The readings, acknowledging violence done unto women, tell the stories of violence from different perspectives. Violence against women is situational and although some cases of violence can be similar, there are also striking differences. It is made clear in Kimberle Crenshaw’s article, “Mapping the Margins: Intersectionality, Identity Politics, and Violence Against Women of Color,” that violence can be all the more difficult to overcome for women of color.
It is white females whose voices get heard most often when speaking out against physical and verbal abuse, although it affects a spectrum of women. Shocking to me, Crenshaw documents a case of a Spanish speaking woman who struggled to find shelter, saying, “Despite this woman’s desperate need, she was unable to receive the protection afforded English-speaking women, due to the shelter’s rigid commitment to exclusionary policies” (Crenshaw, pp. 204). Wouldn’t it be assumed that shelters would want to help all abused women, and not discriminate against the already beaten down and discriminated?
I never thought about the difficulties women of color and non-English speaking women face when trying to overcome their hardships. It is as if women who already have much working against them: low income, impoverished, English language learners, and so on, have yet another barrier to go up against. The way systems are set-up, this cycle will become a never ending process, and the same story will continue to be told if an action isn’t taken against it.
Following with the theme of violence affecting intersectionality among women is Dorothy Allison’s Two or Three Things I Know for Sure. Her story is not one from a woman of color, but rather a woman of lower economic status. She came from women who accepted the hand they were dealt, so to speak. They never took the initiative to fight against the demeaning mean in their lives, and Allison was beaten and sexually abused by her stepfather. I believe that is issues like this that need to be addressed most often. Allison writes about her account of rape, telling, “that thirty years later one of my aunts could still say to me that she didn’t really believe it..” (Allison, pp. 42). If a five year old girl is being abused and the only people she is surrounded with find no truth in what she is saying, where does she find an outlet? Where does she find strength?
The women who are writing the books and articles we read are where the strength lies for some women. It is having the courage to tell the story of abuse and rape, because if you are writing the story, you have survived. The abuse, violence, and rape are the obstacles to overcome, but it is the survival, the determination, and the fight that should be most acknowledged. By hearing the triumphant stories of these women, the oppressed and beaten down women will be exposed to the hope that can come from there situations. These survivors can be heroes.
My mom has become one of these heroes for me. She hasn’t told her story to the masses, but by trusting me with her experience with rape and violence, I have a first-hand account of how a woman can be strong enough to come out of any situation. Stories like this will continue to empower.
Included is a link to stop Violence against Women.
Cited from:
Crenshaw, K. 1991. Mapping the Margins: Intersectionality, Identity Politics, and Violence Against Women of Color. Introduction to Women's Studies. 200.
Dorothy, A. 1995. Two or Three Things I Know for Sure. 43.
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I really enjoyed reading your post. You always do such a good job with your writings! The story that Chrenshaw told, about the Spanish speaking lady who was denied help through the shelter because she could not speak fluent English broke my heart also. Just to think about the courage it took to stand up and say enough is enough, pack up your kids, your belongings and escape is hard enough. Then be told that there is no where to go ecause you can not speak English well enough. How sad! I think it would be hard for anyone woman to speak up and tell someone about her violence. By the time she has been violated against, she has already had her esteem ripped out of her. The abusers usually have the victim believing that they amount to nothing and no one will believe them if they do tell. Then to have the courage to speak up and not be believed. Like how would a five year old make something like that up. I toatally agree that the women who are brave enough to speak out are an inspiration to all women, whether or not you have been raped, beaten or abused. I think women need to have more access to help. Shelters that will take you in no matter what race you are. They need to know that the abuser can not find out where they are, or be able to get to them. In my family's case, it took a matter of leaving state, going out west to get away from her abuser. She still had the worry of him finding her, no restraining order would have kept him away. I quess as women and we hear of these situations, all we can do is offer advise on where to go and what to do because the victim needs to belive and trust in someone in order to speak up and get away from their attacker. I also liked your link, it is great that it is an international website.
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