scholarly journals New Futures, same old Fear: Gender-based Violence and Victim Coping in Contemporary Young Adult Dystopian Fiction

2021 ◽  
Vol 28 ◽  
pp. 47-66
Author(s):  
Andrea Burgos-Mascarell

The ability of dystopian fiction to offer critical views of futures riddled with the devastating consequences of today’s failures is pervasive also in its literary subgenre targeting young readers. While scholarship on these novels is extensive, the prevalence of sexual assaults in this subgenre requires attention. This study offers an introductory analysis of two contemporary young adult dystopian trilogies, Veronica Roth’s Divergent (2011-2013) and Beth Revis’ Across the Universe (2011-2013), with a focus on the sexual assaults the protagonists endure. The discussion draws on trauma and sexual abuse research to ascertain how and if these future societies and heroines challenge traditional representations of this crime. 

Author(s):  
Morakinyo Akintolu ◽  
Ntandokamenzi P. Dlamini ◽  
Tinuola Oladebo

This article explores the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on girls education in Nigeria. COVID-19 raises concerns to every nationality and has thus made way to the continent of Africa, therein Nigeria. This pandemic has a significant gendered impact on children, especially girls being out of school. The vast majority of pupils affected by this pandemic are rural girls. Despite the fact that these rural girls from poor backgrounds are already marginalised, the pandemic has highly disadvantaged them in terms of access to education, limited provision of resources and infrastructure to ensure learning is taking place even at home. While some research was found to have been done on COVID-19, none was found specifically on rural girls and education in Nigeria. This paper utilised a secondary research methodology which involved reviewing and interpreting past data to explore the impact of this pandemic on the Nigerian girl child. Among other impacts, peer pressure temptations, sexual abuse, unplanned and unwanted pregnancies, and child exploitation were found to put girls at risk. The researchers were able to suggest possible interventions for the girl child’s education in the post COVID-19 era which include the reviewing of cultural practices and customs, making education fashionable, providing extra classes, establishing programmes and initiatives to empower women, and awareness against gender-based violence. This pandemic has drawn attention to the injustices girls live under; and if these interventions are put into practice, a better life for all can be assured.


2019 ◽  
Vol 13 (2) ◽  
pp. 153-173
Author(s):  
Lúcia Gonçalves de Freitas ◽  
Liliana Cabral Bastos

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
pp. 280-292
Author(s):  
Christabel Oyowo Ayeni

Objective: The Aim Of The Study Was To Determine The Prevalence Of Gender-Based Violence And Pregnancy Outcomes In Pregnant Women Attending Antenatal Care Clinics In Two Selected Primary Health Care Centres At Abuja FCT, Nigeria. Methodology: The Descriptive And Analytical Cross-Sectional Research Design And A Convenience Sampling Method Were Used. A Pretested Semi-Structured Questionnaire With A Cronbach’s Alpha Value Of 0.77 Was Administered With The Interviewer-Administered Data Collection Technique To Collect Data. The Study Population Were Pregnant Women Who Attended Antenatal Clinic At The Primary Health Care Centres At Karu And Jikwoyi In Abuja-FCT; The Sample Size Was 384 Pregnant Women Between The Ages Of 15-44 Years. Raw Data Generated From The Completed Questionnaire Was Analysed For Simple Frequency, Percentage, And Chi-Square Analysis Using The SPSS Version 16. Results: Prevalence Of GBV Among The Participants Was 59.6%, 99.4% Accounted For Emotional Abuse, Physical Abuse At 28.5%, And Sexual Abuse At 13.6%. The Findings Indicate That GBV Single Cases Of Emotional Abuse Was 66.7%, Physical Abuse Was 0.4%, Combined Cases Of Emotional And Physical Violence Were 19.3%, Emotional Combined With Sexual Was 4.8%, While The Case Of Multiple Violence Of Emotional, Physical And Sexual Was 8.8%. Overall, Husbands Were The Perpetrators Of The Abuse And Accounted For Emotional Abuse At 96.9%, Physical At 89.2%, And Sexual Abuse At 100.0%. Conclusion: The Effect Of Physical Abuse On Pregnant Outcome Among Pregnant Women In Their Previous Pregnancies Was That 27.6% Had A Miscarriage, While 6.9% Had Preterm Delivery.


2020 ◽  
Vol 24 (2) ◽  
pp. 35-52
Author(s):  
Danielle Roper ◽  
Traci-Ann Wint

In 2017 the radical women’s rights group known as the Tambourine Army emerged in response to gender-based violence, sexual abuse, and structures of impunity in Jamaica. The group used hashtags, organized marches, and teach-ins to encourage women to speak out against their abusers, to break the silence surrounding sexual abuse, and to advocate for survivors. Situating the Tambourine Army within traditions of women’s protest and contemporary forms of cyberactivism in the Caribbean, this essay examines the ways the group enacted a sonic disruption to the public and cyber spheres. It chronicles the rise of the movement, explores the centrality of the digital in the members’ activism, and assesses the methods deployed in the group’s contestation of postcolonial ideals of respectability.


