This is a call ~ and an acknowledgment for our Women writers, journalists and those Women who’ve worked to share the story of Grace Millane ~ with dignity, professionalism and a deep understanding of the many injustices this familiar, sad and painful story contains.
The murder of Women by violent men perhaps as old as time. But the promise of our news media and institutions respecting our victims and moving to shift our global culture from impunity and the normalisation of Violence Against Women, is a new hope and task our women writers have taken on with capable, guiding and resolute hands.
It is a virulence upon us, this sadistic violence perpetrated at every hour of every day and they understand that. Each in their own unique way have picked up a thread and have woven collectively the reality of the perspective our public and leaders must meet and see.
They’ve shone a clear light and entwined cold evidence with both the feeling of our nations women and the other chapter of this story, the peripheral rot, the further entrenched discrimination that needs be told.
It can be said their physical and emotional self has lived streams of anger and sorrow through their veins. Of this story, of the last story, of the next, they will one day have said to of told. Their understanding though, that this doesn’t have to be inevitable, is too coursing deeper with strength that urges on to run as strong as braided river women do.
Their vocation here is not easy. It is a surreal drudge through human terror and often it is work under duress. There’s a bravery in what they do. Writers too often find themselves under attack whilst engaging to expose that same pernicious rot which lingers and invades everywhere Women go.
Standing to speak, gathering together with arduous investigations and challenging the status quo, signifies a mark of deep consideration for our responsibilities, commitment to justice and sharing of truth ~ our story ~ of their intelligence in offering ways through.
The 25th of November is International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, commemorated for three sisters who were murdered, clubbed to death, in the Dominican Republic for their opposition to systemic violence in 1960. Their names ~ Patria, Minerva and Maria Teresa Mirabal.
Today also begins ‘16 Days of Activism’, a global campaign against Gender Based Violence.
The work of our writers, witnesses and researchers is crucial. They bring light to the dark, amplifying voices who’ve no platform or space from our world’s violence to move or breathe. The best we can do to support our storytellers is to listen to them, read their valuable work and carry their stories out into our world to help change it by engaging ourselves. We can and need to be armed with the information and perspective our researchers and writers as forward lookouts and intelligence gatherers bring.
From now until International Human Rights Day, December 10, please invest time for reading and listening to be a part of your activism. Look into the hashtags #16DaysOfActivism #16Days #OrangeTheWorld and #GenerationEquality to further your understanding of the root cause of this transnational, inter generational war on women and gender minorities. You’ll find reports, stories, statistics and solutions thickly woven by our observers during this time.
We have to eliminate the roots of violence and discrimination, structurally and culturally with haste ~and the truth, the real story which carries the knowledge and the wisdom woven through, will be key.
As it is, by the telling and retelling of Woman’s story, we weave and have Women Rising ~ we have all people rising. ~ Thank you dear scribes.
