I think everyone should look at this riveting article posted on CNN and writen by Eve Ensler, playwriter of The Vagina Monalogues: Commentary: War on Women in Congo.
This article is truly phenomenal.
To sum the article up: “Femicide, the systematic and planned destruction of the female population, is being used as a tactic of war to clear villages, pillage mines and destroy the fabric of Congolese society.”
The author goes on to say how babies – BABIES! – are raped, women, young and old.
Excerpt: “My play, “The Vagina Monologues,” opened my eyes to the world inside this world. Everywhere I traveled with it scores of women lined up to tell me of their rapes, incest, beatings, mutilations. It was because of this that over 11 years ago we launched V-Day, a worldwide movement to end violence against women and girls.”
“I think of Beatrice, shot in her vagina, who now has tubes instead of organs. Honorata, raped by gangs as she was tied upside down to a wheel. Noella, who is my heart — an 8-year-old girl who was held for 2 weeks as groups of grown men raped her over and over. Now she has a fistula, causing her to urinate and defecate on herself. Now she lives in humiliation.”
Does nobody else see this? Does anyone hear these women? Who hears us?
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December 12, 2009 at 7:47 pm
nxg920
I really can’t think of anything to say in response to that. It’s horrific, sad, and no one’s doing anything to stop it. On a more hopeful note, my friend emailed me a CNN article today that said they’ve banned female genital mutilation in Uganda, which is definitely a step in the right direction.
I also think you will appreciate this: My college is doing The Vagina Monologues for the first time this February! I wanted to do them when I was in high school, but we promptly got shot down. It’s going to be just as controversial doing it now because this area is very conservative. But I’m working on getting a group of students/staff/faculty together so we can start making noise.
Also, congrats on NaNo!