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This article is a great example of the articles we read in Transforming a Rape Culture. It evidences author Nan Stein's argument that "schools may in fact be the training grounds for domestic violence: Girls learn that they are on their own, that the adults and others around them will not believe or help them when they report sexual harassment or assault. The harassers find that their conduct is treated with impunity, sometimes even glorified." (Transforming a Rape Culture) I think this article is important because it shows a real life example that can not be swept under the rug. Because bullying and sexual harassment were taken to such an extreme level and resulted in suicide, the issue has to be dealt with outside of the school's gates. In fact, this may act as a jump start for reform in Massachusetts school systems.

This story is terribly sickening. I remember the first time I heard it on the news, I was appalled. While I am sad to say I wasn't completely shocked that kids can be so mean, I am surprised that no one intervened before it got so out of control. Also, it is interesting that the incident of statutory rape is just briefly mentioned. To agree with Morgan, this goes to show how their conduct was indeed treated with impunity, while her death has been overly sensationalized.

This speech given by Secretary of State Hilary Rodham Clinton goes into how activism on behalf of violence against women has changed in the past few years. She explains that progress has been made, but that it needs to continue. This helps to attract global attention to the problem of violence against women. This is related to our class because it shows how action can have an effect on violence against women, and how changes in the future are necessary and can be made possible.

Global attraction to this issue of violence against women is pertinent in working towards solving it. This issue is usually in places were impunity rules over the perpetrators. The steps taken by global actors such as the United States in taking a stand against violence against women,and being proactive in implementing legislation to end it works to promote taking action on this issue. However, it is also important to note the areas were there is still work to be done as Hilary Clinton expresses.

This is an analysis of the issue of Femicide from the point of view of three Central American activists who are from Honduras, Guatemala and Mexico. These three activists analyze Femicide and the impact that it has had on women from a political, economic and social. It is interesting to see the similarities that the three countries have and how clear we can see the patterns within three different viewpoints.

Showgirls, 1995, Paul Verhoeven, dir. Crenshaw, K 1991. "Mapping the Margins: Intersectionality, Identity Politics and Violence Against Women of Color." Stanford Law Review v43:1241-1299 Williams, Linda. Spring, 2003. "Showgirls & Sex Acts." Film Quarterly, 56: 40-41. Retrieved April 11, 2010 (http://www.jstor.org/stable/1213965). This was a debatable film for me to use, however I ultimately decided to use it for three specific reasons. The first, I believe it shows important ideals of female support, as similar to the Bonobo primates that Sylverstein discusses. Yet I was more drawn to this female compassion - of Nomi seeking revenge for her raped friend Molly - due to its fantasy and lack of realism. Nomi seeks Molly's assaulter and fiercely kicks his face in multiple times. While this is an oddly heroic scene of just revenge, it is not realistic in its culminating consequences. For this point, Linda Williams's article is helpful in further realizing this idea. Williams discusses the vengeful Nomi as a new heroine for post-feminist film, as different from the original innocent female heroine - Nomi is not innocent and sexually naïve, quiet the opposite! Nomi is sexually literate and knows how to use her body to her best advantage, whether for violent vengeance or her own survival. However, the second issue raised is the relation of hidden powers, here as presented through fame and fortune. It is due to the rapist's elite social standing that no investigation or authorities are begun or brought in (hence the vengeance of Nomi). I will explore how this instills ideas of impunity, as discussed in many of the readings this semester (therefore I will most likely additionally use such readings as the Carey and Torres reading, etc.). One final (third) topic I will explore within the film is the fact that Molly is a woman of color. I will explore this topic in relation to topics raised by Crenshaw in her "Mapping the Margins…" Some of these to

Three sources here, but I assumed as Crenshaw was a class reading and the third source has a highlighted link I would simply put the film link as the URL.