Category Archives: Rape

HORRIBLE SEXUAL RITUALS IN MALAWI

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from: joachim omolo ouko
News Dispatch with Father Omolo Beste
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 6, 2014

About 500 bishops from around the continent are set to converge in Harare on November 28 for a two-day annual bishop’s conference meant to tackle women and child abuse cases in Africa. Last year it was reported that a young girl from Malawi by the name Grace went under horrible sexual ritual.

She learned she’d be going to a camp with her friends, she was thrilled. Every girl around her age in her southern Malawi village would attend the rite of passage. When she got she was told she is to sleep with a man and get rid of child ‘dust.’ If you don’t do it, your body will get diseased”, she was warned.

A demonstration involved one girl lying down, with one of the older women on top. “You should be dancing and have a man on top of you, making him happy,” she was told. At age 10, Grace was being taught how to have sex.

Like the other girls in the village, Grace had been sent to camp with her family’s blessings. This is because everyone makes sure their child goes to initiation ceremony because you will not be accepted in the community.

The Education Commission of the Catholic Bishops Conference of Malawi has released figures indicating that more than 27,000 girls dropped out of primary school in the country between 2010 and 2013 due to early marriages.

The Commission warned that unless the trend is reversed, Malawi would not achieve the Millennium Development Goal on universal primary education by the end of 2015. It went further to say that child marriage remains one of the main obstacles to education for young girls in Malawi where many girls are married before they are 18 years old.

The country’s official minimum marriage age is 15 years. The Education Commission has called upon faith-based communities and traditional leaders to join it in its campaign to have the minimum age raised to 18 years.

The conference which will be mainly made up of apostolic bishops will be held at Belvedere Teacher’s College and is also set to tackle child marriage problems in the region. Apostolic Christian Council of Zimbabwe (ACCZ) president Johannes Ndanga, who is co-ordinating the conference, said the gathering will educate and conscientise the bishops on human rights abuses.

The conference that ends on November 29 will be attended by a number of both apostolic and non-apostolic bishops from Malawi, Kenya, Nigeria and Zimbabwe, among other countries. Zimbabwe is adjudged one of the 41 countries in the world with an unacceptable rate of child marriages.

According to a 2012 report based on data collected by UNFPA during the years 2000 to 2011, the country’s prevalence of child marriage, was at 31percent, and was among 41 nations with the highest rates of child marriages.

Zimbabwe sits at number 39. This comes amid fears that if child marriages were not curbed through legislative measures, the figures could escalate with girls continuing to be deprived of their childhood.

Another 2012 United Nations Children’s Fund (Unicef) report states that if child marriage was not outlawed by countries practising it by 2030, the number of child brides would grow from 14,2 million girls in 2010 to 15,1 million girls in 2030.
Fr Joachim Omolo Ouko, AJ
Tel +254 7350 14559/+254 722 623 578
E-mail obolobeste@gmail.com
Omolo_ouko@outlook.com
Facebook-omolo beste
Twitter-@8000accomole

KENYA: TWO PEOPLE KILLED AND EIGHT MORE HURT IN LIGHTNING INCIDENT IN ONE WEEK

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Reports Leo Odera Omolo

RESIDENTS of several villages within Nyatike constituency are still in big shock following a series of incidents in which lightning struck four places and killed two pupils within two days and within a radius of eight kilometers apart.

The residents say they have never experienced similar incidents before and called upon the government to send geological experts to go and examine the ground if there are some hidden minerals on the ground that attract the thunder ball in the area.

The areas involved are those close to the closed down former Macalder and Masara gold mines. The mines which had been closed way back in 1962 had a lot o deposits gold, nickels and cooper. They were closed way back in 1962 before Kenya attained its political independence from Great Britain in 1963 and the former owners and managers packed and went away.

Small scale mining of the precious stones are still going on by small time local miners, though of late some prospectors and mining companies from Europe and South African have invaded the area and formed several mining companies.

The first incident took place early last week at Namba Kodero, Kanyarwanda sub-clan where two pupils aged 9 and 13 were struck dead. The incident came soon on the heels of the victim’s father’s funeral.

The second incident took place at Kongili village in Masara village not far from the defunct Masara gold mine. A woman and her small child were hurt as she was drawing the rains waters during the heavy downpour.

Another serious lightning incident was reported at OSIRI gold mine, which is very close to the defunct, Macalder Goldmine and the other one was near airport at a place called God Kwach. Two men who were taking shelter in a house were hurt. The survived but sustained serious bodily burns which required medical treatment.

THE AREA mp Edick Omondi Anyanga has joined the residents in requesting the government to send geological experts to go and examine the grounds in the area.

One scared resident told this writer Migori that the residents were now living in fear at all the rains which come to them. He said many have deserted their homes and moved to other villages faraway from these areas close to the abandoned gold shafts. They are just figuring it out as to whether it’s a pattern.

Many parts of West Kenya are prone to lightning attack during the short rains which begin early in August and end in December. So far the thunder ball has killed more than 12 people in various places including Nandi, Bungoma, Busia and Ksii,and Bomet regions since the beginning of last month.

Ends

Father Omolo Beste’s Homily on Third Sunday of Lent

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From: joachim omolo ouko
Sunday, March 23, 2014

Last week we discussed challenges facing families in Kenya today. The theme for this week is ‘Unity for Peace and Development’. The author uses the story of Mawiano Primary School to demonstrate how the Kenyan society suffers from identity formation. The first reading is taken from Exodus 17:3-7, second reading from Romans 5:1-2.5-8 and the Gospel from John 4:5-42.

One of the key drivers of conflict in Kenya as the author describes is the dimension of community identities – which is in itself closely related to the issue of land, borders and associated historical grievances – plus a challenging regional security environment and political transition.

Although the primary and key player in solving this conflict is the family by teaching children as the author recommends, the fact that most conflicts occur in our families in front of our children it is difficult for parents to teach their children about peace and conflict management.

It is also a very difficult task for Schools, Churches and other social settings to be used as a platform of educating our children and all people the need to unite at all levels and live in peaceful environment.

It is very unfortunate that most of our families today, domestic violence has become the order of the day. Children who grow up in violence family or being abused usually grow up in poor health, low self-esteem, difficulty sleeping.

Some children may indulge in drug and alcohol abuse risk, isolation, suicidal thoughts, and extreme loneliness and fear. Children are mainly affected from verbal abuse. This is where the father use aggressive actions such as name-calling the mother, blaming her, ridiculing her, disrespect, and criticism.

Whichever way, whether the father or mother using the same actions towards the father, or both. That is towards children abuse as well. Some long term effects on a child who comes from an abusive household, or have been abused themselves are guilt, anger, depression/anxiety, shyness, nightmares, disruptiveness, irritability, and problems getting along with others.

This brings us to challenging questions:

1. As parents, community and the Church how do we help our children to acquire positive values and appreciate the different ethnic communities in Kenya?

2. What can we do as a family, Small Christian Community, the Church or a community to promote unity as a national value begging with our families?

3. What are some of the actions that can be done at Small Christian Community, Parish, Dioceses and National levels to promote unity, patriotism, and peace in Kenya and our families?

Answer these questions keeping in mind that some cases of domestic violence occur due to jealousy when one partner is either suspected of being unfaithful. It can also be seen in a situation where one partner is doing better than the other. For example: the woman being more successful than the husband.

Some violence occurs when one partner has control over the other partner’s access to economic resources, preventing a spouse from resource acquisition. Some because of physical force to compel a person to engage in a sexual act against his or her will, also known as marital rape.

Another type of violence is expected to occur now that men’s tyranny of numbers in parliament has proposed amendments on marriage bill 2013. The amendment requires that a man should not ask his wife if he decides to marry another wife.

Already in Kenya women sometimes only find out at their husband’s funeral that he had secretly married a second wife and had children with her, leading to inheritance disputes. The bill provides for a certificate to be issued when such marriages take place.

