BLOGGING: PUBLIC ADVOCACY -- LET YOUR VOICE BE HEARD AND ECHOED. Using the course human rights and social justice public forum blog , identify an issue that you find compelling (it could be a an existing one or a new one you have uncovered) and post an entry to the Public forum blog, 'let your voice be heard and echoed'. The purpose of your posting is to help others gain awareness of human rights issues in everyday life.
Include in your blog postings weblinks to articles, photos, and videos. Find the articles of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights are relevant to your issue and the article number(s) and brief description (A26-Right to Education).
Post your comments below.
My boyfriend and I travelled to Boston this weekend for a get-away. We were excited to spend time together, get to know the area in which we were staying, and enjoy the life that we work hard for every day. The highlight of the trip however was not the great hotel, delicious dinner, fantastic shopping, nor the exciting nightlife...it was something of much greater importance.
ReplyDeleteJuxtaposed against the baroque architecture of a cathedral, I witnessed something more beautiful than the backdrop. The women priests of the church had set up what I gathered was a typical Sunday outreach for the homeless of Boston. They had juice, breakfast, and coffee right outside on the sidewalk. People from all walks of life gathered together to enjoy the day and as we walked by the women priests extended their hands to each person, looked them straight in the eye and sincerely said, "Peace be with you".
I stopped and stared, not because I was curious or wanted to experience something outside of my everyday life, but because I was so touched by the true outreach of the church. It filled my heart with joy as one woman announced that the typical Tuesday night meeting would be held on Wednesday. This meant to me that the outreach continues. That these women and communicants are truly following their faith and helping others, not simply by providing food and beverage, but by holding their hands and making sure they know that they are human too and we all share in this world.
This is the perfect portrayal of Article 1 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights: "All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights.They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood."
It also made me think of Article 25: "Everyone has the right to a standard of living adequate for the health and well-being of himself and of his family..."
As a person who is drawn to helping others and acting as an ambassador for peace in our world (as best as I can) I gravitate towards music that speaks to that part of me. Today's experience in Boston reminded me of one of my favorite musicians, Michael Franti, who has several organizations set up to (essentially) defend the natural rights of people around the world. The websites www.michaelfranti.com, www.powertothepeaceful.org, www.stayhuman.org are all fantastic resources of what people out there are doing on a large scale to help others.
The video by Michael Franti and Spearhead for their song, "Hey World (Don't Give Up)" passionately illustrates the need for humans to embrace one another and protect their brothers and sisters. Please take a look at the video!
An issue that continues to be controversial for many is that of Gay Marriage. I mean, it's really not that deep people and I'm not sure why so many individuals put so much energy into denying the right for same sex couples to marry.
ReplyDeleteArticle 1 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights clearly states that, "All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights." Why would anyone want to deny the right of two people of the same sex, who love one another, to marry each other?
As the mother of two young girls, I am constantly concerned for their safety and well being. Examining some of the atrocities that are happening to girls, and women in the world forces me look at my daughters in utter shock and wonder how these things could happen to girls just like my own.
ReplyDeleteWhile listening to the NPR radio interview by Michel Martin with Pulitzer Prize winning journalist and author, Sheryl Wudunn, I was astounded by the statistics that were presented regarding women, and slave trafficking in the world, and in the United States. According to demographers, there are an estimated 60-100 missing women in the world. Those women are someone's mother, sister, aunt, wife, and daughter.
The fact that I realized that I had little awareness of the magnitude of the human trafficking and sex slave industry prompted me to research these issues.
As I surfed the Internet, I found a wealth of information, statistics, and disturbing photos all related to Article 4 in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights; No one shall be held in slavery or servitude; slavery and slave trade shall be prohibited in all their forms.
I found a website, www.notforsalecampaign.com, to be a very informative, progressive site providing information about the government's role, the action taking place globally, and how to get involved to make a difference.
The news story covered by NBC this year called, "Sex Slavery in America/One Girl's Nightmare-Today.com told the story of girls being trafficked from Honduras to Houston with the promise of legitimate jobs in America, and then being forced into sex slavery with the threat of violence to themselves and their families. The police investigator in the Houston are estimates that there are at least a few hundred sex slaves in just his small jurisdiction.
Lastly, I discovered an article that hit very close to home about girls being trafficked within the United States, and forced into sex slavery. "The sex slaves next door - US News - Enslaved in America - msnbc.com", is a story that was covered in March of this year that told the story of girls and women living in brothels around the country in suburban neighborhoods.
