together. Violence in the name of entertainment is a major problem, especially for the youngest and most vulnerable members of our society.

Keep in mind, all the blame can’t be heaped on Hollywood.  After all, ratings for these violent programs are often quite high.  C.S.I. consistently ranks among the ten most popular programs week after week.  More than a million children – week after week – watch it.  And absorb the violence.  All with their parents’ approval.

According to Fischer, the combined results of hundreds of studies show that up to 10 percent of real-life violence may be attributed to media violence.

Thank God the remote has an “off” switch!  Parents should use it more often.\

source: http://www.mrc.org/articles/more-violence-more-sex-more-troubled-kids

Sex and violence are common occurences in the media and with the available exposure kids have to media, their behavior, perceptions and personalities can be easily influenced and distorted.

What media is reaching my children?

In today’s society, the average child watches four hours of television every day; listens to music between 4 and 5 hours; and plays video games up to 7 hours a week.

Television watching is a favorite activity for kids; however, T.V. alone is estimated to be responsible for motivating at least 10% of youth violence. Although some stations contain ratings for shows, it is important to keep in mind they are not always age appropriate.

Violent video games are the most heavily marketed and consumed games. Exposure to violent video games is has shown to increase levels of aggression in both young adults and children.

Music today sometimes contains very explicit lyrics that often reference sex, drugs, alcohol, and violence. Heavy metal and rap music are known to glorify violence and some artists have been charged with violent crimes in real life, which can distort children’s views of the real consequences that follow certain behavior.

 

What are the dangers of exposure to sex and violence in the media??

Younger children tend to model behavior they see and don’t always understand the difference between reality and entertainment; therefore, exposure to sex and violence through the media’s influence can:

Cause aggressive or anti-social behavior. Media can promote aggressive behavior and can also influence children to believe violence is a good solution to solve problems. Create a false sense of reality. Young children can’t always discriminate between real life situations and behaviors and surreal television examples. Encourage irresponsible sexual activity. Kids exposed to sex on TV are almost twice as likely to initiate sexual intercourse. Cause a child to perceive the world as more dangerous and have a darker view about the world.Desensitize and cause a lack of empathy for human suffering.Distort expectations of conflict resolution, race and male-female relationships.

What can you do to help protect you child from the negative effects of the media?

Media is everywhere but there are ways to help protect your children from the harmful effects:

• Monitor what your child is watching.
• Set limits on their exposure to TV, radio and video games.
• Talk with your child about what they see and hear. It might be awkward but if you don’t talk to them, the media may be their only other source of information.
• Help them develop realistic perceptions of the roles sex and violence have in society.
• Encourage activities OTHER than watching TV or playing video games that allow them practice pro-social behavior.

source: https://www.scanva.org/support-for-parents/parent-resource-center-2/sex-and-violence-in-the-media/

THE RISK OF ONLINE DATING

Media is one of the most effective ways of communicating and reflecting social norms. Unfortunately, when it comes to sexual violence, mainstream media is guilty of promoting ideas and behaviours that sustain a rape-prone culture. Whether it’s confusing violence with passion, seeing women purely as sex objects, or suggesting that sex drive is an out-of-control animal force, TV shows and movies consistently excuse and justify sexual violence.

Furthermore, sexual violence is often treated with humour in the media. Imagine how isolating it is for survivors to see traumatic experiences similar to their own as a punchline for a joke. By approaching sexual violence with such a light attitude, media implies that the issue is not one that deserves respect or attention.

The potential dangers of online dating have come into sharp focus following the case of Jason Lawrence, who raped five women and attacked two more after meeting them on Match.com.

The 50-year-old, who contacted thousands of women on the website, including his victims, was jailed for life over the attacks

Jurors in the case heard Match.com had failed to remove the attacker’s profile despite four complaints, leading the judge to call on dating apps to increase security.

But despite the potential risks, two experts in the field say there is no need to shy away from online dating as long as precautions are taken.

Nick Tsinonis, co-founder of Scamalytics, which creates software designed to prevent scammers from targeting people on online dating sites, offered a range of advice as to how to stay safe while interacting with a prospective date online.

1)    Keep chats restricted to the website or app

“It’s really important to keep all dialogue restricted to the messaging services on the website. If you keep conversations strictly on the site scammers are unlikely to target you, because they know the dating site will detect their behaviour.”

2)    Block anyone suspicious

“On the dating site users’ behavior can be monitored, so if someone becomes abusive or inappropriate, the site can respond accordingly. You also have the ability to block someone on a dating site messaging system.”

3)   Take time to get to know someone before meeting

“When you meet someone you can quickly feel like you know them really well, because it’s often easier to connect in writing and to read more into the written word than the spoken word. This can mean you rush into things, and relationships may move quicker than you expect.

“Always bear in mind that the other person is a stranger. Take your time to really get to know someone, and ensure he or she is who they say they are.”

