Why is it insufficient to argue that racism is an individual attitude grounded in ignorance?
Gender, Power and Violence
Violence reflects and creates gendered power relations-
Central to maintaining patriarchy
Central aspect of feminist theory
Control of behavior of women- from clothing to movement in public space
Gender-based violence compromises the health, dignity, security and autonomy of its victims
Keeps women in “their place” of oppression
Police, judges etc. are traditionally males- nothing to gain from helping males
The threat of violence is enough to make sure that women behave in a certain way- what they wear, where they go- even if they are not a direct victim- they feel the fear and act accordingly
We can only rely on reported crime- a huge number goes unreported
Honor based violence- forced marriage, affects men and women
85,000 women are raped every year, 400,000 sexually assaulted
Street harassment and everyday sexism
Representations of gender violence
Normalized- rarely front page unless it’s a celebrity etc.
Seen as a private matter in a relationship- seen as something the media shouldn’t delve into
The body becomes the news itself- even in death, the female body is sexualized e.g. sun newspaper cover
Portrays the female victim as innately weak and oppressed, particularly in honor based killings or domestic violence who is seen as oppressed by their partner
Confusing cultural norms- media presents a simplistic understanding of cultural issues that are going on
Where rape is concerned- question over whether the victim was asking for it
“Women would be safer indoors”
Encourages women to stay home- response to rising rape numbers
“Rape isn’t always rape”- Nick Ross. – Women should take more responsibility for their own safety in public spaces- suggest the women is at fault- compares a woman to a physical object
Joanna Lumley- “don’t get drunk, don’t get sick in the gutter, don’t stagger about in the wrong clothes at midnight”- her advice to young women of today.- suggests that you’re culpable and there’s
Violence reflects and creates gendered power relations-
Central to maintaining patriarchy
Central aspect of feminist theory
Control of behavior of women- from clothing to movement in public space
Gender-based violence compromises the health, dignity, security and autonomy of its victims
Keeps women in “their place” of oppression
Police, judges etc. are traditionally males- nothing to gain from helping males
The threat of violence is enough to make sure that women behave in a certain way- what they wear, where they go- even if they are not a direct victim- they feel the fear and act accordingly
We can only rely on reported crime- a huge number goes unreported
Honor based violence- forced marriage, affects men and women
85,000 women are raped every year, 400,000 sexually assaulted
Street harassment and everyday sexism
Representations of gender violence
Normalized- rarely front page unless it’s a celebrity etc.
Seen as a private matter in a relationship- seen as something the media shouldn’t delve into
The body becomes the news itself- even in death, the female body is sexualized e.g. sun newspaper cover
Portrays the female victim as innately weak and oppressed, particularly in honor based killings or domestic violence who is seen as oppressed by their partner
Confusing cultural norms- media presents a simplistic understanding of cultural issues that are going on
Where rape is concerned- question over whether the victim was asking for it
“Women would be safer indoors”
Encourages women to stay home- response to rising rape numbers
“Rape isn’t always rape”- Nick Ross. – Women should take more responsibility for their own safety in public spaces- suggest the women is at fault- compares a woman to a physical object
Joanna Lumley- “don’t get drunk, don’t get sick in the gutter, don’t stagger about in the wrong clothes at midnight”- her advice to young women of today.- suggests that you’re culpable and there’s