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This is an article from the newest edition of "Our Bodies Ourselves" regarding self-defense. The article discusses what self-defense is and the controversy behind it. Self-defense is explained as a way to effectively protect ourselves against violence. This web page is useful because it provides links to other articles from "Our Bodies Ourselves" that discuss violence against women.

I really enjoyed this articles discussion on what self defense is, and the fact that it didn't seem to place the responsibility for prevention on the woman, but rather focused on empowerment. So many sites dealing with violence protection/prevention engage in victim blaming and make it seem as if it's the woman's fault that she was raped/hit/killed if she did not follow these tips and techniques, so it was really refreshing to read one that doesn't engage in these practices

I chose to bookmark this page to supplement my other bookmarked page from deviantART. It is my understanding that the anti-violence against women poster was created in support of this new law. I found it interesting and important to note because of the date in which this law was had passed and is hopefully now being implemented. This law establishes that women and children are to be given the same human rights as men. It also claims to ensure that women and children receive appropriate aid from the state when necessary. I do not know if this new law, which should have been created many more years ago, is currently being upheld to its fullest description.

I found this particular piece of art among several others under the category of on deviantart.com, an online community created for all sorts of artists. X4rsyzt3m, the artist, provided a short explanation of her piece, which included statistics about violence against women, particularly violence among intimate partners of which she is a victim. I read the comments below the work and was taken aback by what a person called Saywhaat and another called Humanisticparadox said in response to the piece. (I do not agree with either of them). Saywhaat was offended by the piece because she (I'm assuming it is a she) thinks that the artist is, "degrading not only [her]self but [her] entire sex" because the artist thinks that women should be treated differently, which I am not sure the artist is trying to say. I was personally offended by what Humanisticparadox said because he (he admitted to being a he) thinks that it is our fault that we are the weaker sex emotionally and physically and that we should be toughened up instead of protected.

Creel, Liz 2001 Domestic Violence: An Ongoing Threat to Women in Latin America and the Caribbean. Population Reference Bureau. http://www.prb.org/Articles/2001/DomesticViolenceAnOngoingThreattoWomeninLatinAmericaandtheCaribbean.aspx, accessed April 2010. This article explains how many Latin American countries do not seriously address domestic violence. Men may receive a misdemeanor instead of a felony based on the kind of injuries that a woman has, for example, if she only has bruises or does not have to stay in the hospital for a long time, than her abuser is charged with less. On top of this, police do not always follow through or even respond to reports of domestic abuse and courts and judges do not ensure adequate protective services for victims. This article is very crucial to my paper. I am looking at why domestic violence is not constructed as an issue in Latin America. This article shows that not only is domestic violence not handled as a serious issue by officials, it also demonstrates that these apathetic attitudes towards domestic abuse only increase the problem of it not being handled as a important issue and allowing for victims to believe that it is a not a worthy enough problem that they should report.

Activist groups in Pakistan pressure to reform the law to protect women from violence. The U.S.A is also realizing how vital it is to incorporate violence against women in their international agenda. Violence against women is starting to be seen as a global struggle that crosses national interests.

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George, Sabu M. 1997. "Female Infanticide in Tamil Nadu, India: From Recognition Back to Denial?" Reproductive Health Matters. 5(10): 124-132. This article was published in the issue titled, "The International Women's Health Movement," which I found very helpful in aiding my understanding of female infanticide. It offers a different perspective on the relatively recent phenomenon of female infanticide and discusses the circumstances that led to its entrance into the political sphere as well as critiquing programs such as the 'Girl Child Protection Scheme' that are intended to stop female infanticide. I found this article very interesting and educational.

Sylverstein, L. 1999. "The Evolutionary Origins of Male Violence Against Women" in Haraway & O'Neil (eds) What Causes Men's Violence Against Women? Sage Publications. This chapter is important, however in a secondary way. I will use this article to further supplant the points I wish to convey from the films I am using, most specifically with The Accused, and in part with Showgirls. I will use Sylverstein's points of the female/matriarchic oriented Bonobos in relation to the women of both films. I will discuss the parallels found between these bonding primates and their counterparts found within The Accused as portrayed in the unified fight for justice between Kathryn Murphy (Kelly McGillis) and Sarah Tobias (Jodi Foster). From Showgirls I will discuss the similarities of the primates violent tendencies as they relate to a slur against one of their own, as Nomi Malone (Elizabeth Berkley) defends and seeks vengeance for her friend Molly Abrams (Gina Ravera) - although this ideal of one woman protecting another is more fantasy than realism, especially in relation to the consequences. Again, this chapter will be more valuable to me in supplementing, rather than instigating, my ideas in relation to rape and how it affects the relationships amongst women.