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I have a relationship with him. I like him. I give him lots of
encouragement about the work he is doing. Last weekend his partner went to the
hospital with a broken nose and other injuries after he beat her. How do I face
him when he comes back? (Kate Nonesuch, Malaspina College)
The prevalence of sexual harassment, even sexual assault, within
programs became a major theme for many women - as did the importance of the
research as an opportunity to name this violence. At least one woman
experienced men's violence as a result of her participation in this research.
Others experienced the threat of violence or the fear of violence as they
became vocal about the importance of woman-positive activities within their
programs.
Many women talked about how the connections between women,
violence, and literacy are so visible in some programs and so hidden in others.
For some, the violence inside their programs mirrors the way violence stalks
women on the streets, in their homes, and at work. For others, the invisibility
of violence inside their programs mirrors the way violence against women is
ignored or denied within their communities and institutions.
The terrible poverty of many women students, particularly those
who receive social assistance and those without any form of income, became a
central theme. Many women recognized poverty as a systemic form of violence
against women. The lack of resources and services for women who are hungry,
homeless, sick, or disabled results in terrible stress not only for the women
themselves, but also for the workers who become involved in trying to help
women simply live their lives. Again, for some program workers this poverty and
its consequences may be invisible because women denied a minimum standard of
living either never appear in classrooms or silently drop out.
Some women focused on the violence of systemic racism, sexism,
ablism, and homophobia within their programs and throughout society. The lack
of training for practitioners and the lack of program policies and procedures
to deal with discrimination became a catalyst for woman-positive activities in
two programs. They developed sexual harassment policies as the basis for
anti-discrimination policies. Others plan to use these processes and models to
implement their own.
Many women talked about how they felt isolated in their work.
They stressed the importance of having two women in each program involved in
the research. The experience of working through the practice, reflection, and
analysis process with a partner, as well as with other women from across the
country, had demonstrated the power of having time, resources, and
encouragement to explore their work. |