VAWnet News Blog

“Today, the Office of the Vice President, the White House Council on Women and Girls, and the White House Office of National AIDS Policy welcomed community leaders and Federal colleagues to celebrate progress to date by the President’s Working Group on the Intersection of HIV/AIDS, Violence against Women and Girls, and Gender-Related Health Disparities.”

Samer Muscati, who researches the plight of women in conflict and emergency situations, recently spent time in one of the world’s most dangerous cities: Mogadishu, Somalia. There, he was part of a team that interviewed more than two dozen rape victims for a report, “Here, Rape is Normal”.

“For decades, when a Native American woman has been assaulted or raped by a man who is non-Indian, she has had little or no recourse. Under long-standing law in Indian country, reservations are sovereign nations with their own police departments and courts in charge of prosecuting crimes on tribal land.

In the spirit of respect, gratitude and solidarity on this International Women’s Day, we celebrate the economic, political and social achievements of women past, present and future.

Many survivors of domestic violence have experienced economic abuse — a powerful tactic used by batterers to gain power and control in a relationship — which can have devastating short- and long-term effects on survivors.