VAWnet News Blog

Control over family planning is widely recognized as a human right and experts say being able to prevent unwanted childbirth can improve women’s access to education and work, helping to break cycles of poverty. However, a recent review found that coercion of women – usually by a male partner – appears to be common.

The Domestic Violence Act 2018 went into effect on Tuesday and provides new protections for victims of coercive control, a type of emotional and psychological abuse aimed at stripping a person of their self-worth and agency.

Reports of sexual harassment and assault on commercial flights are on the rise, although law enforcement officials say the problem is underreported. Airlines and federal officials have moved to address the issue by voicing a policy of zero tolerance for such acts and improving training to deal with reports.

Reports of human trafficking cases in the United States are expected to leap by 25 percent this year over last, an increase linked to round-the-clock texting that makes reporting the crime easier.

"While violence against Native women occurs at higher rates than any other ethnic group in the United States, it is at its worst in Alaska,"  Patricia Alexander, a representative of the Central Council of the Tlingit and Haida Indian Tribes of Alaska, said. "A full 50 percent of Alaska Native women will have experienced physical or sexual violence in their lifetime. I am one."

We are still struggling to address how women of color have historically been disregarded, dismissed and devalued in the movement. We might be more visible, but do we really have a seat at the table?