Tonight's show - SlutWalk: Criticism and Controversy

SlutWalk began earlier this year in Toronto after a police officer told a York University law class that "Women should avoid dressing like sluts in order not to be victimized." The comment prompted the creation of SlutWalk Toronto, and after that events sprouted up in cities across North America.

Since the very beginning, SlutWalk has been controversial among both feminists and non-feminists alike. One of the most controversial aspects of SlutWalk Calgary was the organizers decision to partner with CJAY92 and the Forbes and Friends Morning Show. CJAY92 has a long history of misogynistic advertisments and the DJ's regularly make sexist comments on-air. Some Calgarians who previously supported SlutWalk Calgary were so upset they started a protest group on Facebook - Individuals Against CJAY92's Participation in SlutWalk Calgary.

Incidentally, SlutWalk Calgary has been postponed due to a myriad of logistical difficulties, inability to secure insurance and liability concerns. FFWD Calgary recently published a good overview of the problems that plagued SlutWalk Calgary organizers - check out The rise, fall and rise of SlutWalk Calgary for details.

But there are other issues with SlutWalk. Many people are uncomfortable with the term "slut" - including most feminists I've spoke to. Some people feel the message or purpose of SlutWalk has become muddled and murky. Others say there has been no real discussion or analysis around the root cause of sexual violence; the only point being raised is "slutty outfits are not an invitation to rape," which is obviously an important message, but the majority of sexual assaults do not occur because of slutty outfits.

On tonight's show we have two special guests who are both feminists that have been watching and analyzing SlutWalk with a critical eye:

• Joanne Costello has a Masters degree in social work and identifies as a socialist feminist. Her work has focused on the oppression of women with particular attention to the role of capitalism and imperialism. You can check out her blog at marginalnotes.typepad.com.
• Meghan Murphy is an MA candidate at Simon Fraser University in the department of Gender, Sexuality and Women's Studies. She is the co-host and producer of the F Word radio show in Vancouver, and her writing and radio work can be found at feminisms.org.

Please join us from 8:00 - 8:30 p.m. on CJSW, 90.9 fm in Calgary, or you can listen online at cjsw.com.

December 6 - National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women

Every year on December 6th we gather to commemorate the Montreal Massacre of 1989, and we reflect on the issue of violence against women in our society.

It deeply saddens me that gender based violence is so prevalent in our society. It's one of those things that if you don't experience it yourself, you may not realize how common it is. But it's happening all around us: about one in four Canadian women will experience sexual assault in her lifetime. On average 178 women are murdered each year in Canada. As a comparison, 153 members of the Canadian Forces have been killed in the eight years we've been serving in Afghanistan (numbers current as of Dec. 4/2010).

Because so many assaults happen in the home, they are invisible to the public and thus easily ignored. The privacy and silence around gender based violence is one of the major reasons why it continues to exist at such high rates. Furthermore, many women who experience violence may not even consciously admit to themselves that they are experiencing it: they make excuses for their abuser, blame themselves or feel they deserve to be abused. But nobody deserves it, nobody asks for it, and nobody wants it.

Violence against women does NOT just affect the woman – it impacts the entire society. The social and economic costs of violence against women are enormous and have ripple effects throughout society. Women may suffer isolation, inability to work, loss of wages, lack of participation in regular activities, and limited ability to care for themselves and their children. Their children, family and friends also suffer in immeasurable ways.

On December 6th we remember our fallen sisters and we call for an end to gender based violence.

University of Calgary's December 6th Memorial Ceremony
Mon. Dec 6, 2010. Noon - 1:00 p.m.
Great Hall, The Rozsa Centre, University of Calgary

Six reasons why you should attend Take Back the Night

Take Back the Night is a march and rally held every year in September with the purpose of raising awareness about violence against women.

1. Every year in Canada approximately 178 women are murdered. As a comparison, 152 members of the Canadian Forces have been killed serving in Afghanistan since 2002. Each received respectful media coverage, as they should have. Yet more women are killed on average each year, often with no public attention at all, than the total of soldiers killed since we joined the Afghan war.
   
   
2. 39% of Canadian women have experienced at least one incident of sexual assault since the age of 16, but only 6% reported the crime to the police. The other 94% remain the silent majority. Take Back the Night encourages women to end the silence and speak out about these experiences. If we remain silent, nothing will change.
   


3. 83% of Canadian women fear walking to their cars in a public garage after dark alone. 75% fear waiting for/using public transportation. 60% fear walking alone in their own area. During Take Back the Night we march in the streets to symbolize the right women have to feel safe in public.
   
   
4. Of sexual assaults reported to police in Canada in 2002, 64% took place in a residence, 26% in a public place, and 11% in commercial places. Because so many assaults happen in the home, they are invisible to the public and thus easily ignored. Take Back the Night is important because it brings a private issue out into the public.
   


5. During a 12 month period between 2007 and 2008, 61,690 women were admitted to one of 569 shelters across Canada. 75% of women seeking refuge in a shelter are escaping abuse, but only 25% report the abuse.
   


6. Violence against women does NOT just affect the woman – it impacts the entire society. The social and economic costs of violence against women are enormous and have ripple effects throughout society. Women may suffer isolation, inability to work, loss of wages, lack of participation in regular activities, and limited ability to care for themselves and their children. Their children, family and friends also suffer in immeasurable ways.
   

Take Back the Night - Calgary 2010

When: Thursday, September 23
Where: Connaught Park (11th St and 14th Ave SW)
Time: Event begins at 8:00 p.m. Arrive earlier to make signs and lanterns. Some materials provided.
More info: the TBTN website, or the Facebook event.

Rihanna: "I was battered, I was bleeding..."

Rihanna speaks out about the abuse she suffered at the hands of her boyfriend, Chris Brown.

Tonya Harding, Lorena Bobbitt and the Cycle of Domestic Violence

On Monday August 24th, Oprah did a show on newsmakers from the 90’s. The two infamous newsmakers featured were both women; Lorena Bobbitt and Tonya Harding. Lorena made headlines in 1993 when she cut her husbands penis off after he allegedly came home drunk and sexually assaulted her. Tonya became the bad girl of the figure skating world in 1994 when her husband sabotaged fellow skater Nancy Kerrigan’s knee, leaving her injured and unable to compete.

There is one common thread between these stories that really stood out to me: both women were victims of domestic violence. When Lorena and Tonya were separately asked what they would do differently if they could change the past, they both immediately answered that they would not have married their first husbands. Both women were emotionally and physically abused by their husbands, and spoke about feeling trapped in a cycle of abuse. Tonya was also physically and mentally abused by her mother, who was an alcoholic.

It is really incredible how abuse contributes to so many other problems in our society. When I watched this program, I couldn’t help but think that when one person is abused, they often go and spread that hatred and violence to others. This is how the cycle continues to expand and grow, and this is why it’s so imperative that we work to stop the cycle of violence.

Today, both of the women say they have learned from their mistakes and understand how hard it is for women to leave abusive relationships. Lorena works to help other women living with violence, and has launched Lorena’s Red Wagon, an organization dedicated to the prevention of domestic violence. Tonya says she's worked to turn her life around, help others and look toward the future. "You have to love yourself so other people can love you," she says. And that’s definitely a starting point for any woman experiencing abuse: learn to love and respect yourself and know you deserve better than an abusive partner.

Click these links to read more about Tonya and Lorena.