A woman's life - danger

It doesn't matter where we live, how old we are or how well we fit society's view of beauty - danger is present in every woman's life.

For some it will be the extremes of poverty, being barred from education, denied a voice at the most rudimentary of tables. For some it will be less public and be in the corners of what should be safe homes and families. For others it will be random: working for a jerk or being female and in the wrong place at the wrong time (for this I still take a moment of silence for the Montreal Ecole Polytechnique massacre on Dec.6, 1989).

For some, it will simply be the burden of depression for reasons that are personal and/or reflective of a world where being different and feeling alone creates a stigma that can be unbearable.

I recently had a stalker. It was a creepy, unpleasant time. A male friend commented that he had experienced three stalkers in his lifetime and yet I felt no camaraderie. I twitched when folks stood too close to me in public spaces. The tree branch knocking on my window was no longer comforting. A male voice became "other" when I couldn't see the speaker. It was not the first or most extreme menace I had seen in my life; it was a reminder that that threats are constant in every woman's life. Sometimes we are lucky enough to forget for a while but that's a small percentage of us.

That was my recent small window into danger. As the darkness of our days gets longer, take the hand of your friends as they walk alone. Mentor in other countries. Give to charities that support women and children breaking cycles of violence and poverty. We are one world and everyone deserves a voice, safety and support.

PS - nominations due Aug. 28!

As part of yesterday's post, please see the call for nominations below! Share quickly!

As part of their annual awards, the Womanity Foundation is looking for organisations that have developed and evidenced an ITC/New Tech/New Media based product to prevent violence against women. The award is a 3 year investment in a replication that will enable great preventative projects to spread from one region of the world to another. The call for nominations is open until 28th August 2015 and can be opened here: https://womanity.typeform.com/to/LCXhA8 If your work relates to this topic, or you know someone who works in this space, please do pass along the details and invite them to apply.

Safecity - crowd sourcing at its best

I am a mentor with the Cherie Blair Foundation. I highly recommend this organization - the mentor/mentoree training is terrific and the opportunities to gain & give global perspectives is beyond measure.

One such view came to my inbox this weekend. Violence against women & children should not be tolerated anywhere. All help, good words, actions or ideas are necessary. Mentoring can help. Sharing information can help.

Think about being a mentor with CBF. Or simply support folks like Safecity. No matter how much time or effort you have to give, it will all make a difference.

cheer & sunshine
dennie

From: Mentoring Forum
Date: August 14, 2015 at 12:11:30 PM EDT
Subject: Updates from Safecity #5813098384457728

On 14th August 2015, Elsamarie Dsilva wrote:

Hi Everyone,

Just wanted to give you some updates from my organisation Safecity which
documents sexual violence in public spaces in India through crowdsourced
data and technology.

We were recently featured in the Guardian
<http://www.theguardian.com/cities/2015/aug/13/can-the-safecity-app-make-delhi-safer-for-women#comments>,
Tech in Asia
<https://www.techinasia.com/tia-podcast-solving-sexual-violence-india-technology-art/>
and
the Aspen Ideas Festival <https://youtu.be/qYBjCjCawwU>

Please also support our crowd fund on indiegogo
http://igg.me/at/safecity/x/11587599 and request if you can pass on to your
networks.

A big thank you to my mentor Lorraine Hendrickson who has been a great
support to me.

I am happy to discuss collaboration with other organisations working on
gender based violence.

Kind regards,
Elsa

Women's safety - prevention over invention?

Did you know a female condom with "teeth" was developed? Or a bra, developed in India, meant to alert authorities if a woman is being raped?

"The bra, according to reports, not only shocks the attacker the moment its pressure sensors get activated; its built-in GPS also alerts police and the victim’s parents to the location where the attack is taking place."

While I applaud the folks who considered violence against women and children enough of a priority to put some thinking behind it, they didn't go far beyond the high-end bandaids. As well, it's enough that we have to pay for product to have a comfortable menstrual cycle :-) (as if I have a choice)... now Indian woman have to buy and wear an electronic bra? Manufacture them in pink and you've got a global marketing strategy ready!

These creative inventions don't offer a solution; the heart of solving the issue of respect for women & children is prevention.

Prevention comes in many sizes - just like the women it can protect.

• Raising our sons to believe in the diversity agenda
• Talking opening about hidden issues in the workplace and the home
• Studies that range from women on boards to violence in communities
• Link bullying (causes & preventions) to respect for women issues & initiatives

 This week, a woman was killed by her partner here in Toronto. It's a women's issue; it's bullying (it's not just in the school yard); it's a lack of voice; it's a lack of visibility into why, around the world in the home and the workplace, some folks lose their humanity around women & children in a myriad of ways.

 

International Women's Day 2013

International Women's Day - 104 years old and still not an out-dated concept.

The struggle for women's equality (reducing violence, pay equity, right to education, etc.) gives me hope. A lot of speakers lately cite studies and articles that claim we are the first generation since the invention of the printing press to leave the next generation with less advantages/resources/opportunities than we have had.

While progress on the women's front has been glacial in some aspects, it is getting better. Pay equity, board and leadership representation, educational opportunities look better today than 104 years ago and there are talented people striving to make them even better.

Women are a moving force behind the economy, societies, creativity and so much more.

We are some of the world’s great artists and thinkers over the centuries. Doctors and world leaders. Village elders. Neighbourhood Watch program captains. Microfinance agents. Inventors. Mothers. Daughters. Friends. Contributors. Conveners. Collaborators.

Attend an event March 8. Participate in a program this month. Raise the conversation this year.

Check out this year's themes and programs:

2013 UN theme: A promise is a promise: Time for action to end violence against women

2013 Internationalwomensday.com theme: The Gender Agenda: Gaining Momentum