I hope that this information will spark interest in others to become aware, and possible take action to begin to save these women and girls from a life of slavery.
This is Cindy's test...
ReplyDeleteSWK6050 Human Rights and Social Justice
ReplyDeleteJennifer Pratt-Module 3
There is currently a crisis going on in society that is often overlooked and minimized. Domestic Violence is a serious and cyclical/perpetual violation of human rights that occurs every day in every city, state, and country around the world. Most often women in poverty are targeted and experience higher rates of intimate partner violence. This continues to marginalize victimized women in poverty as they often become homeless and require public assistance. Women that are victims of domestic violence often suffer from depression and suicide attempts at a higher rate. Often women who experienced abuse in their childhood home enter into abusive relationships as teens and adults. It is often asked “Why do women stay”, which is an example of the Blame the Victim approach. It does not support, build up self-esteem or empower women, but fosters the guilt and depression battered women experience. Women who are victims of domestic violence are continually oppressed as they are prevented from accessing opportunities to for self development and advancement. (Mullaly, 2010)
Domestic violence is a serious problem where in the human rights of women are violated and denied every day. This violence is a violation of several Articles of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Article 3 states that everyone has the right to life, liberty and security of person. Domestic Violence clearly illustrates how this is violated in the sense that the life of battered women is not protected as her security of person is threatened every day. Additionally, Article 4 stated that No one shall be held in slavery or servitude, this denial of rights is also demonstrated in the life of battered women because she is often held as a slave in her own home due to threats made by her batterer to her life. Article 5 describes that No one shall be subjected to torture or to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment. Victims of domestic violence are often battered as a form of punishment that allows the batterer to remain in control. Article 6 states that everyone has the right to recognition everywhere as a person before the law. Statistics show that orders of protection are often violated and numerous charges are dismissed each year. Victims of domestic violence often do not come forward due to fear that law enforcement agencies will be unable to protect them.
http://www.hrw.org/news/2011/06/09/making-noise-about-violence-and-women
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Ba_9SbAu2k&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Ba_9SbAu2k&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WL3rfk2iFww&feature=related
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ReplyDeleteI work with schizophrenic adults and the local police know the type of facility it is due to having to call them when residents are having a break down. Two months ago a resident was held up by gun point. When we called to report it the police came out to the facility which is a regular house in a residential neighborhood. They said they could not fill a report because the complainant was not reliable, meaning he was a schizophrenic adult. This was an unjust situation and saddens me.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteSolitary Confinement & its Relevance to the UDHR
ReplyDeleteThough I feel it is implied in my post, Article 5 (prohibition against torture, cruel and inhuman treatment/punishment) specifically addresses the use of solitary confinement, Article 10 (fair and impartial hearing by independent tribunal) may also apply in terms of the injustice that may exist in correctional disciplinary hearings and other administrative processes that lead to this form of confinement. This is apparent in those cases where individuals have spent 12-30 years under such conditions. As the 14th amendment allows for the economic exploitation of the incarcerated in the form of prison labor I would argue that Article 4 (prohibition of slavery)is also applicable.
Solitary Confinement-America's Guantanamo
ReplyDeleteOn September 26, 2011, over 6,600 individuals incarcerated at Pelican Bay and other prisons operated by the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation reinstated a hunger strike, that originally began in July, to protest cruel, inhumane and torturous conditions. Among the five core demands made by the protestors, was the elimination of the use of solitary confinement as recommended by the U.S. Commission on Safety and Abuse in America's Prisons.(http://www.prisoncommission.org). (http://prisonerhungerstrikesolidarity.wordpress.
com).
It is estimated that there are over 20,000 inmates in state and federal "Super-Max" prisons throughout America who are subjected to up t 23 hours confinement a day;with some detentions lasting decades. When daily disciplinary actions where solitary confinement is ordered, the number of inmates could be between 50-80,000. So egregious is the use of solitary confinement that the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), a Non-governmental organization (NGO) submitted a statement to the Human Rights Council of the United Nations (UN) citing widespread violations of human rights in America's Prison system. (http://solitarywatch.files.wordpress.com). In addition to the ACLU, a myriad of organizations, advocacy groups, social scientist and mental health practitioners have documented and testified to the adverse affects of long-term isolation and confinement; including negative physiological and psychological reactions which can cause irreparable harm (www.aclu.org/files/pdfs/prison/stop_solitary_briefing_paper.pdf).