Fr Joachim Omolo Ouko, AJ
Tel +254 7350 14559/+254 722 623 578
E-mail obolobeste@gmail.com

Omolo_ouko@outlook.com
Facebook-omolo beste
Twitter-@8000accomole

“Enough is enough”: the women of the DRC demand an end to sexual violence & conflict

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From: News Release – African Press Organization (APO)
PRESS RELEASE

No more war on women’s bodies

BUKAVU (South Kivu), Dem. Rep. of Congo (DRC), February 25, 2014/ — A fact-finding mission to the Democratic Republic of the Congo—led by Nobel peace laureate Leymah Gbowee of Liberia, and organized by the International Campaign to Stop Rape & Gender Violence in Conflict—today called on the government of the DRC and the international community to put women at the centre of peace efforts and bring an end to rampant sexual violence.

avatar.pngLogo: http://www.photos.apo-opa.com/plog-content/images/apo/logos/nobel.png

Photo: http://www.photos.apo-opa.com/plog-content/images/apo/photos/avatar.png

“They say that the DRC is the rape capital of the world,” said Gbowee. “But what I see is that it is the capital of strong women and solidarity among women. We are here to support the courageous women who have survived rape and other forms of sexual violence—and are now working to help other survivors. These women are the peacemakers, and they need to be supported to bring true peace to this country. They have told us: ‘enough is enough’–no more war on women’s bodies.”

The group, which also included American journalists, philanthropists and women’s right experts, visited Kigali (Rwanda), Bunia in the Orientale province of the DRC and Bukavu in South Kivu of the DRC. At each stop, the group met with women’s organizations, grassroots groups working on justice, provincial government officials, and officials from the UN and other international organizations—and also toured women-led projects aimed at supporting survivors of sexual violence. The delegation came to the DRC at the invitation of women’s organizations in the DRC that are part of the International Campaign to Stop Rape & Gender Violence in Conflict.

“We work with organizations around the world who care deeply about the situation of women in the DRC,” said Julienne Lusenge, the President of Solidarite Feminine pour la Paix et le Developpment Integral (SOFEPADI). “Together with our partners in the International Campaign to Stop Rape & Gender Violence in Conflict, we are calling upon the governments of the region to come together with us to ensure adequate access to care for survivors of sexual violence all across the DRC—and end the impunity that still exists for committing rape and other atrocities against women.”

The fact-finding mission met with over 350 women in the DRC. The women presented the delegation with key recommendations for the government of the DRC, governments in the region as well as the international community. The recommendations include greater protection for human rights defenders, effective application of transitional justice in DRC and reparations for survivors, access to a full range of services for survivors (medical, psychological, legal and socio-economic, family planning) across the DRC, reform of the police, army and other judiciary mechanisms and the full implementation of the National Action Plan on Sexual and Gender-based Violence.

One of the key concerns is the lack of adequate funding for grassroots women’s organizations.

“Groups like SOFEPADI do so much—with so little,” said Elizabeth Bernstein, the Executive Director of the Nobel Women’s Initiative (http://www.nobelwomensinitiative.org), an organization created by six women Nobel peace laureates. “These small organizations have the knowledge and skills to provide a full range of services to women in the DRC. We are calling for more direct support to such grassroots organizations.”

The delegation will end it’s mission in Kigali, where it will be meeting with local officials, members of the diplomatic community and representatives of international agencies.

Distributed by APO (African Press Organization) on behalf of the Nobel Women’s Initiative.

For more information, please contact:

Rachel Vincent
Director, Media & Communications
rvincent@nobelwomensinitiative.org
Rwanda as of Feb 16: +250-783-114-778 / Congo as of Feb. 20: +243-810-223-626

Zuzia Danielski
Online Media & Outreach Coordinator
zdanielski@nobelwomensinitiative.org
Rwanda as of Feb 16: +250-789-523-339 / Congo as of Feb. 20: +243-814-551-168

Anna Mayimona Ngemba
Local Media Coordinator
m_ngemba@yahoo.fr
Congo: +243 999 958 352 / +243 818 047 216

Ashley Armstrong
Communications Associate
aarmstrong@nobelwomensinitiative.org
Ottawa: +1-613-569-8400 ext. 115

To follow the delegation on social media:

On Our Blog: http://bit.ly/CongoWomenSpeakBlog

On Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube: @NobelWomen #CongoWomenSpeak

The Nobel Women’s Initiative (http://www.nobelwomensinitiative.org) was established in 2006, and is led by Nobel Peace Laureates Jody Williams, Shirin Ebadi, Rigoberta Menchú Tum, Leymah Gbowee, Tawakkol Karman and Mairead Maguire. The Nobel Women’s Initiative uses the prestige of the Nobel Peace Prize and of courageous women peace laureates to magnify the power and visibility of women working in countries around the world for peace, justice and equality.

SOURCE
The Nobel Women’s Initiative

USA: Rape audits?!

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From: Nita and Shaunna, UltraViolet
Date: Tue, Jan 21, 2014 at 12:11 PM
Subject: USA: Rape audits?!
To: Frank Bynum

From: Nita and Shaunna, UltraViolet

A key Republican-led committee just passed legislation requiring rape victims to report their assaults to the IRS–and the bill passed without a single female vote. Can you chip in $10 to help hold them accountable and stop the “rape audit” bill?

http://act.weareultraviolet.org/go/1468?t=2&akid=762.6000.Q5Lxt0

Dear Readers:

They’re at it again.

Last week, a key Republican-led committee passed the notorious “rape audit” bill, requiring rape victims who get abortions to report the details of their assaults to the IRS.1 And here’s the kicker–the bill passed without a single female vote.

We know that the only way to make Republicans back off their war on women is to hold them accountable in their districts. So we’ve created a powerful ad showing the faces of the 22 men who passed this bill without the support of a single woman.

They say a picture is worth 1,000 words, and in this case, that’s absolutely true.

With the help of UltraViolet members, we’re already pushing this image out far and wide on social media. But to really make this controversy take off, we need to expand the effort with ads targeted at the districts of the men who voted for this horrifying bill so that they can’t ignore us.

If we can raise $20,000, we’ll have enough to make sure this terrible bill dies. Can you chip in $10 to help pull it off?

Yes, I’ll donate $10 to help stop the “rape audit” bill.
http://act.weareultraviolet.org/go/1468?t=3&akid=762.6000.Q5Lxt0

It’s incredible–while most Americans want Congress to focus on jobs and the economy, Republicans remain obsessed with controlling women’s bodies.

It’s almost like they’ve learned nothing from Sandra Fluke, Todd Akin, and the political backlash from the war on women.

But the fact is, by being so blatant about their anti-woman politics, they’re handing us a golden opportunity to make sure this bill and others like it go down in flames.

The ad we created just says it all–22 men and not a single woman telling rape survivors that they need to report their assaults to the IRS when they access abortion services.

Can you chip in $10 to make sure as many Americans as possible see it?

Yes, I’ll chip in $10.
http://act.weareultraviolet.org/go/1468?t=4&akid=762.6000.Q5Lxt0

Thanks for speaking out.

–Nita, Shaunna, Kat, Karin, Malinda, Adam, and Gabriela, the UltraViolet team

Sources:

1. House Republicans Are Pushing A Bill That Would Force The IRS To Audit Rape Victims, Think Progress, January 16, 2014

USA: This is none of the IRS’s business

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From: Nita and Shaunna, UltraViolet

They’re at it again. Now Tea Party conservatives want to force sexual violence survivors to recount their experience to IRS agents. Click here to stop them!

Click here
http://act.weareultraviolet.org/go/1427?t=2&akid=738.6000.VxrwPa

Dear Readers,

This morning, the House Judiciary Committee is debating legislation that could force survivors of sexual violence to tell their horrifying stories to…wait for it…Internal Revenue Service agents.1

That’s because the bill sponsored by extremely anti-choice Representative Chris Smith (R-NJ) requires women who needed abortion care and are also survivors of sexual violence to prove to IRS auditors that the assault occurred.2 What?!

As you read this, House Judiciary Committee members are considering the legislation. If we act now and collect enough signatures to show House leadership that this is not only offensive but also a huge waste of time, we can stop the legislation in its tracks–just like a grassroots outcry stopped efforts to redefine rape in 2011.3 If we speak out loudly now, we can send a message to politicians that bills like this won’t win over women voters, and we can stop this outrageous law in its tracks.

