"There is plenty of evidence to suggest that misogyny and gender-based violence are also correlated with broader threats. They are among the most reliable indicators of terrorism and conflict, according to a 2015 United Nations report, because a spike in gender-based violence — particularly domestic violence — correlates with “rising levels of insecurity in society more broadly.” A sudden disappearance of girls from schools, for example, could point to a rise of fundamentalist views. There is also a “robust symbiosis between misogyny and white supremacy,” according to a report by the Anti-Defamation League, an organization that was founded in 1913 to combat anti-Semitism, and now fights a variety of threats of hate and extremism. There is enough data to know that men who kill women do not suddenly kill women, they work up to killing women,” Ms. Criado Perez added. “If only we were to listen to women and pay attention to the misogyny and aggression and violence that they deal with on a daily basis.”
How can language frame the conversations to combat gender-based violence?
I think language shapes our perception of everything. The language and words used today are both an indicator and enabler of the violence and hatred women go through every day. There are multiple studies that show how truly violent are language towards women is.
Often times you’ll find people being asympathetic and unnerved simply because it’s so normal to hear these things every day. Women are labelled ‘crazy’, ‘hysteric’, ‘possessed’, etc, when they share the trauma they went through. Girls are labeled as ‘whores’ and ‘sluts’ when they are simply trying to explore their sexuality and womanhood. There are thousands of different slurs for women but I can barely count male equivalents to those slurs.
I think when we decide to change the language we use to describe misogyny and womens rights issues, then we can learn to have more empathy and compassion.
When it comes to language around the world gender based violence are usually never talked about as they are seen as uncomfortable table talk. In Haiti violence against women are prevalent but unlike other countries women have the option to get out but it will be the anger of the man more than anything that will be her greatest problem. When it comes to the violence against women in Haiti most people usually turn a blind eye and that is why language is very important in advocating that women have a voice and they can stand up for themselves.