An analysis of U.S. policy regarding the use of solitary confinement on Prisoners reveals a paradoxical interpretation and application of international and constitutional law that has resulted in human rights violations of almost 100,000 of its citizens. Irreverence to a commitment to develop a human rights culture is reflected in the reservations lodged when U.S. representatives "conditionally" ratified U.N. initiatives including the: International Covenant on Civil & Political Rights (ICCPR 1992), the Convention Against Torture and other Cruel, Inhumane or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (Covenant Against Torture)and, the American Convention on Human/Organization of America States. In these cases the United States the United States limited its commitment to human rights to not extend beyond judicial and legislative interpretations of the 5th, 8th and 14th amendments to the U.S. Constitution. This allowed for national policy and court decisions to disallow any accountability in terms of internationally agreed upon standards of human rights and social justice (www.auilr.org/pdf/21/21-1-5.pdf).
It is also critical for social justice workers to be receptive to the discourses specific to this issue and in the voices of the victims of these policies that adversely affect human beings. Two excellent resources are a radio documentary entitled "Survivors: Solitary Confinement in America's Prisons" (http://podcast.prx.org/saltcast/?p=582) and "Solitary Confinement Parts 1,2,3 &4 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hkY-gfPVJuQ).
Social justice workers concerned with the plight of incarcerated persons, their families and communities, should include interventions and other strategies in their practice to create a counter-discourse in an effort to expose and deconstruct the systemic oppression that has led to America operating a prison industrial complex housing over 2.5 million people. Absent social justice focused approaches to this travesty, we will continue to be confronted by the multitude of social adjustment and psychological problems experienced by the 1,600 men and women returning from prison every day in America.
An issue which I truly find compelling is that of Partial Birth/ Late term abortions. I have my own views on abortion in general, but I will stick to this type of abortion because I believe that it’s so incredibly inhumane and unjust, and I have a hard time finding excuses as to why it might be a debatable in the least sense. Now I do need to warn you about the graphic nature of this blog and the links herein. But I feel that the truth is necessary if I really wish for my “voice to be heard and echoed”.
ReplyDeleteFirst off I want to clear up the idea that late term abortions do not take place anymore in developed countries. This is false. These abortions happen all over the world including in the present day United States. Usually, proponents of partial birth abortions claim that the procedure takes place because the baby has been determined to be very disabled in his/her future and/or the baby will be extremely dangerous for the mother to birth. But even if so, isn’t the baby human? At this stage (20 weeks and on), the baby is a baby with fingers, toes, a heartbeat, a brain, internal organs, and so on. Should the baby not be entitled to life (Article 3) as a human being?
Here is a video showing the development of a baby during 15-20 weeks into pregnancy:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kHybTthWwn0
Brenda Pratt Shafer was a pro choice nurse, prior to assisting with late term abortions. Please read her story for an eye witness explanation on how these procedures are performed http://suewidemark.netfirms.com/shafer2.htm.
The following is a summary of the procedure taken from http://www.priestsforlife.org/partialbirth.html:
The Partial Birth Abortion Procedure
Guided by ultrasound, the abortionist grabs the baby's leg with forceps.
The baby's leg is pulled out into the birth canal.
The abortionist delivers the baby's entire body, except for the head.
The abortionist jams scissors into the baby's skull. The scissors are then opened to enlarge the hole...
The scissors are removed and a suction catheter is inserted. The child's brains are sucked out, causing the skull to collapse. The dead baby is then removed.
Partial birth abortions have been banned by the Partial Birth Abortion Ban Act of 2003, which was also upheld in 2007. http://news.findlaw.com/wp/docs/abortion/2003s3.html. Live Birth abortions are illegal due to the Born-Alive Infants Protection Act. But again, these procedures are still performed due to multiple loopholes in the laws as well as a lack of consequences included in the laws for performing the abortions. Here’s a link to a story about one such practitioner who continued to perform the procedures http://www.lifenews.com/2011/01/19/abortion-practitioner-killed-seven-babies-with-scissors/
Now I believe that it’s also a moot point to state that these abortions are such a small percentage of abortions or they only take place when the mother is severely at risk. All of this just sounds like justification of murder to me.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/10/04/doma-defense-taxpayers-ma_n_994121.html
ReplyDeleteSad that House Republicans are paying a private law firm $1.5 million dollars to defend a law barring same sex marriages.
