Men Stopping Rape, Inc.

Interesting article via CNN.com regarding a study on previous abuse experience being a factor in girls receiving unwanted sexual attention online.

A good study that I support being done, though I worry that there is a risk here; though the article does note:

One significant factor that helped decrease the risk to girls was the presence and influence of caregivers, the authors found.

It also falls back on one of the typical statements about female behavior:

That risk is tied not just to an avatar, but to the overall image a girl projects online, they say. On sites that don’t use avatars, such as MySpace or Facebook, simply compiling suggestive photographs or narrative descriptions can increase girls’ vulnerability, they say.

… without examining or commenting on the behavior of males online – ie: that females open themselves up to this type of attention, but that the attention itself is expected and “normal” apparently.

Perhaps that’s the next study? Let’s hope…

Study: Abuse, provocative images increase Internet risks for girls – CNN.com.

According to the Associated Press (via Google news), the South Carolina legislature – well, the House at least – voted to pass a bill that promotes violence prevention in the schools while simultaneously barring the mention of gay and lesbian relationships.

Apparently, proponents of the bill are following the same logic of the anti-gay-marriage movement: not only is marriage between one man and one woman, but “traditional domestic violence” occurs between men and woman only. 

I’m glad the article includes a statement from the national spokesman for Parents, Families & Friends of Lesbians & Gays, Steve Ralls. He said:

“We are astounded that there are those who would prioritize their own homophobia ahead of the safety of the young people of South Carolina.”

Couldn’t agree more. Let’s see if the S.C. Senate can redeem their state image by killing this bill in committee.

The Associated Press: SC House nixes mention of gays in date-abuse bill.

My thanks to the folks at Prevention Connection for tweeting this…

Interesting piece by Channel 2 KPRC in Houston, TX about victims of sexual assault who are being denied payment of medical costs associated with collecting evidence, even though there’s a state crime victims fund set up for just that purpose, that appears to have plenty of cash in it… Text story, and link to video segment linked below:

Rape Victims Forced To Pay For Evidence – Houston News Story – KPRC Houston.

 

06/02/’09–Addendum: thanks to MHeald who posted the comment below about a clarification written by the director of TAASA (Texas Association Against Sexual Assault), which is worth a read:

http://taasa.org/blog/?p=1024

 

Very good piece written by Casey Gwinn, an attorney who works with the Family Justice Center Alliance in California.

 

52 Days of Domestic Violence Flu in America – Family Justice Center Alliance.

 

My thanks to the folks at Prevention Connection [http://www.preventconnect.org/display/displayHome.cfm] for passing along the link to a recently released report “Hidden Costs in Health Care: The Economic Impact of Violence and Abuse” from the folks at the Academy on Violence & Abuse [www.avahealth.org]. The report can be downloaded in PDF.

I haven’t yet read the report in full, but I believe it demonstrates what those of us who work in the violence prevention movement know: that beyond the immediate impact of intimate partner violence there is costly long-term fallout and health implications. My thanks to the folks at AVA for this important work.