Feminist Peace Network

From the Family Violence Prevention Fund:

“One of the nation’s top violence prevention organizations today launched an unprecedented new initiative to raise awareness about a kind of abuse that is rarely discussed, but has severe consequences.  The Family Violence Prevention Fund’s (FVPF’s) kNOw More initiative examines the reproductive health consequences of sexual coercion and violence, which include unintended pregnancy, HIV/AIDS and other sexually transmitted infections, miscarriage, infertility, coerced abortion, and a range of other serious health issues.  kNOw More is designed to start a dialogue about the birth control sabotage and reproductive coercion that many teens and young women face, and help draw the link to the reproductive health problems it causes.

New research conducted for the initiative by Child Trends finds that some 18 percent of women age 18 to 24 report having experienced forced sexual intercourse at least once in their lives.  Child Trends used data from the 2002 National Survey of Family Growth for the analysis, basing estimates of forced sexual intercourse on a sample of 1,833 females aged 18 to 24.  The most common types of force are verbal or physical pressure, and being physically held down.  More than half the women forced to have sexual intercourse report experiencing each of these types of force.  Approximately a quarter of the women report being physically hurt.

“The intersection of sexual violence and reproductive health is largely unexplored,” FVPF President Esta Soler said.  “With this initiative, we are overcoming stigma and raising awareness about the many women who, while dating or in relationships are forced into choices not their own through rape, sexual coercion or because partners prevent them from using protection.  These women are at risk for sexually transmitted infection, unintended pregnancy, HIV, and more.  Some suffer miscarriages when they want to carry pregnancies to term.  Others become mothers before they are ready.  Still others lose their fertility.  We are creating a space for women to share stories, and raising awareness among those who may be at risk as well as their friends, policy makers and others.”

The new website provides a blog and space for other women to share their stories.

On November 10, the Omega Psi Phi Fraternity will join the kNOw More initiative by bringing together more than 500 students, faculty and Omega members on the Howard University campus in Washington, D.C. to take a pledge against violence.  The fraternity will host a panel discussion on the links between violence against women and negative reproductive health outcomes.  With more than 700 chapters worldwide, Omega is one of the oldest and most prestigious African-American fraternities in the United States.”

Filed under: Uncategorized, Gender-Based Violence, Women's Health, Violence Against Women, Rape, Sexual Assault, Domestic Violence Awareness Month (DVAM)