Click here to tell Congress: Sexual assault is none of the IRS’s business.
http://act.weareultraviolet.org/go/1427?t=3&akid=738.6000.VxrwPa

When will Tea Party conservatives get how degrading it is to force women to have ultrasounds, go through waiting periods, drive hours and hours to find reproductive care, and now describe their sexual assault to an IRS bureaucrat? In a country where 1 in 5 women have been sexually assaulted and 1 in 3 women will have an abortion, it is incredibly cruel to subject millions of women to this invasive and traumatizing line of questioning.4

In the 2012 election, Tea Party conservatives failed to gain control of the Senate due in part to their offensive and extreme comments about pregnancy resulting from rape.5 Together, thousands of us helped shine a spotlight on that, and our fellow Americans were as horrified as we were at what they saw. If we act now, we can win this new chapter in the War on Women.

Click here to tell your members of Congress: Keep the IRS out of women’s private medical records.
http://act.weareultraviolet.org/go/1427?t=4&akid=738.6000.VxrwPa

Thanks for taking action,

Nita, Shaunna, Kat, Karin, Malinda, Adam, and Gabriela, the UltraViolet team

Sources:

1. House Republicans Kick Off 2014 With Renewed Focus On Abortion, Birth Control, The Huffington Post, January 8, 2013

2. Text of H.R. 7, Congress.gov, January 8, 2013

3. How Todd Akin And Paul Ryan Partnered To Redefine Rape, ThinkProgress.org, August 19, 2012

4. Nearly 1 in 5 Women in U.S. Survey Say They Have Been Sexually Assaulted, New York Times, December 14, 2011

Students aim to change tone of abortion debate, USA Today, October 30, 2013

5. Team Rape Lost Big Last Night, Jezebel.com, November 7, 2012

Sen. Brown and Portman: Stop military rape

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From: Nita and Shaunna, UltraViolet

The Senate is about to vote on a proposal to take military rape cases out of the chain of command and finally get justice for survivors. Can you call Sens. Brown and Portman and ask them to pass the Military Justice Improvement Act?
http://act.weareultraviolet.org/go/1277?t=2&akid=687.6000.Q0PlqU

Sen. Brown – (202) 224-2315
Sen. Portman – (202) 224-3353

Dear Readers:

Right now is our big chance to stop the epidemic of rape in the military and finally get justice for survivors.

This week, the Senate will vote on Senator Kirsten Gillibrand’s (D-NY) amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) that would take military sexual assault cases out of the chain of command.1 That means that decisions about these cases will be made by an independent, objective military justice system–not commanding officers.

Momentum for Sen. Gillibrand’s proposal, called the Military Justice Improvement Act, has been growing and the bill has support from Republicans and Democrats. But it also faces resistance from some members of the military brass, and it’s being .2

Your senators, Sherrod Brown and Rob Portman, will be key votes on this amendment, and they need to hear from you right away. Can you call Sens. Brown and Portman and tell them to stand up for survivors of military sexual assault? Ask them to support Sen. Gillibrand’s amendment to the NDAA.

Here’s where to call:

Sen. Brown – (202) 224-2315
Sen. Portman – (202) 224-3353
Then, please report your call here, so we can track our progress together.
http://act.weareultraviolet.org/go/1277?t=3&akid=687.6000.Q0PlqU

Here are some points you can make on your call:

– The military should be a place that is safe for the men and women who are willing to give their lives for their country. They deserve better.

– The Gillibrand bill creates an independent, objective, and non-biased system of military justice. It leaves commanders with the tools they need to maintain good order and discipline.

– Both survivors and military brass say the current system has failed. Survivors and many retired military leaders support the Military Justice Improvement Act.

Military sexual assault is a national crisis. The Pentagon estimates that 26,000 service members were sexually assaulted in the military last year. That’s up from 19,000 the year before. But only 3,000 incidents were reported.3 This has to stop.

It’s time to take oversight and prosecution of military sexual assault cases out of the chain of command. Will you ask Sens. Brown and Portman to vote for the Sen. Gillibrand’s amendment and help military sexual assault survivors get justice?

Call Sens. Brown and Portman and tell them to vote for the Military Justice Improvement Act.
http://act.weareultraviolet.org/go/1277?t=4&akid=687.6000.Q0PlqU

Thanks for speaking out,

-Nita, Shaunna, Kat, Malinda, Adam, Gabriela, and Karin, the Ultraviolet team

Sources:

1. Gillibrand ready for next fight over sexual assault reforms, MSNBC, November 17. 2013

2. Retired U.S. Military Officers Who Support The Military Justice Improvement Act, Senator Gillibrand

Veteran & Women’s Groups Supporting the Military Justice Improvement Act, Senator Gillibrand

3. Sexual Assaults in Military Raise Alarm in Washington, New York Times, May 7, 2103

Kenyua, Kisumu County: Men who marry underage girls to be castrated

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from: Judy Miriga

Good People,

While I condemn the behiviour of marrying underage young girls, the panishment proposed here is harsher than can imagined.

Je, huyu Gavana, ametumwa? To me, it is associated to the “Cut”‘ Couldnt he look for another way for punishment???…..Hapa niko na tashwishi……..iko nyama…….lazima hii maneno ichunguzwe… Are the Chinese contract for harvesting in the “Cut” still valid in Luo Nyanza??? I mean, are these cutters still going to the villages tu cut in the wee of darkness……..I think this Gavana need to be serious…….I am being troubled……… Mali ya Mungu need peace.

This thing about looking for punishment as damage control in the wrong sector of industrial department is bothering me……

Judy Miriga
Diaspora Spokesperson
Executive Director
Confederation Council Foundation for Africa Inc.,
USA
http://socioeconomicforum50.blogspot.com

– – – – – – – – – –

Kisumu County: Men who marry underage girls to be castrated

Written by KNU Reporter
Published inGovernor News Saturday, 03 August 2013 09:59

Men marrying underage children in Kisumu County may be in danger once new by-laws come into effect.

They are even suggestions they should be castrated as a punishment for marrying a child who should be in school instead of taking care of a grown man as a husband.

A Kisumu County assembly member took a child abuse debate too far when debating on a motion seeking to come up with stringent by-laws that protect children’s rights.

County assembly member for West Seme Benta Ndeda stood up to raise a proposal that stunned many of her counterparts.

Ms Ndeda claimed she was disappointed with many elderly men who force underage girls into their homes.

She said this stopped many of the girls continuing with their education.

The matter and the ‘harsh’ measure of castrating law breakers, however, was not taken well by her male counterparts.

“It is so painful that many young girls are taken and forced into marriage by men who should be castrated as punishment,” said Ndeda.

In many countries in the world, castration has been a common procedure in dealing with sex offenders.

– See more at:
http://kenyanewsupdates.com/county-news/governor-news/item/732-kisumu-county-men-who-marry-underage-girls-to-be-castrated.html#sthash.iWcveQa5.dpuf

USA: The end of Roe v. Wade

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Speaker Boehner and Majority Leader Cantor are pushing an unconstitutional bill through the House that would ban abortions after 20 weeks of pregnancy–without any exception for the woman’s health. Sign the petition to tell them to drop this bill and stop attacking women.

Visit Here http://act.weareultraviolet.org/go/879?t=2&akid=488.6000.TUDXfe

From: Nita and Shaunna, Ultraviolet

Dear Readers,

Remember Todd “legitimate rape” Akin? And Richard Mourdock who said a pregnancy from rape is “gift from God”?1 Well, they’re back–or at least their policies are. Trent Franks, a tea party Republican Congressman from Arizona, said last week that “the incidence of rape resulting in pregnancy are very low.”2 The truth: at least 30,000 women become pregnant from rape each year.3

What’s even scarier? The House is set to vote on Rep. Franks’s proposal to criminalize abortion nationwide after the 20th week of pregnancy this week.4

Republicans in Congress are using this bill to score political points with their conservative base, but after the 2012 election, they’re also desperate to appeal to women voters. Now, it’s up to all of us to send them a clear message: Women are watching and we are speaking out. Stop attacking our rights. Can you sign the petition telling Speaker Boehner and Majority Leader Cantor to drop this bill now? We’ll deliver your signature and comments before the vote.

Tell Congress: Drop the 20-week abortion ban.