2015 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 179-184 ◽  
Author(s):  
S Sanjel

This article attempts to summarize the situations of gender-based violence, a major public health issue. Due to the unequal power relations between men and women, women are violated either in family, in the community or in the State. Gender-based violence takes different forms like physical, sexual or psychological/ emotional violence. The causes of gender-based violence are multidimensional including social, economic, cultural, political and religious. The literatures written in relation to the gender-based violence are accessed using electronic databases as PubMed, Medline and Google scholar, Google and other Internet Websites between 1994 and first quarter of 2013. The keywords such as gender-based violence, women violence, domestic violence, wife abuse, violence during pregnancy, women sexual abuse, political gender based violence, cultural gender-based violence, economical gender-based violence, child sexual abuse and special forms of gender-based violence in Nepal were used for internet search. As GBVs remain one of the most rigorous challenges of women’s health and well-being, it is one of the indispensable issues of equity and social justice. To create a gender-based violence free environment, a lot works has to be done. Hence, it is suggested to provide assistance to the victims of violence developing the mechanism to support them. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3126/kumj.v11i2.12499 Kathmandu University Medical Journal Vol.11(2) 2013: 179-184


Author(s):  
Erika Rackley ◽  
Clare McGlynn ◽  
Kelly Johnson ◽  
Nicola Henry ◽  
Nicola Gavey ◽  
...  

AbstractDespite apparent political concern and action—often fuelled by high-profile cases and campaigns—legislative and institutional responses to image-based sexual abuse in the UK have been ad hoc, piecemeal and inconsistent. In practice, victim-survivors are being consistently failed: by the law, by the police and criminal justice system, by traditional and social media, website operators, and by their employers, universities and schools. Drawing on data from the first multi-jurisdictional study of the nature and harms of, and legal/policy responses to, image-based sexual abuse, this article argues for a new joined-up approach that supports victim-survivors of image-based sexual abuse to ‘reclaim control’. It argues for a comprehensive, multi-layered, multi-institutional and multi-agency response, led by a government- and industry-funded online or e-safety organisation, which not only recognises the diversity of victim-survivor experiences and the intersection of image-based sexual abuse with other forms of sexual and gender-based violence and discrimination, but which also enables victim-survivors to reclaim control within and beyond the criminal justice system.


2015 ◽  
Vol 56 (2) ◽  
pp. 188-196 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michele R. Decker ◽  
Amanda D. Latimore ◽  
Suzumi Yasutake ◽  
Miriam Haviland ◽  
Saifuddin Ahmed ◽  
...  

Author(s):  
Julia Zauner

In the last decade there has been an increased interest in (young) people’s sexting behaviour from academia, media and other institutions which lead to the emergence of sexting safety campaigns. Sexting campaigns are often built around notions of dangers when images are shared without the consent of the person depicted. This feminist case study will critically assess the discourses of three UK educational campaigns (Exposed, Sexting, Just send it) to demonstrate how these campaigns are currently (re)producing symbolic violence through victim-blaming and are thus legitimising violence against women; the seriousness of image-based sexual abuse is neglected through the penalisation of sexual expression of particularly young women; the dominance of heteronormative depictions of female survivors and male perpetrators obfuscates abuse as an experience across all social groups; and survivors are consistently held accountable for their own victimisation while perpetrators are excused for violating their partners trust and integrity. However, by neutralising and denying responsibility, educational work dismisses 1) that image-based sexual abuse is still as a form of gender-based violence and therefore, breaches the survivor’s rights to dignity and bodily/sexual autonomy, and 2) young people’s rights to explore sexuality – through digital means or not – in a safe environment.<br /><br />Key messages<br /><ul><li>Sexting education currently denies image-based sexual abuse as a sexual violation, excuse perpetrators, and hold survivors accountable once images have been shared beyond the original intent.</li><br /><li>Campaigns thus (re)produce symbolic violence and strengthen the persistence of victim-blaming.</li></ul>


Author(s):  
Tiyas Nur Haryani ◽  
Ismi Dwi Astuti Nurhaeni ◽  
Azyani Zulfatindayu ◽  
Muchtar Hadi ◽  
Priyanto Susiloadi

Education is an important factor in building the country. Educating a child means building the nation. Nowadays, education takes place more in the secondary scope than in family environment. Schools play an important role in educating children in cognitive, affective, and psychomotor aspects. In Indonesia, the case of sexual abuse to children increases currently. The cases of sexual abuse result from unequal gender relations. Gender-responsive schools develop in line with the policy of gender mainstreaming in Indonesia. The school environment needs to meet the practical and strategic gender needs of its students. The results of this research described the students’ needs for gender in the school environment. Gender needs are expected to support zero sexual abuse of children. The research was conducted in the Senior High School in Sragen, Central Java Province, Indonesia representing Soloraya area. Primary data was collected through questionnaires with random sample. Data was presented in tables, charts and descriptions. The results showed the fulfillment of practical and strategic gender needs has not been optimal in schools in Sragen regency. The number of sexual abuse against children is still high due to the lack of monitoring. The results of this study recommended the collaboration to be strengthened in order to reduce gender-based violence and the development of institutional gender mainstreaming at schools.


2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (1) ◽  
pp. 117-133
Author(s):  
Sharifah Aishah Osman

Rape culture is a provocative topic in Malaysia; the public discourse on it is plagued by gender stereotyping, sexism, misogyny, and rape myths. Recent literary works aimed at Malaysian adolescent girls have interrogated rape culture more pointedly as a means of addressing gender-based violence through activism and education. In this article, I discuss two short stories, “The Girl on the Mountain” and “Gamble” as retellings of Malaysian legends and feminist responses to the normalization and perpetuation of rape culture in this society. Through the emphasis on female agency, consent, and gender equality, these two stories reflect the subversive power of Malaysian young adult literature in dismantling rape culture, while affirming the significance of the folktale as an empowering tool for community engagement and feminist activism.


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