ALEXANDER THE GREAT
ReplyDeleteTHE MOST SUCCESSFUL COMMANDER OF ALL TIME
This week the repeal of gays serving in the military under the landmark don’t ask, don’t tell law was snuffed. Even the possibility of beginning a debate was thwarted by the Republican Party who confabulated to deny vote under the premise that government spending and tax cuts needed first priority. Beyond the fact that hetero sexism is a socially constructed reality, it is the statements associated with the repudiation that caused me to reflect on the manner in which oppression is perpetuated in our society. For almost two decades we as a country have sent the message that “you can die for your country, but don’t do it if you’re gay.” In just one segment of the morning news I witnessed how social legitimacy was applied to the repeal of the ban by quoting a survey conducted of Marine soldiers. It was stated that 60% of those polled allegedly felt that a lift of the ban would “affect the unit’s ability to fight in the battlefield.” Other forms of anti-repeal rhetoric included allegations that morale and cohesiveness would decline in the armed forces and that “many soldiers will leave in droves.” Those who engage in this type of propaganda should research the statistics and polls of how many soldiers left the famed battles led by Alexander the Great. The infamous King of Macedonia carried homosexual relations with at least two lovers in his lifetime, Hephaestion (the true love of his life) and Bagoas all while he conquered the entire Persian Empire and created a massive empire that stretched from the Adriatic Sea to the Indus River. These statements made via the most powerful method of mass media, television, is a deliberate attempt at rallying, if not inciting, those who are socially unaware of the oppression and marginalization tactics employed by the dominant culture for the reification of hetero sexism.
In addition, Arizona (R) Sen. John McCain stated that to lift the ban would “undermine safety and order.” What exactly does that mean? Currently it is speculated that there are approximately 60,000 closeted gays in the armed forces serving this country. I have yet to see the statistics on how many acts of violence or impropriety, including sexual assaults, has been committed by gays in the military. What I do gather from McCain’s words is a prediction that heterosexual soldiers are unable to conduct themselves professionally without targeting their openly gay counterparts. One must ponder, is this the safety and order that will cease to exist? Again, if we look at Alexander the Great for a guiding example, he repudiated sexual relations with children and treated prisoners of war, including some of the most beautiful women he had ever seen, humanely, not as objects for sex or abuse. Can we say Abu Ghraib?
Our Universal Declaration of Human Rights states Article-1 All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights…not only is the reluctance to lift the ban an infringement of this most basic of human rights, but our soldiers have committed atrocious transgressions against the human rights themselves, as depicted in this photo where clearly Article 5 No one shall be subjected to torture or to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment,” was disregarded.
As for McCain, in Spanish we have a saying “Do not preach morale in your underwear” as to say “watch your words as they may appear hypocritical in light of your own behavior.” The media describes McCain as a “self-centered womanizer who left his crippled wife to play the field” finally trading her for a Rodeo beauty queen (Cindy McCain). (http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-1024927/The-wife-John-McCain-callously-left-behind.html) I will not be placing much value on his advice about what is moral, safe and orderly in his campaign to perpetuate oppression of those who failed to conform to socially constructed views of human sexuality.
Article #4 of the UDHR: “No one shall be held in slavery or servitude; slavery and the slave trade shall be prohibited in all their forms.”
ReplyDeleteHuman trafficking is a subject that occupies my thoughts quite regularly and I believe there is not nearly enough awareness on this topic. I started my research on human trafficking two years ago when I watched a movie called “Trade” in one of my undergraduate classes. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5cHsw1-n_p0 The movie was fiction but is very much based on true events that happen all the time, very close to home. This movie changed my outlook on the world forever and I highly recommend it to anyone who has not yet seen it. I have a hard time understanding why this movie hasn’t gotten more publicity. Another thing I couldn’t understand is that this practice is undoubtedly occurring all over the United States and yet there is so little mention of it in the media. The sad truth is there are not a lot of victims of human trafficking being found because no one is looking for them. Human Trafficking got a little media attention in 2004, when The New York Times published a story called, “The Girls Next Door” by Peter Landesman http://www.nytimes.com/2004/01/25/magazine/the-girls-next-door.html?pagewanted=all which publicized a human trafficking raid in Plainfield, N.J that uncovered the sale of teenage girls. The gut wrenching article tells how the girls had been sold so many times, over and over again and were forced to do whatever the “john” wanted. Reading this article enraged me. If so many “Johns” were able to locate these girls so easily, why had no one else found them sooner and why had no one come to their rescue?