Attempts to ban abortions after 20 weeks aren’t new–extreme conservatives have been pushing similar legislation through state legislatures for years now. Nine states have all passed similar laws, including Indiana, Louisiana and Nebraska. But the bill is unconstitutional, and it directly contradicts Roe v. Wade. Just last month, Arizona’s ban was thrown out by the federal appeals court. Courts have also overturned similar laws in Idaho and Georgia.5

It’s also dangerous. If it’s passed, doctors who perform safe abortion care could be tried and imprisoned–even if a woman was at risk for severe, permanent health problems.6

Not all Republicans are on board with their party’s latest extreme attack on women. Republican Rep. Charlie Dent even said of his own party’s leadership, “Clearly the economy is on everyone’s minds… and now we’re going to have a debate on rape and abortion… The stupidity is simply staggering.”7

If we all speak out now, we can show Speaker Boehner and Majority Leader Cantor that pushing this bill through the House–and continuing the Republican war on women–is not only wrong, it’s going to cost them politically.

Sign the petition.

Thanks for speaking out.

–Nita, Shaunna, Kat, Malinda and Karin, the UltraViolet team

Sources:

1. Rape remarks sink two Republican Senate hopefuls, NBC News, November 7, 2012

2. Trent Franks: ‘The Incidence Of Rape Resulting In Pregnancy Are Very Low’, Huffington Post, June 12, 2013

3. Ibid.

4. House GOP Set To Vote Next Week On 20-Week Abortion Ban, Talking Points Memo, June 12, 2013

5. Abortion Bans at 20 Weeks: A Dangerous Restriction for Women, NARAL Pro-Choice America

House Republican Calls Nationwide Abortion Ban Vote ‘Staggering Stupidity’, Think Progress, June 13, 2013

6. Trent Franks, Abortion Bans, and the Fetal Pain Lie, RH Reality Check, June 13, 2013

7. House Republican Calls Nationwide Abortion Ban Vote ‘Staggering Stupidity’, Think Progress, June 13, 2013

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SHOCKING HEADLINE MAKING NEWS IN THE MONTH MAY

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from: Ouko joachim omolo
*The News Dispatch with Omolo Beste in images*
FRIDAY, MAY 31, 2013

The month of May is ending with lots of shocking news. First it was the news that show the head of the Italian Bishops’ Conference filmed this weekend
http://video.corriere.it/widget/players/player_tv_video_iFrame.shtml?width=398&height=223&videoId=http://static2.video.corriereobjects.it/widget/content/video/rss/video_10e5d234-c545-11e2-896c-3db9fdd7e316.rss&channelName=ITALIA&advChannel=Dall>giving
Holy Communion to a notorious “transsexual” and homosexualist political activist who goes by the name Vladimir Luxuria, at the funeral Mass of a controversial Genoan priest.

The deceased priest, Fr. Andrea Gallo (hereafter referred to as Don Gallo), strongly opposed Catholic teaching on sexuality. In the video clip, published by the national newspaper Corriere della Sera, Angelo Bagnasco, the Cardinal Archbishop of Genoa is seen giving Communion to Luxuria, and another transsexual at the funeral of Fr. Andrea Gallo.

Three thousand flocked from all over Italy for the funeral of Don Gallo, the priest they called the “pretaccio communista” (an ironic use of “lousy communist priest”) and the “angelic anarchist”. Some participants wore t-shirts with the slogan, “Tell me who to exclude and I’ll tell you who you are”.

Standing in front of a group of priests wearing rainbow stoles and addressing the gathered thousands, Vladimir Luxuria gave a eulogy in which he thanked Don Gallo for “letting us open the doors of your church and your heart.”

“Thank you for having us transgender creatures feel willed by God and loved by God. We hope that many will follow your example and someone will apologize.”

Born Wladimiro Guadagno, actor and former prostitute Vladimir Luxuria (“Lust” in Latin) was a member of the Italian parliament and a founding member of the Communist Refoundation Party.

Although he remains physically a male, he claims “female identity” and is famous in European politics as the first openly “transgender” member of any European national legislature. In 1994 he helped organise Italy’s first Gay Pride festival in Rome.

Gallo, whose casket was decorated with a scarlet scarf, was known for his promotion of Marxist ideologies, and was popular with the more radical end of the homosexualist movement having participated in June 2009 in the Genoa Pride demonstration, complaining to the press about the “uncertainties” of Catholic teaching on homosexuality.

Gallo was called Gay Character of the Year by homosexualist activists. In March this year Don Gallo told media that the Catholic Church needs an openly gay pope
http://www.upi.com/Top_News/World-News/2013/03/07/Italian-priest-calls-for-gay-pope/UPI-54211362661597/
and said that homosexual priests should be allowed to “express” their sexuality. “Because repression leads to pedophilia,” Gallo told ANSA news agency, adding that he had been sexually abused as a young priest.

No formal canonical sanction was ever laid against him during his priestly career. An obituary in Avvenire, the Italian bishops’ official paper, called Gallo “Priest of the road for the weak,” and said he gave “a witness of Christ and of the Church.”

Under the governance of Cardinal Bagnasco, who had been named a “front runner” for the last Conclave, Genoa is a haven for priests who openly oppose Catholic teaching and discipline.

When this was taking place, 29 years old male Andrew Mbugua Ithibu goes to court to have his name changed from Andrew Mbugua Ithibu to Audrey Mbugua Ithibu. He went to court after he was unable to win Government recognition of her new status as a woman.

She accuses the national examinations body of preventing her from being employed by refusing to change her academic certificates to reflect her current gender status. The case is seeking orders to compel the Kenya National Examination Council (Knec) to change her names in the examination certificate.

Audrey says she was born male and diagnosed with Gender Identity Disorder seven years after completing High School and scoring a grade of A-minus. After completing High School in 2001, Andrew decided she wanted to be a female and chose the name Audrey.

Another shocking story making the headline this month was that of a Form Three Audrey Janet Radul who was abducted on her way to barber shop to have her hair cut on May 9. Her teacher at Nyamonye Girls’ High School in Bondo, Siaya County, had sent her to have her hair cut because it had chemical, which was against school rules.

She went missing since May 9 but resurfaced 21 days later on Wednesday, the day the *Daily Nation* published a story about how she went missing without trace
http://www.nation.co.ke/News/Girl-went-for-haircut-never-to-return-/-/1056/1865590/-/x7f1f7/-/index.html
. She was in Bondo at the shopping centre heading to the barber shop to cut her hair when a saloon car approached her.

The man asked her for directions to a place she did not know. Although she told him she had no idea, he insisted on shaking her hand. She later found herself in a dark room. The man had told her to mind her on business and keep quiet if she wanted to live long.

Janet described the room where she was taken hostage as very dark and she could not distinguish day from night. The room had no ventilation and the door was always closed from the outside.

As days went by, two other girls were brought in; one a Form Two student and the other a Standard Seven pupil. They were called Marion and Victoria respectively; Marion was in a grey skirt, white shirt and grey windbreaker while Victoria was in a blue uniform with a white collar.

Later, some two men — an Indian and an African — came for the two and she remained alone again. The men appeared to be dealing in sex trade because she heard one say: ‘I like this little one, she looks so young. He was referring to Marion the class seven girl,”

Another shocking news making headline was that of a 20-year-old man from USA confessed to smothering a 14-year-old girl, keeping her body in a suitcase, and trying to set her remains on fire because she would not have an abortion.

In another story, 26-year-old pregnant mother Zhang Yinping was dragged to the local Family Planning Office in Yuyue, Hubei, for a forced abortion. Despite being 6-months pregnant, the Family Planning Officials reportedly went ahead with the forced surgery. After the surgery, Ms. Zhang suffered a massive hemorrhage and died the following morning on May 24th.

China’s one-child policy is routinely enforced through brutal measures including forced abortions and sterilizations, and crippling fines that can amount to several times a family’s annual income.

It is at the time statistics from the Nepalese Health Ministry indicate that more than 95,000 abortions were performed between April 2010 and April 2011, up from 89,000 the year before and 51,000 the year before that.

In 2002, Nepal legalized abortion until the 12th week of pregnancy, a deadline that is extended until the 18th week in cases of rape, incest, fetal disabilities, or if the woman’s health is in danger.

It is quite shocking that at Barcelona’s Sant Pau Hospital, which is co-administered by the Catholic Archdiocese of Barcelona, killed an unborn child earlier this month in a pre-scheduled abortion based on the “suspicion” of deformities that normally do not pose a medical danger to the mother, according to internal hospital documents obtained by LifeSiteNews.com.

The documents contradict repeated and vehement denials by Barcelona’s Cardinal Archbishop Lluis Martinez Sistach, who has dismissed numerous reports published in the Spanish media and abroad regarding the killing of the unborn at the facility since they first began to be published in 2010.

