VAWnet News Blog

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?

"The reality is that many workers suffer indignities and harm, not just women working in the fields or those employed on movie sets. Some women are more vulnerable to this mistreatment, like those who are of color, immigrants, LGBTQ, disabled, young, employed in low-paying jobs or any combination of those factors."

“That so many women have been brave enough to tell stories with devastating personal consequences to hear that they are still not being believed is very difficult to cope with... We need a critical mass of men to stand up and get involved to tackle this problem and become part of the solution.”