A big part of the problem is that people have the misconception that if someone is prostituting themselves then they must be doing it by choice. No one stops to help a 15 year old girl on the street because they assume that she’s probably and drug addict or made some really bad choices. If that were the case, it still would not be a reason not to help these under aged individuals, but the reality is so much worse. Many of these girls were lured into the trafficking business with the promise of a better life (some even paid for that they thought would be an opportunity for their talent to be discovered), others were kidnapped. These girls (and boys) want nothing more than to be rescued. And instead they are ignored, or worse- blamed. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YGAaWjsAOCA
One would think that in the year 2011 that we would not be hearing about honor killings. I am sad to say that these killings are not only a thing of the past but the numbers of killings in Europe are increasing. Many people who have come from countries that forbid a girl to marry outside of her religion, have sex prior to marriage, leave abusive marriages, etc. are now living in European countries and although they have lived for many years in these countries they are still holding onto their traditional ways of thinking. Many parents would be disappointed to find that their young daughter is marrying outside of their religion or perhaps have gotten pregnant prior to marriage, however thinking that it is ok to brutally beat and murder your own child for these acts if beyond comprehension, yet it happens still. I read that in the year 2007 that there was over 5000 honor in 14 countries. Many countries are now making laws tougher and hoping to decrease the number of honor killings, however much more needs to be done. Education is important, teaching women that they can go to safe houses and providing a safe place for them to go will hopefully save lives.
ReplyDeleteThe honor murders violate many of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. The following articles are violated.
The following articles are violated.
ReplyDelete• Article 1 – All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. They are endowed with reason and conscience and shout act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood.
• Article 2 – Everyone is entitled to all the rights and freedoms set forth in this Declaration..etc.
• Article 3 – Everyone has the right to life, liberty and security of person
• Article 5 – No one shall be subjected to torture or to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment
• Article 6 – Everyone has the right to recognition everywhere as a person before the law. (These families take the law into their own hands)
• Article 10 – Everyone is entitled in full equality to a fair and public hearing by an independent and impartial tribunal, in the determination of his rights and obligations and of any criminal charge against him.
• Article 11 – Everyone charged with a penal offence has the right to be presumed innocent until proved guilty according to law in a public trail at which he has had all the guarantees necessary for his defense. (These poor women never have a chance to a trial)
• Article 12 – No one shall be subjected to arbitrary interference with his privacy, family, home or correspondence, nor attacks upon his honor and reputation …..etc.
• Article 13 – Everyone has the right to freedom of movement and residence within the borders of each state (Girls are not allowed to leave the home and leave problems behind – they are followed and killed)
• Article 16 – Men and women of full age, without any limitation due to race, nationality or religion, have the right to marry and found a family…etc.
• Article 18 – Everyone has the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion; this right includes freedom to change his religion or belief, and freedom, either alone or in community with others and in public or private, to manifest his religion or belief in teaching, practice, worship and observance.
• Articles 20, 21, 23, 27, 28 and 29 are also violated.
As you can see almost all of the articles are violated. The women who are killed are not free to make their own choices. I was amazed to see how many of these killings still take place every year. The following is a website that will show you a good example of the life of a woman who was killed in the name of honor. At one time in this girl’s life she was brutally beaten for using hair spray. Growing up in the culture that we have, it is very difficult to comprehend that people still live like this, yet 5000 deaths in a year is a huge number. Imagine how awful it would be to be stalked and killed; yet magnify that horror by knowing that the people doing it are your family. This type of total disregard for human life and rights has to end. http://www.mmsnbc.msn.com/id/19176808/ns/world_news-europe/t/father-honor-killing-found-guilty-murder/
Education is important raising awareness and creating more safe places for women to go to is also important.
Sexual abuse of children is a subject that I take very personally. My own personal abuse began when I was about 7 y. o. and started after the death of my father from cancer and my mom remarried. The physical aspects of it continued for 6 years; ending when I was 13. The psychological aspects however, remain and while I have learned to handle them and recognize them for what they are, they have impacted my view of people and the world in general.
ReplyDeleteChild sexual abuse and child sexual exploitation have emerged in the last 20 years as two of the most neglected forms of child abuse. Child sexual abuse is reported up to 80,000 times a year but it is believed that the actual instances of this most insidious form of abuse is much greater, because the children are afraid to tell someone what is happening, or in my case, didn’t know how to describe it. Many children fall prey to a parent, step-parent, neighbor or other trusted individual. The procedures for validating an allegation can be prolonged, exacting, embarrassing and for the child, emotionally extremely painful. If it involves an arrest and loss of financial circumstances for the family, it can also bring with it a great deal of guilt and shame.
