VAWnet News Blog

WASHINGTON AND TORIT, SOUTH SUDAN —  Women rights activists in Imatong state say they are using 16 days of activism to talk directly to men about widespread sexual violence against women in South Sudan. They're also using the 16 days to advocate for more women to be appointed to local and state government positions, from which they can influence decisions and policies.

  A new study has shown that more than a quarter of Europeans believe there are justifications for rape, including drinking alcohol and style of dress. More than a quarter of Europeans said rape can be justified in certain situations, according to a Europe-wide study on gender-based violence conducted by the European Union.

Witnessing domestic abuse, violent crime or even living near a liquor store may damage a child's ability to respond to stress and throw production of a vital hormone out of kilter, says a new study led by Tulane University researchers and published in the prestigious journal JAMA Pediatrics.

As advocates, we have a responsibility to understand the intersection of sexual violence and HIV and AIDS as part of supporting survivors to our best ability.

While it [New York] has seen its homicide rate halved over the past 15 years, murders involving family members and romantic partners have barely budged, NYPD statistics show. Now, New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio wants to change that. On Friday, he is set to announce the creation of a task force charged with developing an ambitious, citywide plan to tackle domestic violence.

The head of student services at St. Francis Xavier University says a new campus sexual violence policy should help shift the focus onto perpetrators rather than victims of violence. The university in Antigonish, N.S., officially launched its new sexual violence policy last week, after 18 months of consultations. The policy informs students of resources and support available in the community, and sets out the university’s reporting procedures on incidents of sexual violence.