I am a woman living in 2014.
I am sad to say that in my society gender inequality is still visible in politics, religion, socially, culturally and in the workplace. Men and women are still receiving messages, some obvious and others veiled that men are more important than women. This essential disparity generates a justification for shame, intimidation, control, manipulation, abuse and wretchedly; often murder.

This belief system encourages men to accept that he has the right to be in charge and to practice control over women, even if it requires violence. THIS IS VERY WRONG!

Violence against women comes from an abysmally ingrained belief that socially women merit less influence and therefore it is acceptable and sometimes necessary to employ power over them even if it requires the use of force. This outdated and disgusting conviction pushes many other forms of violence such as racism, homophobia, classism, ageism and religious persecution.

The statistics in Canada alone are disheartening and what happens in the rest of the world is repulsive.
Violence against women happens at every age, in all cultures and religions to females of all ethnic and racial backgrounds and in every income group! THIS IS VERY WRONG!

Staggering Canadian Facts

• According to police, men (49%) and women (51%) in Canada are equally at risk of violent victimization. However, men are much more likely to be assaulted by a stranger or someone from outside their family, while women are much more likely to be assaulted by someone they know.
• About half (49%) of all female murder victims in Canada are killed by a former or current intimate partner. In contrast, only 7% of male murder victims were killed by intimate partners.
• Some self-reported research shows women are almost as likely to use violence against their partner as men. Although some people claim that men are too embarrassed to admit a woman has abused them, the reverse is actually true: in self-reported research, men tend to over-estimate their partner’s violence while under-estimating their own. At the same time, women over-estimate their own violence and under-estimate their partner’s. This explains why self-reported research often shows similar levels of violence by men and women, even though other research clearly shows that women are disproportionately the victim.
• In addition, self-reported research does not clarify that men are far more likely to initiate violence, while women are more likely to use violence in self-defense.
• Most men are not abusive to their families. However, when family violence does occur, the victims are overwhelmingly female:
• 83% of all police-reported domestic assaults are against women. This pattern is consistent for every province and territory across Canada.
• In spousal violence, three times as many women experience serious violence such as choking, beating, being threatened with a knife or gun, and sexual violence. Women are more likely to be physically injured, to get a restraining order, and to fear for their lives.
• For the past 30 years in Canada, women are three to four times as likely to be killed by their spouse.
• About 80% of victims of dating violence are female.
• Girls experience sexual assault at much higher rates than boys: 82% of all victims under the age of 18 are female.
• Girls are four times as likely as boys to be sexually assaulted by a family member.

(Above statistics from Canadianwomen.org)

Alarmingly slavery still exists and girls and young women are being kidnapped and trafficked to Canada and through Canada to the U.S. How are we as a supposed civilized society in the 21st century able to create and sustain a demand for this type of thing? The question and answers sadden and sicken me to the very core.

How in the world are hundreds of Nigerian school girls kidnapped, threats to end “Western education” and sell these girls, someone’s daughter, someone’s pride and joy still happening?

Nigeria’s Islamist Militant group Boko Harem has taken responsibility for the kidnappings.
“I abducted your girls. I will sell them in the market, by Allah,” a man claiming to be Boko Haram leader Abubakar Shekau said in a video first obtained by Agence France-Presse.

“There is a market for selling humans. Allah says I should sell. He commands me to sell. I will sell women. I sell women,” he continued, according to a CNN translation from the local Hausa language.
Boko Haram is a terrorist group receiving training from al Qaeda affiliates, according to U.S. officials. Its name means “Western education is sin.” In his nearly hour-long, rambling video, Shekau repeatedly called for Western education to end.

THIS IS VERY WRONG!

This weekend the young life of Rienna Nagel, 36 of Spruce Grove was ended much too early. She fell victim to domestic violence and leaves behind a grieving family, friends and five wonderful children -all of them wondering ‘Why??”

Rienna (Lotus) was a skater with Oil City Derby Girls and though I didn’t know her personally I had spoken with her once when she asked me to borrow a pen. Both of my daughters play Junior Roller Derby and were coming off the track as she was getting ready for a meeting or a practice. She spoke to my youngest daughter as she was coming off the track in that encouraging “motherly” way that is warm and kind. I heard she was a fantastic mother. How is it that someone felt that her life, as a wife, a mother, a daughter, a friend…A WOMAN was worth less than his. I am stunned, and yet according to statistics it happens everyday, all day.

To every woman I know, and even those I don’t please know this, “You are worthy, let your light shine as bright as possible. Do not let anyone break your spirit. Be fabulous. You are worthy, you are strong, and you are enduring! Don’t let anyone make you feel small. You have the power to bear life. You are the most powerful of all God’s creatures and you are faithfully and endlessly loved.

Please consider opening your heart and donating what you can to help Rienna’s children. Every little bit counts. See link below

http://www.youcaring.com/memorial-fundraiser/for-rienna-s-five-angels-left-behind/173980

“If we could reach out, and say to the world, ‘come be the village to help raise these kids. That’ll be her legacy’” their grandmother said, “That’s what we’d like to see.”

(Riennas Mother, Sheree Zielke.) See more of the story here http://globalnews.ca/news/1312955/she-was-a-dedicated-mom-dedicated-wife-mother-of-murdered-spruce-grove-woman/

Parents please teach your children to love themselves, to accept and respect others, their similarities and their differences. Teach them that they are important and worthy of love. Communicate with them, encourage them, and teach them to value themselves and others. Do not teach them that they are limited by their gender, their skin color, their cultural background or sexual orientation and do not teach them that any of those things make them better or more powerful then another. Raise children that are strong and believe in themselves and that are kind and inspiring to others. Little changes in the way we see ourselves, teach our children and treat others can make a difference. Be the change you want to see in the world.

Help end violence against women.

I am a woman living in 2014 and I believe it is time for serious change.

I think we’re at a time where people just want to join together and cause change. People don’t want to live like this any more.
— UN Messenger of Peace Charlize Theron