It is estimated that 1 in 4 girls and 1 in 6 boys will have experienced an incidence of abuse by the time they are 18 years old. While physical contact is what primarily comes to mind when thinking of this issue, it also encompasses, voyeurism, pornography, sexual dialogue, and prostitution. The offenders may be both men and women, young and old, and come from any socio-economic category.
While there are obvious signs of abuse: bruising, bleeding, and even torn clothing, others signs/symptoms occur that may not necessarily be quite as obvious. A child that may be sexually preoccupied, more knowledgeable than normal for her/his age, bedwetting, nightmares, and apparent unreasonable fears may all manifest and may be an indication of the occurrence of abuse.
The best interventions may also be the most obvious ones. Parents or care givers of children need to be aware of who their children come into contact with. They also need to pay attention to what their kids are telling them and be cognizant to changes in their behavior or in physical complaints that are new or out of the norm for their child. If abuse has occurred, the child needs to be supported and be made constantly aware that they have done nothing wrong. Psychological counseling for the child that is age appropriate is essential; however, support is necessary for the family as well. The ramifications from child sexual abuse can be far reaching and echo over time, affecting every aspect of an individual’s life and future relationships.
The Human Rights Issues involved are A3: Everyone has the right to life, liberty, and security of person.
A5: No one shall be subjected to torture or to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment.
I found a couple of video links on YouTube that I found quite compelling: 1.) The Silent Child and 2.) Child Sexual Abuse. The following sites also provide a great deal of stats on this issue and provides further informative links: www.aacap.org, www.ncvc.org, and www.law.cornell.edu.
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ReplyDeleteI found this image online quite some time ago but it has kind of stuck with me for a while. In terms of child abuse, I think sometimes the verbal and psychological abuse of children is harder to see and can often be harder to treat and prevent. This image made me think of how badly words can hurt and how a child who is growing and learning to communicate can be scarred so badly. The ad is called "choke" and the image shows the abusive words depicted as a hand around the child's neck. This image also makes me think of bullying which is such an apparent problem in schools and for the youth today.
ReplyDeletehttp://blogs.suntimes.com/media/2009/06/euro_rscgchicago_child_abuse_c.html
NEW HAVEN — Antonio Holloway, 19, became the city’s 34th homicide victim of the year Christmas Day, dying early Sunday at the Hospital of St. Raphael, several hours after he was shot near 335 Norton St., police said.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.nhregister.com/articles/2011/12/26/blotter/doc4ef756702a8c0865045796.txt
Article 3 – Everyone has the right to life, liberty and security of person
Article 5 – No one shall be subjected to torture or to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment
The most up-to-date official statistics show there were 36 homicides in New Haven in 1991, 35 homicides in both 1989 and 1990, and 33 in 1994.
Why are so many of our young people dying? Where are they getting these guns from is my primary question? Why aren’t their killers (in some cases) being brought to justice? If the “streets” know who killed so and so, why isn’t there sufficient enough evidence to prosecute the individuals responsible for these deaths?
This is not just about a particular city, like New Haven. This is happening in other towns as well, namely Norwalk and Stamford. It is not about bad or lack of parenting skills. It is definitely much, much more than that. Instead of town, church leaders rallying together at funeral processions when a young person is killed to say “something needs to be done about our young people dying”, perhaps we need to start at the elementary and middle school levels. This is sometimes where you see certain behaviors one might write off as “acting” out but with the right intervention, it could prevent more serious offenses later. Not an easy task and would definitely take lots of group effort but it could keep our kids’ off the streets, out of the prisons, out of the morgue and us (Social Workers) employed.
http://www.thehour.com/story/519125/shooting-victim-dies-from-injuries
http://www.ctpost.com/default/article/Norwalk-man-shot-in-latest-violent-incident-934665.php
ReplyDeleteWho’s protecting our children if not the parent (s)? Who does a child call out for when danger arises? How can children be heard if no one is listening? How can we protect our children if society also fails? What are we doing wrong? It saddens me to read more often than not a child dying by the hands of their parents. What could have been so wrong that they give up not only for themselves but their children?
ReplyDeleteA mother drove her car with her four children into the Hudson River in a suicide and murder attempt but one child survived. This twelve year old child was able to escape through the car window and tell his story.
A father accused of killing his wife which disappeared two years ago, kills his young sons then self in a ‘deadly house fire’ he started. The coroner said the children suffered hatchet marks on their neck. The father emailed his attorney saying he was sorry and goodbye!