4)    Ask a friend for advice and their opinion

“If you even get a gut feeling that something is not quite right, ask a friend for advice and their opinion. Sometimes our mind can trick us into thinking we’ve met the perfect match when in fact we are being conned by a scam-artist.”

5)    Research them online  

“Don’t be afraid to research someone you meet online. Use Google Images to check whether the photos they are using belong to someone else and check social media sites to ensure they really exist. You can also search for sentences and phrases online, in case they are using a known fake profile. If something doesn’t feel right, don’t be afraid to just stop talking to someone.”

Charly Lester, an online dating expert and founder of The Dating Awards, offers tips on how to take caution when meeting a date in person.

6)    Always meet in a public place

“Anyone you meet online is a stranger, and you need to remember that, even if you’re on a second or third date.”

7)    Communicate with a friend

“Let someone else know where you are, and check back in with that person at the end of the date.”

8)     Avoid drinking too much on a first date.  

“While Dutch courage can be enticing, you don’t want to lower your inhibitions, and end up doing something you regret.”

9)     Don’t go home with them on your first date

“Even if you’re getting on really well with your date, don’t go home with him or her on the first night. And remember that bringing someone home is no safer than going to someone else’s house. You’re still inviting a stranger into your home.”

10)    Don’t be afraid to just get up and leave 

“Online dating can be a great way to meet people you would never had chance to meet otherwise, but there are nasty people in the world, and online dating is just one of many ways you may come across those nasty people.

“Always keep your wits about you, and if you ever feel uncomfortable you should simply leave. Your safety is of paramount importance.”

 

source: http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/10-ways-to-avoid-falling-victim-to-online-dating-predators-dangers-safety-a6915301.html

 

In caeruleum (In a blue)

By: Apostol, Almirah M.

Victim-blaming tells people that sometimes, in certain situations, it’s okay to hurt, shame and rape someone. Victim-blaming is never okay because it is never okay for someone to violate you. Never means what you’re wearing doesn’t matter, where you are doesn’t matter, who you’re with doesn’t matter, what time of day it is doesn’t matter, whether you are drunk, high or sober doesn’t matter. NOBODY “asks” for it. Be part of the solution, not the problem.

This is meant to be an all inclusive blog seeing as rape hurts everyone. Rapists do not discriminate: your gender, your sexual orientation, your race, your culture, your age, where you are, what you’re wearing, what time of day- it does not matter. It can happen to any and every one.

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I apologize in advance to any survivors who are triggered by any material on this blog. I want this to be a place to where you feel safe, accepted & free from guilt and shame. Unfortunately I can’t promise that everything posted here will be happy, but we can become empowered by sharing all our stories- good and bad. I will post things relevant to our struggle: PTSD, anxiety, depression, how to combat those things, politics specifically regarding rape and sexual assault, as well as a general awareness of the rape culture in this society.

According to psychabuse101

“Victims will almost always be able to admit their own faults. They will know they reacted badly and did wrong. This quality is actually what the abuser uses against them in the first place to make them believe they are the ones in the wrong. Part of healing from abuse is learning to point out which of the abusers behaviors are, in fact abuse, while still acknowledging what you handled badly. (And everyone reacts badly to things when under the extreme pressure of abuse!).

 Abusers will almost never admit they have ever done anything wrong at all. Their victims will be blamed for everything. They will hold every tiny thing against the victim, even things they could not possibly control, or they have never tried to talk to them about. They use social bigotries against the victim, and in their own defence. (Especially mental illness is used in this way – they believe their own illness excuses them from every wrongdoing, and their victims illness is proof they are in the wrong).”

Victim blaming is the worst epidemic that has spread wherein the victims has no rights to defend themselves to the traumatic experience she’s been through.

How it’s a problem

Victim blaming is a problem because there are people committing rapes and they do not even spend a day in jail because of this crime. People start to say that her skirt was too short, he was drunk, they were asking for it. The only thing that causes rape is a rapist not any other factor. Take the Steubenville case for example. People started to sympathize with the football players because the girl was “ruining” their future even though it was really the other way around. These boys ruined this girls life and future and yet they are getting sympathy. This is why victim blaming is a problem. These boys deserve to go to jail and they don’t deserve sympathy.

Why it’s a problem

The reason why victim blaming is a problem is because of society. Society puts this idea into people’s minds that people have to dress a certain way and act a certain way and when people don’t act or look the way they’re “supposed to” people start to lash out. People say that someone deserved rape or another crime to happen to them because they provoked the assailant but this is not the case and people need to understand that.

How to help

The way to stop victim blaming is to first realize that it is, in fact, a problem. Then you have to research the different kinds of victim blaming so you can spot it in day-to-day life. Once you are able to do that you have to stand up to people that are victim blaming. When most people victim blame they do not realize they are doing it, and once you call them out on it there is a high chance they will stop. If they are aware then changing their mind will be a hard thing to do but it is all a matter of doing what is right.

 

 

 

 

 

 

“Have courage, be kind.” 

GROUP IV , ABM103A