In the attempts to discover an avenue to take in regards to “taking action” and taking a stand against violence against women, I came across the organization Human Rights Watch. This website and foundation is one of the world’s leading independent organizations dedicated to defending and protecting human rights. By focusing international attention where human rights are violated, the Human Rights Watch gives a voice to the oppressed and holds oppressors accountable for their crimes. “[Their] rigorous, objective investigations and strategic, targeted advocacy build intense pressure for action and raise the cost of human rights abuse. For more than 30 years, Human Rights Watch has worked tenaciously to lay the legal and moral groundwork for deep-rooted change and has fought to bring greater justice and security to people around the world.” The mission statement for this resource is as follows: 

“Human Rights Watch is dedicated to protecting the human rights of people around the world. We stand with victims and activists to prevent discrimination, to uphold political freedom, to protect people from inhumane conduct in wartime, and to bring offenders to justice. We investigate and expose human rights violations and hold abusers accountable. We challenge governments and those who hold power to end abusive practices and respect international human rights law. We enlist the public and the international community to support the cause of human rights for all.” 

After investigating this website and the premise behind this organization, I discovered a section dedicated to The International Violence Against Women Act (I-VAWA), an act that, if enforced, will be a major step in the effort to end violence against women across the globe. This policy would “direct the US government to create a comprehensive, five-year strategy to reduce violence in up to 20 diverse countries identified as having severe levels of violence against women.” This bill was originally introduced in the last meeting of Congress and was approved by the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, yet it needs to be reintroduced so that it can be passed by the full House and Senate. For my action, I submitted a letter to Senator William Cowan, Senator Elizabeth A. Warren, and Representative John F. Tierney, our federal representatives, that asks them to support the reintroduction of this bill so that we can end abuse globally. 

While it was a simple act, a single email correspondence, to imagine that my voice and stand on the matter of violence against women can now be heard is quite an empowering feeling. Although I know that my individual vote or stance may not cause this act to succeed in its designed purpose, to know that my letter is one of thousands, possibly millions, that have been sent in support of this act is rather exhilarating. In sending my proposal along, I am now part of a community, a national and possibly global body, that refuses to allow abuse to continue. I have now, in writing, declared how vile and evil these heinous acts are and that I support my government’s agenda to prevent these types of attacks from happening worldwide. As a citizen of a democratic society, this action demonstrated my freedom to participate in the political process, the freedom of thought, conscience, assembly, and expression. This action, as I see it, is my responsibility as a human, a duty to respect human life, the rights of others, to be compassionate, to participate in the democratic process, and to work for the common good. Our government has the responsibility to respect and protect the rights of not only me but these suffering individuals, to work for the common good and to guarantee civil liberties. As well, in sending this letter off, I am stating and standing up for the rights of all women, reminding everyone that we all have the right to life, liberty, dignity, security, justice, and privacy. To know that I am a single individual who has joined the voice of many to protect the rights, liberties, safeties, and lives of women throughout the world gives me hope that we can move forward as a society and as human beings, but I am also aware that this is only the start of a process that will require dedication and perseverance.  

In terms of where I stand in regards to teaching about social justice issues and using current events within instruction, I wholeheartedly believe that education is an instrument for the public good, that we have a duty to teach the basics and foundations for further learning but that we also have the responsibility to create and mold aware, informed, and active citizens of this global community. By stressing the importance of understanding and recognizing what is happening within our classroom, within our town, within our state, within our nation, and the events that are occurring worldwide, we are reminding our students that they are not voiceless, that they are not helpless. In teaching about past and current social justice issues, the students can form their own, educated decisions, opinions, and ideas regarding these topics, determining, for themselves, their stance on these controversial issues. In simply considering these issues in an in depth manner, the students will be more aware and cultured individuals with an interest and knowledge of what is happening outside their door. As teachers, we have the task and responsibility as both educators and as fellow human beings to provide our students with enough information and knowledge so that they can become independent thinkers and citizens, so that they can take part in the world around them. The following quotation defines our role and the premise behind this instruction: “Struggle for social justice is central to our nation’s history… concerns about the common good and the rights of the individual, no matter how humble in social standing, transcends politics and holds a definitive place in the realms of morality, ethics and federal law, and therefore in the world of teaching social studies.” In learning and referencing the social issues of yesterday and today and by utilizing current events, we are, in fact, incorporating social studies and social policies into the lives and education of our students, as well as delving into topics and ideas that are so important and vital to a passionate and responsible human existence.

When this project began, I had a basic understanding of how we, as a nation, react towards and prosecute those convicted of rape, knowledgeable of the fact that, currently, we are not doing enough to prevent these incidents from occurring in the first place. However, by delving into the recent attacks and subsequent deaths of innocent women and children in India, I was a bit disheartened to think that our somewhat failing, unstable, and shaky system is far superior to those of other governments. With that being said, from these horrific and violent incidents came a glimmer of hope; to see the people of India forging together to demand change and improved security and protection for their women shows that there is something that can be done, that we, as people, can instigate alterations in the pursuit of justice. As Indian laws and American laws both come under scrutiny and are on the cusp of change, I am relieved to know that this issue is receiving the attention and dedication that is deserves, though I shudder to think of the horrendous and unnecessary events that have led to this new compulsion. As a whole, this project allowed me to focus on this single topic as both a student and as an individual, prompting me to think individually about the subject and to form my own opinions and conceptions based upon the information discovered. Currently, my stance on this topic is that abuse of any form should not be tolerated or accepted in any country, that we should fight and convince our governments to not only enforce and create stricter laws to protect the people but that we should also erase the stigmas associated with these attacks. In addition to altering our current rules and regulations, we should also stress an environment in which all abuse and violence, towards both women and men, is unlawful and morally unjust. I can hardly imagine a single, sane person who would think to neglect or reject a law or an improved society in which these types of attacks are completely removed and nonexistent, but in order for this to happen we must all make our voices heard and demand attention to this prevalent issue.

“Every day, millions of women and girls across the world are beaten and abused. Many are harmed in their homes by members of their family or community. Others are raped or harassed by the very security forces that are meant to protect them. Some victims of gender-based violence are employed outside their homes, some are not. Some are rich, some are poor. Some are literate, some are not. They are mothers, daughters, sisters, friends. They have only one thing in common: they are female, and they are abused because of it.”  

In the attempts to prevent abuse towards and violence against women, I made my voice known and agreed to stand by this pledge. If you would like to send an informed letter to your representatives, visit Human Rights Watch and let your voice be heard.