We as a civilized society bare a responsibility to the problems abused parents face in relationships with their paramour. The question is how else can we help if they don’t reach out?
Everyone has the right to life, liberty and security of person. (Article 3).
http://www.recordonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20110412/NEWS/110419922&emailAFriend=1
http://www.ndtv.com/video/player/news/sorry-and-goodbye-wrote-father-before-killing-sons-self/223149
http://www.ndtv.com/article/world/sorry-and-goodbye-wrote-father-before-killing-sons-self-173825
The rights of youth in the juvenile justice are often ignored. Many youth are not aware of their rights, making them unable to advocate for themselves. A large portion of incarcerated youth have themselves been victims of various forms of abuse and can be further traumatized by unknowledgeable staff.
ReplyDeleteUnfortunately, there are many cases of cruel and inhumane treatment of incarcerated youth. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rbCOH3bYK6g; http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ORBuqSm8-44 - these videos reveal some of the injustices and abuses committed against incarcerated youth.
Important work is being done by the Youth Justice Institute to advocate for this population: http://www.yjinstitute.org/policy/index.php The reports on this page: http://www.yjinstitute.org/policy/publications.php are thorough and provide a glimpse into the lives of youth in the juvenile justice system.
The Detention Diversion Project is another organization that works to establish support for young ladies involved in the detention system:
http://www.cjcj.org/detention_diversion_advocacy_program
The human rights issue I want to discuss is domestic violence. I know we all know it exists and what it is but it astounds me the extent that it still happens. It is not just a problem in the United States it is a worldwide issue. Domestic violence is a serious problem one that affects everyone involved. It only gets worse if there are children involved. They may not be physically abused but watching the violence cause extreme emotional abuse. What make this situation so hard to stop is that most victims do not come forward for many reasons. Included in this posting is a link to a blog about domestic violence including pictures, video, commercials and much more. I have also included domestic violence fact and short but interesting article about how Russia wants to stop letting US citizens about Russian children.
ReplyDeleteBlog: http://www.squidoo.com/help-the-domestic-violence-victims
Facts: http://www.ncadv.org/files/DomesticViolenceFactSheet%28National%29.pdf
Article: http://www.freep.com/usatoday/article/53048064?odyssey=mod|newswell|text|FRONTPAGE|p
When in reference to the Declaration of Human Rights domestic violence violates Article 5 because no one should be subject to torture or cruelty and that is what domestic violence is. It also can violate article 19 because many time domestic violence is a viscious cycle that runs on power and control. Article 7 is also violated because many times domestic violence victims may not be taken seriously and discriminated against by their abuser or even law enforcement. Domestic violence can go as far as violating article 17 depending on the situation and the level of power and control.
Delete*I thought this posted when I posted this on 2/11/2012*
Feb. 7 2012 marked the 10th anniversary of President George W. Bush signing a memo entitled “"Humane Treatment of Taliban and al Qaeda Detainees" that ironically laid the groundwork for the Bush administration to abandon Geneva conventions with regard to the treatment of al Qaeda or Taliban detainees.”
ReplyDeletehttp://www.theatlantic.com/national/archive/2012/02/the-torture-memos-ten-years-later/252439/
On a related point, it was only last month that the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay issued a statement in which “she expressed deep disappointment that the Government of the United States of America has failed to close the Guantanamo Bay detention facility, and has instead entrenched a system of arbitrary detention. The UN rights chief said she was also disturbed at the failure to ensure accountability for serious human rights violations, including torture, that took place there… It is ten years since the US Government opened the prison at Guantanamo, and now three years since 22 January 2009, when the President ordered its closure within twelve months. Yet the facility continues to exist and individuals remain arbitrarily detained – indefinitely – in clear breach of international law, the High Commissioner said.”
http://www.ohchr.org/EN/NewsEvents/Pages/DisplayNews.aspx?NewsID=11772&LangID=E
She also criticized the fact that President Obama recently signed into law the National Defense Authorization Act.
