“Americans watched the events after the
Delhi gang rape with a whiff of condescension at the barbarity there, but
domestic violence and sex trafficking remain a vast problem across the United
States” Nicholas Kristof, New York Times
Greetings!
The previous quote was pulled from
an op-ed piece written by Nicholas Kristof featured in the New York Times. Kristof’s words remind Americans that violence
against women is not something that just happens in other countries. It’s not
just a problem overseas. Violence against women is something that happens in
our own country, in our own state, in our own communities, to our own friends
and family.
Just this past weekend I was
reminded of this as I read the numerous headlines talking about sex trafficking
and the super bowl (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/02/03/super-bowl-sex-trafficking_n_2607871.html). Thousands of Americans gather to throw
parties and celebrations to watch the game, the half-time show, and the
commercials (most of which objectify women). The unfathomable truth is that
this highly celebrated event is also the single largest human trafficking
incident in the U.S. However, there is hope, as awareness about human
trafficking at the super bowl has greatly increased over the last few years.
Finally, as Valentine’s Day approaches,
it is difficult to think about all of the people who do not feel safe and loved
in their relationships. While statistically domestic violence calls decrease on
Valentine’s Day, there is not a noticeable drop over a period of time. Domestic
violence persists in homes and in relationships. The sudden drop during
Valentine’s Day does leave me with one hopeful, idealistic question: what would
one day without domestic violence look like?
You can read the full article here:
Love,
Molly
1. When reading the student blogs I found that Molly’s 6th February post kept my attention for a long while after I finished reading it. It has never occurred to me that the biggest football game of the year was linked so closely to human trafficking, despite the fact that I know there is a correlation between the Rugby World Cup and prostitution. Her blog really struck home with me as I know that I am not the only American who tends to see these issues as something that we do not directly deal with but that we know are prevalent in other regions. I also found it interesting that she notes the drop in domestic violence calls on Valentines’ Day. This shows how truly twisted these relationships become as the abusers feel that they can maintain their relationship by treading lightly on the day which is supposed to bring couples closer together.
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