The documents, written in Catalonian and Spanish, include copied text in Word format apparently taken from hospital computer records, as well as two screen shots of hospital computers. They indicate that a woman entered the hospital on May 13 at 10 a.m. “for a medical interruption of pregnancy because of a suspicion of fetal osteochondrodysplasia with thoracic hypoplasia.”

According to standard medical references, osteochondrodysplasia is a disorder that causes stunted bone growth and is often associated with dwarfism. Thoracic hypoplasia is a lack of complete growth in the chest area.

The archbishop of Barcelona, Cardinal Lluis Martinez Sistach, has stonewalled pro-life groups for years regarding numerous reports of abortions at the hospital, which began appearing in the media in 2010, when the Spanish newspaper *ABC *revealed government records indicating that several Church-affiliated hospitals in the Catalonia region had been performing abortions for years.

In 2011, the Cardinal began to publicly deny the reports, claiming that abortions do not occur at Sant Pau, adding that an order had been given not to perform abortions.

However, the evidence of the killing of unborn children at Sant Pau has continued to pile up.

The sad news is that after your abortion, you may go through a number of different emotions. Some women feel relieved; some feel sadness and grief, whereas others may have mixed feelings.

You may also develop an infection after your abortion, heavy vaginal bleeding with large clots, severe lower abdominal pain, high temperature and generally feeling unwell, unusual or unpleasant smelling vaginal discharge.

*Fr Joachim Omolo Ouko, AJ*
*Tel +254 7350 14559/+254 722 623 578*
*E-mail **omolo.ouko@gmail.com***
*Facebook-omolo beste*
*Twitter-@8000accomole*

* *
Real change must come from ordinary people who refuse to be taken hostage by the weapons of politicians in the face of inequality, racism and oppression, but march together towards a clear and unambiguous goal.*

-Anne Montgomery, RSCJ UN Disarmament Conference, 2002
* *

USA: What happened on FoxNews

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Zerlina Maxwell is being attacked because she said on Fox News that we should teach men not to rape. She’s right, and we can’t let the racist, misogynistic attacks drown out her important message. Will you sign this thank you petition to Zerlina?

Click Here
http://act.weareultraviolet.org/go/549?t=2&akid=339.6000.mVU4HB

From: Nita and Shaunna, Ultraviolet

Dear readewr:

“We need to tell men to stop raping women.”

That is what Zerlina Maxwell–the latest target of right-wing media–is being visciously attacked for saying since she appeared on Fox News last week.1

We all know the kind of sexist treatment major female political leaders, like Hillary Clinton, face.2 And last year we saw just how vitriolic the right-wing media could be when Rush Limbaugh repeatedly attacked Sandra Fluke for speaking out on birth control.3

Zerlina Maxwell, their latest target, is a rape survivor, a progressive, an African-American writer and a frequent guest on political talk shows. But most importantly to them: She had the nerve to suggest that rape is the responsibility of rapists, not their targets. That instead of arming women with assault rifles to protect them from rape, we should as a society teach men not to rape and address the culture that makes rape so pervasive in our country.4 And the response has been ugly.

This is hardly a controversial position to take–there are already men’s groups like Ring the Bell and Men Can Stop Rape who are working to change rape culture.5 But ever since that appearance Maxwell has faced heavy harassment. People have posted on the internet that she should be raped and murdered, called her horrible, racist epithets and more.6

But she’s not backing down. And she deserves our thanks. All too often women are shouted down and harassed for speaking out–a cynical attempt to silence them. And if we want women to keep speaking out and standing up, we need to thank them and let them know that there are tens of thousands of us who have their backs. Can you sign the petition and leave a note for Zerlina, thanking her for her bravery? We will send her every last signature and comment we gather this week.

Add your thanks to Zerlina Maxwell right away.
http://act.weareultraviolet.org/go/549?t=3&akid=339.6000.mVU4HB

The things that have been said about Zerlina Maxwell since her comment on Fox News last week are shocking and disgusting. Her common-sense approach to addressing our country’s pervasive problem with sexual assault was called “bizarre” by the Blaze7, was completely mischaracterized by the Washington Times8, and she’s been attacked with disguising insults on blog after blog.

But some of the worst attacks have come on social media, where her Facebook and Twitter accounts have been inundated with hundreds of people have calling for her to be raped, killed, and more. The attacks are blatantly racist and horribly misogynist. One person tweeted to her “I hope you get raped and your throat slit. May be then you understand why white women have to be armed. DIE B—-!” Another said on Facebook “Ur what’s wrong with America. I hope you get raped. And killed. By an out of control black man.”9

Zerlina was right: the extreme right-wing message that was promoted on Fox News, in Congressional hearings, and elsewhere recently–that women should arm themselves with assault rifles to protect themselves from potential attackers–puts the responsibility for preventing violence against women on women, not on the perpetrator.10 We should be teaching men not to rape, and that a rapist is the only person who is responsible for the crime they commit. And studies show she is right: anti-rape campaigns that have targeted men have shown great results in reducing sexual assault.11

It was courageous of Zerlina to speak out on Fox News, and it’s important that we don’t let these racist, misogynist attacks be the loudest response to her message. We need women like her to keep speaking up–and when they do, we need to support them. Can you sign the petition and leave a note to thank her for speaking out? We’ll send your message of support to her this week.

Sign the petition to support Zerlina Maxwell right away.
http://act.weareultraviolet.org/go/549?t=4&akid=339.6000.mVU4HB

Thanks for speaking out.

Nita, Shaunna, Kat, Malinda, and Karin, the UltraViolet team

Sources:

1. Fox News Guest Receives Racist Rape And Death Threats After Arguing Guns Aren’t The Solution To Rape, Think Progress, March 9, 2013

2. New York Post Goes After Hillary Clinton With Blatantly Sexist Cover, Think Progress, January 24, 2013

3. Rush Limbaugh Attacks Sandra Fluke Again (AUDIO), Huffington Post, April 24, 2012

4. Fox News Guest Receives Racist Rape And Death Threats After Arguing Guns Aren’t The Solution To Rape, Think Progress, March 9, 2013

Can men be taught not to rape?, Salon, March 8, 2013

5. Mission and Values, Men Can Stop Rape website

The Roots of Bell Bajao, Ring the Bell website

6. Fox News Guest Receives Racist Rape And Death Threats After Arguing Guns Aren’t The Solution To Rape, Think Progress, March 9, 2013

7. Democratic Strategist’s Shocking Claim: Women Don’t Need Guns for Self-defense, Just Tell Men ‘Not to Rape Women’, The Blaze, March 5, 2013

8. Dem strategist: No guns, just tell men not to rape women, Washington Times, March 6, 2013

9. Fox News Guest Receives Racist Rape And Death Threats After Arguing Guns Aren’t The Solution To Rape, Think Progress, March 9, 2013

10. Gayle Trotter’s Ideas Will Not Keep Women Safe, Slate, January 30, 2013

11. Can men be taught not to rape?, Salon, March 8, 2013

WORLD: INTERNATIONAL DAY FOR ELIMINATION OF VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN

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From: Ouko joachim omolo
Voices of Justice for Peace
Regional News

BY FR JOACHIM OMOLO OUKO, AJ
NAIROBI-KENYA
SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 2012

Today is Sunday November 25, 2012, the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women. For Roman Catholic it is the feast of Christ the King. The Day for the Elimination of violence against women has been officially recognised by the United Nations since 1999. Attached images demonstrate horrible faces of some of the assaulted women around the world.

Women’s activists have marked 25 November as a day against violence since 1981. This date came from the brutal assassination in 1960, of the three Mirabal sisters, political activists in the Dominican Republic, on orders of Dominican ruler Rafael Trujillo (1930-1961).

On 20 December 1993 the General Assembly, by resolution 48/104, adopted the Declaration on the Elimination of Violence against Women. NGOs, faith groups and women’s groups are especially active in the Day, pressing government to take concrete action.

The Secretary-General of the UN, Ban Ki Moon in his statement describes how millions of women and girls around the world are assaulted, beaten, raped, mutilated or even murdered in what constitutes appalling violations of their human rights.

