Russia’s parliament voted 380-3 on Friday to decriminalize domestic violence in cases where it does not cause “substantial bodily harm” and does not occur more than once a year.The bill stems from a Supreme Court ruling last summer to decriminalize battery that doesn’t inflict bodily harm, but to retain criminal charges for those accused of […]
When the news broke of a man who’d apparently killed his mother, daughter, wife, and then himself in Nova Scotia, the media focused heavily on Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. Ardath Whynacht is a sociologist at Mount Allison University who works with inmates at two federal prisons, some of whom have committed violence against their partners. She says the media […]
It’s a claim boldly asserted in local news stories each year: Domestic violence spikes during the holiday season. On the surface, the concept sounds plausible enough ― for many people, holidays are associated with family tension, crowded homes and copious amounts of alcohol. It follows that violence might increase under such stressful circumstances. Yet, domestic violence […]
Why do so many people go back to verbally abusive relationships? Having an insecure attachment style owing to mistreatment or neglect in childhood can contribute to our tolerance for verbal or emotional abuse. But there are other factors that make people overlook the early-warning signs of verbal abuse and continue in an abusive relationship, even after they realize they’re […]
According to dominant stereotypes, men can’t be sexually assaulted by women. But according to a new, wide-ranging study, around two-thirds of men who report sexual victimization say their assailant was female. UCLA law professor Lara Stemple is one of the people working with the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to shed more light […]
Amber Heard is raising awareness of domestic violence with a new PSA released months after settling her divorce with Johnny Depp, whom she previously accused of abusing her throughout their short marriage. Heard speaks about what abuse feels like in the two-minute video released Friday, on the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, in partnership […]
Revenge Porn and Internet Privacy It’s not actually about revenge, or about porn. It’s about consent and privacy. This crime got its name from the gross trend of jilted exes posting pictures of women who broke up with them. However, it also includes pictures that are spread by strangers, who may have hacked your phone/laptop/cloud photo storage […]
Sexual violation of children is an ugly fact of life worldwide, crossing all cultural, educational and socio-economic boundaries. Within Canada’s overall population, research shows one in three girls and one in six boys experience an unwanted sexual act, with 30 to 40 per cent of victims abused by a family member. Research is beginning to […]
Early Warning Signs Emotional abuse, verbal abuse, and domestic violence are on the rise, especially among young people. The risk of falling into an abusive relationship is greater than ever.There are obvious red flags to avoid in a prospective lover, such as angry, controlling, possessive, jealous, or violent behavior. Unfortunately, most abusers are able […]
After a campaign season marred by unrelenting misogyny, Donald Trump defeated Hillary Clinton to become this country’s president-elect. Trump’s win stunned much of the country, but it also troubled many groups of Americans, particularly women. Trump’s sexist comments throughout the campaign worried many women all along. Over the past year and a half, it has been […]