FB: Support rape victim

Hideously, people have been circulating photos of a gang rape online. And once something’s online, it’s hard to control. Hideously also, people are online claiming that she was asking for it. And it’s all apparently gone hideously viral.

BUT THERE’S SOMETHING YOU CAN DO.

There’s now a Facebook group organised to show support for her. “Like” it here.

Description of the group:

I think it’s important that the 16 yr old girl who was -allegedly – drugged and sexually assaulted – gets some positive support from everyone out there who cares.

If you wish to give a message that gang rape is NOT OKAY, then say so here!

And that drugging somebody is NOT OKAY.

And that sexual assault of any sort is NOT OKAY.

Thanks for sending your support to this young woman and her family.

Young men: more into traditional gender than their fathers

I’ve frequently heard that homophobia is far less common in younger people. Sadly, the same does not seem to be true for love of traditional gender roles amongst men.

According to the survey released Thursday, more 20 year-old men — about 20% as compared to 14% of their older counterparts — would rather their wives stay at home and take care of the children than maintain a separate career outside of the home. Almost as striking is the assertion that only about 47% of the younger men, as compared to 55% of 50 year-olds, believe their female partner “should do whatever she wants” in making the choice to work or stay at home. And despite efforts of the women’s movement to degender caretaking roles, only 1% of 20-year-old men and 3% of older respondents would choose to stay at home while their wife brings in the primary income.

(Thanks, Jender-Parents!)

HarassMap

Interesting…

A hi-tech weapon has been unveiled in the battle against sexual harassment in Egypt, where almost half the female population face unwanted attention from men every day.

HarassMap, a private venture that is set to launch later this year, allows women to instantly report incidents of sexual harassment by sending a text message to a centralised computer. Victims will immediately receive a reply offering support and practical advice, and the reports will be used to build up a detailed and publicly available map of harassment hotspots.

The project utilises an open-source mapping technology more commonly associated with humanitarian relief operations, and the activists behind it hope to transform social attitudes to the harassment of women and shame authorities into taking greater action to combat the problem…

Contrary to popular opinion, incidents do not appear to be linked to the woman’s style of dress, with three-quarters of victims having been veiled at the time. But efforts to curb the problem have met with resistance.

Although a number of draft laws dealing with sexual harassment are under consideration by parliament, there is still nothing on Egypt’s statute books that specifically prohibits harassment – blame for which is often placed on the victim rather than male perpetrators.

(Thanks, Mr Jender!)