From battlefield to home, on the streets, at school, in the workplace or in their community, up to 70 per cent of women experience physical or sexual violence at some point in their lifetime. As many as a quarter of all pregnant women are affected. All too often, perpetrators go unpunished. Women and girls are afraid to speak out because of a culture of impunity.

Some historians believe that the history of violence against women is tied to the history of women being viewed as property and a gender role assigned to be subservient to men and also other women.

Widows in particular are often confront a denial of inheritance and land rights, degrading and life-threatening mourning and burial rites and other forms of widow abuse. Some are evicted from their homes and physically abused – some even killed – even by members of their own family.

This happens because in many countries, a woman’s social status is inextricably linked to her husband’s, so that when her husband dies, a woman no longer has a place in society. To regain social status, widows are expected to marry one of their husband’s male relatives, sometimes unwillingly. That is why for many, the loss of a husband is only the first trauma in a long-term ordeal.

Yet still, in many countries, widowhood is stigmatized and seen as a source of shame. Widows are thought to be cursed in some cultures and are even associated with witchcraft. Such misconceptions can lead to widows being ostracized.

As a result children of widows are often affected, both emotionally and economically. Widowed mothers, now supporting their families alone, are forced to withdraw children from school and to rely on their labour.

Moreover, the daughters of widows may suffer multiple deprivations, increasing their vulnerability to abuse. Such cruelties are often seen as justified in terms of cultural or religious practice. It explains why even in countries where legal protection is more inclusive, widows suffer social marginalization.

In some communities widows are forced to be sexually cleansed, generally involving a widow having sexual relations either with a designated village cleanser or with a relative of her late husband.

It has traditionally been a way to break with the past and move forward—as well as an attempt to establish a family’s ownership of the husband’s property, including his wife. It does not matter whether the husband died of Aids or not.

In some communities where a group of widows are challenging the practice with help from church institutions, especially in Western Kenya, even though they have refused to sleep with a cleanser, most of these women are traumatized.

Laws are not enough to change these conditions. India, for example, has a law dating back to 1956 that allows some women to inherit property from their fathers. Despite the law, women rarely inherit and are often unaware of their rights.

Many widows in traditional societies have no rights, or very limited rights, to inheritance or land ownership under customary and religious law. Without inheritance rights, including a lack of rights to the property of their birth family, widows find themselves financially insecure and totally dependent on the charity of their husbands’ relatives.

Poor nutrition, inadequate shelter and vulnerability to violence, combined with a lack of access to health care, can impact the physical and mental well-being of widows. The sexual and reproductive health needs of widows may go unaddressed, including the fact that widows are often the victims of rape.

Due to taboo and stigma associated with sexual violence, many cases of sexual abuse are not reported. Experiences of sexual and gender based violence like this were suffered on a massive extent in 2008 when Kenya faced the worst political crises since independence.

Yet still, domestic violence is often treated as a private matter, exempt from norms and laws that apply to stranger violence. Victims face stigma not associated with other crimes. Impunity emboldens perpetrators.

In conservative communities, Muslim women are often considered inferior to their husbands, possibly controlled or oppressed, and lacking opportunities that would give them their own personal sense of identity, all of which adds to the complicated nature of unearthing and obtaining remedies for domestic violence.

Many Muslim women are required to wear a veil, hijab or burga. In Iran a woman who is unveiled in public could be fined or put in jail. This is because domestic violence is considered to be a problem in Muslim-majority cultures.

Men are the maintainers of women because Allah has made some of them to excel others and because they spend out of their property; the good women are therefore obedient, guarding the unseen as Allah has guarded; and (as to) those on whose part you fear desertion, admonish them, and leave them alone in the sleeping-places and beat them; then if they obey you, do not seek a way against them; surely Allah is High, Great.

According to 1979 Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW), Article 10 provides that States must take measures to ensure women’s equal rights with men to education.

Among the provisions of Article 12 is the requirement to take all appropriate measures to eliminate discrimination against women in the field of health care in order to ensure, on a basis of equality of men and women, access to health-care services, including those related to family planning. Article 16 requires States Parties to eliminate discrimination against women in the context of marriage and family relations.

The 1993 World Conference on Human Rights, Declaration and Programme of Action (‘Vienna Declaration’), Article 41 recognizes the importance of women’s right to enjoy the highest standard of physical and mental health throughout their life span. Throughout the document there are significant statements relating to women’s human rights and violence against women.

Still, 1993 Declaration on the Elimination of Violence against Women, Article 4 calls on States to condemn violence against women and not invoke any custom, tradition or religious consideration to avoid their obligations with respect to its elimination. States should pursue by all appropriate means and without delay a policy of eliminating violence against women.

1994 International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD), Programme of Action, Article C, Chapter 7 addresses sexually transmitted diseases and the prevention of HIV from the perspective of women’s vulnerability to the epidemic, setting out key recommendations for addressing HIV through reproductive health services.

1995 Fourth World Conference on Women (‘Beijing’), Declaration and Platform for Action, Strategic Objective C.3 is to “Undertake gender-sensitive initiatives that address sexually transmitted diseases, HIV/AIDS and sexual and reproductive health issues”.

2000 Millennium Declaration and Development Goals-Goal 3 calls on nations to “Promote gender equality and empower women” and Goal 6 is to “Combat HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases”.

2001 UN General Assembly Special Session (UNGASS) on HIV/AIDS, Declaration of Commitment- Article 14 of the Declaration stresses “that gender equality and the empowerment of women are fundamental elements in the reduction of the vulnerability of women and girls to HIV/AIDS”.

Fr Joachim Omolo Ouko, AJ
People for Peace in Africa
Tel +254-7350-14559/+254-722-623-578
E-mail omolo.ouko@gmail.com

Peaceful world is the greatest heritage That this generation can give to the generations To come- All of us have a role.

women_violence_images.doc
656K
d/l file with images for this article

USA, Ohio GOP: Stop practicing medicine without a license

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From: Leah Taylor moveon-help@ . . .

Below is an email from Leah Taylor, a MoveOn member in Cleveland who created a petition on SignOn.org, the nonprofit site that allows anyone to start their own online petition. If you have concerns or feedback about this petition, http://civic.moveon.org/signon_feedback/?id=57735-21095459-6jcqAgx&t=1

Dear Ohio MoveOn member,

Despite the state of Ohio going blue for President Obama and rejecting Josh Mandel’s extremist position on reproductive health, the Ohio state legislature is plowing ahead with plans to criminalize abortion without exception and defund Planned Parenthood, despite the fact Planned Parenthood does more to prevent unintended pregnancy—and therefore abortion—than any other organization in the entire country.

Not only would the loss of Planned Parenthood lead to even more pregnancy and abortion, its close relative known as the Heartbeat Bill would make abortion illegal as early as six weeks. Most women would not even know they were pregnant until it was too late—leading to dangerous illegal abortions.

Tell the Kasich administration and the Ohio Legislature to end their extreme attacks on abortion rights.
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=284389&id=57735-21095459-6jcqAgx&t=2

Ohio needs to focus on healthy prevention, not outdated shame and punishment. That’s why I created a petition on SignOn.org, which says:

The people demand that the Ohio Legislature immediately retire the Family Planning Defunding bills HB298 and SB201, as well as the “Heartbeat Bill,” HB125.

Ohioans are tired of the War on Women, and we’re not going to allow the GOP to take us backward.

If the Legislature is concerned with the health and well-being of women and children, and if the Legislature is genuinely interested in preventing unintended pregnancies, abortion, and unwanted children, then the following bills should be advanced right away:
SB 190 / HB 281 The Ohio Prevention First Act
SB 232 / HB 338 The Act for Our Children’s Future
SB 283 / HB 419 The Compassionate Assistance for Rape Emergencies Act

Add your name to this petition, and then pass it along to your friends.
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=284389&id=57735-21095459-6jcqAgx&t=3

Thanks!

–Leah Taylor

This petition was created on SignOn.org, the progressive, nonprofit petition site. SignOn.org is sponsored by MoveOn Civic Action, which is not responsible for the contents of this or other petitions posted on the site. Leah Taylor didn’t pay us to send this email—we never rent or sell the MoveOn.org list.

MoveOn Civic Action is entirely funded by our 7 million members—no corporate contributions, no big checks from CEOs. And our tiny staff ensures that small contributions go a long way.

USA: Are these guys for real?

