Wednesday, May 22, 1996
‘Take Back the Night’ will help teach both sexesThe following
was submitted by the Women of Color Coalition.
Violence is perpetuated by this society against women. Violence
committed against women is facilitated by this society as it
enforces and reinforces unequal relationships between men and
women. The society rules with the notion that men are subjects,
thereby given the power to define women as objects. A brutal crime
is committed against a woman, but silence is expected of her. This
patriarchal society not only has the power to define women as
objects, but it also has the authority to determine the lives of
women. Furthermore, sexism combines with other social diseases like
racism and economic inequality to further oppress and violate
women.
As men are given the power to affirm their position of power by
subordinating women, male power is asserted through violent means.
According to figures from a National Crime Victimization Survey
Report, four women die each day in this country as a result of
domestic violence. Two to four million women of all races and
classes are battered each year. Approximately 132,000 women report
that they have been victims of rape or attempted rape. It is
estimated that two to six times as many women are raped, but do not
report it. Every year, 1.2 million women are forcibly raped by
their current or former male partners, some more than once.
As racism and economic inequality contribute in creating
difficulties in relationships, it is proven that women in low
income brackets and women of color are disproportionately victims
of assault and rape. Even academic institutions that exist to
broaden the minds of people, like UCLA, are no exception to this
violent trend. This is the reality of physical violence against
women, and it is crucial to fight this trend.
Spiritual violence committed against women affects much more
subtly, but its damage is equally, if not more, powerful. It is
difficult to quantify this form of oppression. Such violence is
committed against women in a manner that strips away their human
dignity. The society forces women to commit violence against
themselves. The media propagates physical beauty more than
personality or intelligence. Beauty for women is the most valued
attribute. Societal pressures force women to have cosmetic
surgeries. Thousands of women die from starvation in attempts to
make themselves thin in order to feel better about themselves.
To make things worse, this society does not even consider women
of color as conventionally beautiful, but rather as exotic objects
of fetish. The media portrays women of color with denigrating
stereotypes. Furthermore, it compels women of color to hide their
natural beauty and adapt idealized characteristics of Caucasian
women. Many Asian women resort to eyelid surgeries because their
natural almond shaped eyes with single eye folds are considered to
be ugly. Many women of color are compelled to wear facial powder
much lighter than their natural skin tone, color their hair with
color lighter than their natural hair color and wear contact lenses
lighter than their natural eyes to look more "beautiful."
This male-dominated society defines what is desirable in women.
Women, especially women of color, are made to violate themselves as
they constantly struggle for acceptance and dignity.
But the prospect of attaining human dignity and respect as women
seems dim in this capitalist society. Capitalism commits violence
by creating inequality, in terms of race, class and gender. As a
result, poor women of color are the most marginalized. The world
that we live in forces many poor women (generally from Third World
countries) to become international commodities to be imported and
exported as prostitutes and mail-order brides.
Economic, gender and racial inequality all merge in the major
cities in industrialized countries (even Los Angeles) in the form
of sex workers and domestic servants, forced to accept the most
inhumane abuse.
Empowerment of women is an effort to obtain human dignity and
self respect. Attaining human dignity means obtaining the power for
women to define themselves and to determine their lives as women.
Empowerment is necessary because it means striving for power to
fight violence against women. People need to unite in order to
fight the wrongs of this society (i.e. sexism, racism and economic
inequality).
The Women of Color Coalition, which is comprised of the African
Student Union, Asian Pacific Coalition, Movimiento Estudiantil
Chicano de Aztlan, Samahang Pilipino and Raza Women, will
collaborate with WISE, Together and the Panhellenic Council to
sponsor Take Back the Night, a rally this evening at 7 in Westwood
Plaza to address issues crucial to women. We encourage both women
and men to join in our effort, for empowerment of women is not
merely an issue concerning women, but is an issue concerning human
beings.