International Day for Elimination of Violence against Women

25th of November

I cant start this post with Happy International Day for Elimination of Violence against Women! It is a sad enough fact that this day needs to exist as a testament to the suffering of millions of women around the world. Its even more chilling to know that nowhere, nowhere in the world have women achieved real equality with men and freedom from targeted violence against them just because they are – women.

Birth

A purely female domain and capability in life. And even though man has done a good job of taking control over that function of the woman as well, for those of us in developed countries there is a way to escape, to pull out of the status quo to deny the doctrine sold on us from infancy or specifically:  “the female body is defective, its dangerous and she needs to be saved from her own short comings by relinquishing her body to the system”.

What do the two have in common?

A lot. But I will not go into that right now.

I wanted to draw your attention to a movement in Bulgaria of women who are trying to have their rights as patients and human beings respected in hospitals of the country. They are subjected to unbelievably inhumane treatment by medical staff and have been for years. They are psychologically and physically violated in droves. They are talked to with disrespect (“You didnt scream when you were making the baby, didya?!”, “Shut up, we dont want to hear you!”, “We have no time for you and your stupidity” etc.).  Their dignity is stomped (they are given no privacy for vaginal exams and procedures, their shyness is laughed at, their life choices a good subject for the next joke). They are physically violated (slapped, handled, jumped on their stomachs against their will, strapped, sedated at the will of the staff). Their basic rights are ignored (rights to information, refusal of medical procedures, being spared from pain as much as possible). And this is just the shortlist.

And all of this is accepted as normal and just what a woman has to go to get a baby in the end. So they grind their teeth, close their eyes, endure the horror, and thank the doctors in the end for saving their lives.

But not all women accept that this. There are some that see it for what it is – an unacceptable horrific practice that should be stopped.

And so they rose and wanted their voices heard. And today they are having a protest in front of one of the hospitals to say:

NO to the violence against birthing women!

And you can give them a supporting arm, wherever you are  http://nenanasilieto.wordpress.com/violencebirhwomen/ as I hope WE know that all of this is not right. Should not be right. Should have never be seen as right no matter in which corner of the world we are.

And one day 25th of November will be the day that used to be The International Day for Elimination of Violence against Women.

And violence will be history.

One needs to be able to dream.