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From: Nita and Shaunna, UltraViolet Action

Indiana Republican Senate candidate, Richard Mourdock made another offensive comment about rape last night. But Mitt Romney and top Republicans aren’t pulling their support. Enough is enough. Can you tell Mitt Romney and Republicans that if they want women’s votes they need to stop playing politics with rape?
http://act.weareultraviolet.org/go/307?t=2&akid=209.6000.n3fujD

Dear Readers,

st. Stop. It.

Last night, ANOTHER Republican candidate for office made ANOTHER offensive comment about rape. This time it was Indiana Senate candidate Richard Mourdock saying pregnancies resulting from rape are what God intended.1 This is on the heels of Missouri Senate candidate Todd Akin’s comments that women don’t get pregnant from “legitimate” rape,2 Pennsylvania Senate candidate Tom Smith saying that having children out of wedlock is basically the same thing as rape,3 and Rep. Steve King saying he has never heard of anyone getting pregnant from statutory rape.4

Add it all up and we have a very serious, disturbing problem when it comes to Republican men running for office and how they view women.

But something about Mourdock’s comment is even more disturbing: Mitt Romney just released an ad endorsing him. While he’s tepidly tried to distance himself from Mourdock today, he hasn’t pulled his endorsement and the ad is still on the air.5 And Senator John Cornyn, head of the National Republican Senate Campaign Committee, is **defending** Mourdock.6

Can you send a clear message to Mitt Romney and the Republicans about how you feel about these comments as a voter? If they want women’s votes, they need to stop supporting candidates with extreme views on rape. Mitt Romney must withdraw his endorsement of Mourdock and Republican campaign committees must stop supporting him right away.

Add your name to the petition.
http://act.weareultraviolet.org/go/307?t=3&akid=209.6000.n3fujD

There are just 2 weeks before the election and campaign committees are really susceptible to public pressure right now. If enough of us speak out quickly and loudly, we can make a difference here. And we can make it clear to members of both parties that playing politics with rape is just flat out wrong.

This isn’t just an issue that upsets progressive women–it upsets all women.

Even Christine Todd Whitman, former Republican Governor of New Jersey and Bush EPA Administrator, is appalled and calling on Romney to strongly reject Mourdock.7

Rape is rape. It is not a political game. And we, women and men alike, deserve better from candidates of any political party.

Add your name to the petition.
http://act.weareultraviolet.org/go/307?t=4&akid=209.6000.n3fujD

Thanks for speaking out,

–Nita, Shaunna, Kat, and Karin, the UltraViolet team

Sources:

1. “Meet The Mourdocks: The Other Republicans Pushing To Block Abortions For Rape Victims,” ThinkProgress, October 24, 2012

2. Ibid.

3. Ibid.

4. Ibid.

5. “DNC slams Romney’s Mourdock endorsement,” Politico, October 24, 2012

6. “NRSC chief Cornyn defends Mourdock after abortion comments,” The Hill, October 24, 2012

7. “Former N.J. Gov. Christine Todd Whitman,” Politico, October 24, 2012

USA: This is tough to read

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From: Nita and Shaunna, Ultraviolet

The stories we’ve heard from over 1,000 rape survivors this week are harrowing. It takes real courage to speak out, especially in the face of shameful and dangerous comments from so many elected officials.
—-

Dear Readers,

In the past week, we’ve heard from thousands of rape survivors telling their personal stories.1 The stories are deeply emotional and disturbing, and many of the women have had horrible feelings triggered by statements from Akin and others over the last several days—feelings of fear, anger, and shame.

“The GOP is ingraining the shaming of survivors of rape in their party platform and in their messaging and that is unacceptable…I chose to keep my daughter, and she has brought me great joy. I chose, and as a survivor, I will never condemn the choice of any survivor to choose differently.” –Cindy, from Maryland

Because of their bravery—many of them shared their stories about rape for the first time—we were able to produce a compelling video,2 and talk to the media about why so many women are disgusted with the comments coming from far too many politicians over the last week. Because of their bravery we were able to tell politicians that rape is not a political game.

It takes an enormous courage to stand up and speak out in the face of such reprehensible comments—comments that are not just offensive but downright dangerous. Yet over 1,000 women and men wrote in about their experiences or those of people close to them. Their courage and their stories blew us away.

Let’s show these courageous survivors our support and appreciation. We’ve created a thank you card that we’ll deliver to every person who shared the story with us.

As a society, we should be doing everything we can to help survivors of rape heal, not making them feel ashamed or scared. It’s hard to believe sometimes that, in 2012, people in leadership positions could be so cruel and so dangerously uninformed. But it is true, and the women and men who shared stories with UltraViolet are true champions in the fight to change it.

“The GOP should be standing up for the dignity of women who have been raped. Every woman who experiences rape is already devastated. We do not deserve the added degradation of hateful speech. I have lived in shame and silence for over 40 years, but the statements last week from men who would presume to lead our country have moved me to speak out so that no other women will takes their lies to heart.” –Sherry

“I was mugged and raped at gun point in Brooklyn NY. I became pregnant and, thank heaven, was able to receive an abortion. Women have a right to power over their own bodies and no one should have a say on how we handle our own lives.” –Carol

“When I was 20, I was drugged and gang-raped at a party; I am now 66. Fortunately, I didn’t get pregnant because the only way I could have terminated the pregnancy would have been going to some back-alley quack and risked the very possible chance of dying from the procedure…Men have an arrogant, cavalier attitude toward victims of sex crimes. If I had had to give birth to a child caused by being raped, it would have been cruel to both me and the child, as the child would be a daily reminder of being raped.” –Lauren

For Cindy, Sherry, Carol , Lauren and the countless other survivors out there, THANK YOU. Our society does so much to make life even harder for survivors of rape and incest—yet these women still stood strong and spoke out. That’s courage and that deserves a gigantic thank you. Can you sign the card today?

Sign the thank you card.
http://act.weareultraviolet.org/sign/tystories/?akid=169.6000.GleTwj&rd=1&t=4

Thank you so much, for getting involved.

–Nita, Shaunna and Kat, the UltraViolet team.

Sources:

1. “Dear Todd Akin: Messages from Women,” UltraViolet, August 29, 2012

2. “Why do Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan want to take away our right to personal health care decisions?” UltraViolet, August 29, 2012

KENYA: CASES OF GENDER BASED VIOLENCE STILL HIGH IN NYANZA PROVINCE

2 Replies

By Dickens Wasonga.

Nyanza province is still leading in the country over matters relating to gender based violence. According to studies carried out in the recent past by civil society groups working to stop violence against women in the province, the region came first as the worst hit on such issues.

According to the deputy executive director of Kenya Female Advisory Organization [KEFEADO], Ms Easter Achien’g, Nyanza continues to record worrying trends of violence meted against women which in most cases have led to the death of the victims.

Speaking to the press in her Kisumu office yesterday the director said her organization which spearheads gender activism for prevention of violence against women has now embarked on aggressive awareness creation and social education campaigns that will boost the capacity of women to report such cases when it happens and ensure justice is delivered.

Easter Achieng, the deputy director flanked by Hellen Otieno of Gender Development project during the press briefing.

The director at the same time chided a move by the Kenyan police to create reporting desks manned by female police officers arguing that the move was cosmetic and has failed to encourage women violated to report such incidents because harassment is still practiced.

”Most women who report cases of violence which includes rape are treated rudely and humiliated at the police stations and having desks manned by police women does not help much. We need to see the police getting fully interested in prosecuting the culprits.” She said.

Ms Achien’g disclosed that in just one month, over four cases of violence relating to gender were reported in Kisumu’s Nyalenda slums where victims were murdered in cold blood.

In one of the cases a man reportedly killed his wife and proceeded to hack to death their three children in what the police in the area described as a worrying trend now taking root in most sprawling slums of the lake side city.

The activist said it was sad that up to 90 per cent of such cases go unreported because the society’s socio-cultural beliefs view wife beating and battering as normal practices.They only realize it was wrong when the victims are killed.

”We live in a society where the community still believe wife beating is normal. Most of our women also were brought up to be submissive to an extent that even when they are abused, they do not wish to reported the abusers to the authorities. This is wrong and we have began educating them to realize they have rights which nobody should violate including their spouse” said Achien’g.

During the post election violence which rocked the East African nation in 2008 after the general elections
whose results,several women were killed,scores raped by different gangs and a brutal force who took advantage of the skirmishes to mete out violence against the weaker sex.

Many of the cases were reported to the police but non has been prosecuted, at least in Kisumu, which was amongst the worst hit spots by the skirmishes.

Towards elimination of further violation of the women rights,her organization together with other partners has launched a 16 days of gender activism to stop violence against women in the province dubbed ”WE CAN CAMPAIGN”.

According to the crusader, the ‘We can campaign’ which for their group stands for ”We Can End All Forms of Violence Against Women” is a campaign which is meant to help individual men and women to carry out self analysis,reflect and discard attitudes which promote violence against women with a view of making the other members of the society aware of the short term and long term impacts of such acts of violence on those on the receiving end.

She said the campaign and the 16 days of gender activism is a very important period for ending all forms of violence against women and is piloted in five re4gions in the country namely Nairobi,Rift Valley, Central,Western and Nyanza with KEFEADO being the focal point in the region.

In the worst hit Nyanza, KEFEADO has undertaken activities as from last week and will hold a learning platform for 60 different partners representing different regions in Kenya on December 9th at the Kisumu Museum grounds.

She asked members of parliament to allocate money from the devolved funds to help build safe centers which will accommodate victims of gender based violence in all the major urban centers in the country.

ENDS.

Mexico: How that nation treats illegal aliens

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from Taras

Is the president aware that in Mexico, police are “required to demand that foreigners prove their legal presence in the country before attending to any issues”? …

“Migrants in Mexico are facing a major human rights crisis leaving them with virtually no access to justice, fearing reprisals and deportation if they complain of abuses,” said Rupert Knox, Mexico Researcher at Amnesty International. “Persistent failure by the authorities to tackle abuses carried out against irregular migrants has made their journey through Mexico one of the most dangerous in the world.”

The migrants, who are usually attempting to make their way through Mexico to the United States, suffer kidnappings for ransom, robbery, and rape. Mexico’s National Human Rights Commission reports that nearly 10,000 were abducted over six months in 2009. Almost 50 percent of victims said that public officials were involved in their kidnapping. Amnesty [International] estimates that six out of 10 migrant women and girls experience sexual violence. …

Mona Charen: Getting Lectured on Human Rights by Mexico

http://www.townhallmail.com/
ibdkyrfbkknwybkbwbyvfwtddcwddbcfzzvrqynvgmyvbz_ihdbvcvbnd.html

http://townhall.com/columnists/
MonaCharen/2010/05/21/getting_lectured_on_human_rights_by_mexico

Islam or Christianity; which Religion is the Black mans religion????

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From: Jagem K’Onyiego

To all Walalahoi,

This is in response to those people in this forum who are nearly exploding with anger and posting articles that show fallacious anger to a question one Harry mumia is trying to ask here

In my mind, for brothers like Abu and Sallah Sheikh, I think only blind believers will dismiss what Harry is saying. But sooner or later the “Revelation of Truth” is coming to fore. In year 326 AD. history has it that part of the The laws given to Moses were changed and in their place, a few teachings that favored the Gentiles, were sneaked into the Bible. Abu I do not expect you to come to understand this because you are a Believer in Mohamedan Religion.

Now, there was a meeting in 326 AD, called Nicean Meeting for it was held in the City of Nice in France. At that meeting, Major changes were done in the Holy book. Previously, the teachings of one Traitor to the Hebrews, called Saul, never existed in the Bible. But at this meeting, all his teachings, which were meant for the Gentiles, were all sneaked into the Bible. They even declared him as an Apostle. How can this be when Saul, got his authority from Titus Caesar and the High Priest in Rome? He then used this authority to campaign for the murder of Hebrews, his own people. He threw them into prison, just because they were black, and had many of them beheaded while he watched. His teachings encouraged slavery; “that slaves must always obey the masters.” Paul himself gives testimony to this.

Around mid 1400, one Gentile ruler, Constantine Caesar, ordered all the portraits Of Messiah Nabii (Rabii) Isa (Yehsuwah), to be destroyed and be replaced by that of a painting he ordered Michaelangelo to do. Unfortunately they did not destroy all the Messiah’s paintings. They hid some paintings in a volt, away from public viewing at the office of the papacy in Rome. For Centuries these paintings have remained hidden, until recently when researchers dug deep in the Vaults of Vatican and came across the true paintings of Christ. The Messiah Nabii Isa, was not a Caucasian as portrayed in the images we see today. This therefore goes to show that, there has been a lot of deception in the Christian Church. In short A lot of Falsehoods have been peddled and included in their teachings to portray something different from Gods Laws. This synchronizes well with Saul’s teachings

Abu, it is these Saul’s teachings that the so called “Christians” used to enslave the Hebrews and then to subject them to the most heinous treatment that no other human race have ever gone through. One Slave Master called Willy Lynch while torturing his slaves swore that he was doing it because he Was a Christian and loved God. You may want to Google Willy Lynch to find what he did to the Black people.

Further Questions; “How did Lynch receive his slaves? Answer; From “Slave traders.”

Question: Who were the Slave Traders? Answer, Muslims from the North, specifically; Maghreb (Morocco), Tunis, Yemen, Arabia etc.

Question: How did they get the Slaves? Answer They Raided the Hebrew Villages all over Africa, burned them to the ground, killed men, raped women and captured those they considered strong to be sold to the Christians, who in turn transported them through Goree, Senegal, to Baltimore, in the land of Big Uncle Sam. Others were sold at Bagamoyo, Pemba, Gede and Zanzibar by Said Sayyed and Sayyed Bargash to be transported to Arabia, and Muscat for other Muslim Slave Owners.

How then do you tell Mumia to shut up when he is telling the truth? Some of us do not harbor hard feelings about Islam or Christianity, But adherents to those two religions, in the past, are responsible for the Destruction of the Cultural Fabric that existed in Africa. Written History is testimony to what Mumia is saying.

You can choose to be fooled to believe blindly, while some of us, will and are still struggling to find the truth and nothing but the truth. And so, we march on in the Abrahamic religion, the true religion of God, meant for all Black people of the world. I am as Black as they come, and I find very little connection to these two religions,Christianity and Islam. These are religions for Slave Masters.

Have a learned day

Jagem

Uganda: Catholic Priest who tested HIV positive arrested for defiling a 14 year old girl

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HIV/AIDS POSITIVE CATHOLIC PRIEST IN PAKWACH UGANDA ARRESTED FOR DEFILING A 14 YEAR GIRL

Writes Leo Odera Omolo

A senior Catholic priest based in Pakwach town in Nebbi district has been arrested by the Police on allegations of defiling a 14-year-old girl, who served in the church.

The district criminal investigations officer, Henry Mulindwa, said the Rev. Fr. Santos ConstatinoWapokura was first arrested last week in Pakwach when the girl’s parents registered a complaint.

Mulindwa said another 14-year-old girl had also reported to the Police, saying the priest also forced her into sex early last year.

Wapokura, 45, the parish priest for Pakwach, is also HIV-positive, Mulindwa said.

Therefore, the Police upgraded his case from simple to aggravated defilement.
He was, however, shortly released on bond under unclear circumstances, which the district Police headquarters in Nebbi are investigating.

“This is a capital offence. When I heard about it, I called for the file and ordered the priest’s re-arrest on Monday,” Mulindwa said. Mulindwa explained that the victim was a Primary Five pupil.

The girl told the Police that Wapokura would often ask her to go to his house, where he would follow her and force her into sex.

On another occasion, the girl narrated, she was at the priest’s home with other visitors. Father Wapokura reportedly sent away the other people and forced the girl into sex.

Wapokura, who is detained at Nebbi Central Police Station, denies the allegations, which he described as a ploy by his enemies to tarnish his name.
Wapokura was at the helm of celebrations to mark the Centenary of the Catholic faith in northern Uganda held in Pakwach on March 20.

The Police said his file had been forwarded to the resident state attorney for sanctioning, after which he will appear before court. Another Catholic priest was arrested and charged with defilement in Gulu recently.

The cases add to the long list of accusations of sexual misconduct by Catholic priests, which have rocked the Church lately. In America, the Church has paid millions of dollars to victims.

Pope Benedict has also been accused of trying to cover up the crimes in an attempt to preserve the image of the church, which forbids its priests from marrying.

Activists in Britain are considering arresting the Pope when he travels to London later this year.

Ends.