“To make matters worse, the new National Defense Authorization Act, signed into law in December 2011, now effectively codifies such indefinite military detention without charge or trial. This piece of legislation contravenes some of the most fundamental tenets of justice and human rights, namely the right to a fair trial and the right not to be arbitrarily detained. Nobody should ever be held for years on end without being tried and convicted, or released.”
http://www.ohchr.org/EN/NewsEvents/Pages/DisplayNews.aspx?NewsID=11772&LangID=E)
The UN statement notes the following relevant articles of The United Nations Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment ratified in 1994,* Article 2 states that “No exceptional circumstances whatsoever, whether a state of war or a threat of war, internal political instability or any other public emergency, may be invoked as a justification of torture.” *Article 12: "Each State Party shall ensure that its competent authorities proceed to a prompt and impartial investigation, wherever there is reasonable ground to believe that an act of torture has been committed in any territory under its jurisdiction."
Universal Healthcare
ReplyDeleteApproximately 50 million Americans are without healthcare. This is not a mere oversight. The United States is one of the most industrialized countries in the world. Yet, we have no universal healthcare. A large portion of our citizens are without healthcare. How can this be one may ask. Many reasons lead to why this is the case; affordability of course is at the top of the list. No matter what the cause of this problem, it is still unacceptable for the USA not to have universal healthcare. Who decides who is eligible for healthcare, who can see the doctor and who can not? Why must Senior Citizens have to choose between food and prescriptions?
Most health insurance is through an employer. This narrows down the pool of citizens who receive health benefits. In a recession where employment sky-rocketed and lay-offs were lurking around every corner, the last thing someone needed is to worry about healthcare. Children are afforded free healthcare, what about their care-takers? Universal healthcare should be available as a basic tenement of being human. The government has an obligation to keep its citizens healthy.
Healthcare is a part of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (Article 25): Everyone has the right to a standard of living adequate for the health and well-being of himself and of his family, including food, clothing, housing and medical care and necessary social services, and the right to security in the event of unemployment, sickness, disability, widowhood, old age or other lack of livelihood in circumstances beyond his control.
For more information see below:
http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/now/09042009/us-health-care-reform-debate.html
http://blog.nj.com/njv_guest_blog/2009/06/health_care_reform_to_go_from.html
A16.
ReplyDelete(1) Men and women of full age, without any limitation due to race, nationality or religion, have the right to marry and to found a family. They are entitled to equal rights as to marriage, during marriage and at its dissolution.
(2) Marriage shall be entered into only with the free and full consent of the intending spouses.
(3) The family is the natural and fundamental group unit of society and is entitled to protection
by society and the State.
Nowhere within this article from the Universal Declaration of Human Rights do I see a specification that men and women together are the only combination of sexes that have the humane right to marry and have a family. With Prop. 8 being struck down today in California (http://www.nytimes.com/2012/02/08/us/marriage-ban-violates-constitution-court-rules.html?_r=1&hp), and with same-sex marriage at the forefront of our country’s social agenda, I’d like to take this opportunity to voice my own opinions on the matter…
This social issue is one of particular importance to me as I have many homosexual family members and friends, and am close with the child of a homosexual couple. I’ve had conversations with my sister-in-law in which she has divulged that she’s terrified that she won’t be able to marry in her state of South Carolina. A friend who has been with her partner of 15 years and desperately wanted to wait for New York to pass same sex marriage, had to finally drive to Connecticut to marry because they had a baby on the way and they wanted they baby born into a married home. My close friend, a lawyer in Manhattan, often talks about his upbringing in a home with two Dads and how he feels that the way he was raised is the sole reason that he is the remarkable young man that he is today.
Two people in love deserve to legally have that love be recognized. The fourteenth amendment of our Constitution, the Equal Protection Clause, states, “no state shall… deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws.” It is a basic human right that we all be treated with respect and fairness, so why do we, as a global entity, struggle so much in this area? We, as individuals, want to be treated with this respect and fairness, so why do we discriminate against others and oppress them into submission? “Do unto others as you would have them do to you,” is our golden rule taught to us in grade school, yet as a society, we have such a difficult time abiding by this grade school theory.
About a year ago my friend who is the lawyer sent me a youtube clip of a young man named, Zach Whals. Zach is a Iowan college student who was raised by two women and he spoke during a public discussion on House Joint Resolution 6, which would define marriage as between one man and one woman in Iowa. Zach is a well spoken, moving young man and his message is eloquent and powerful. I cry every time I re-watch this video as I think of the impact this social issue has on so many people I would consider family. Please watch this video and I hope it sparks a fire in you that it did in me.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yMLZO-sObzQ
Alana Burke
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteThe effects of poverty on young children is a human right topic of interest to me. It affects not only their standard of living, but there are psychological affects that exist and impact their growth. The high unemployment rate has contributed to the rise in young children living below standard. According to the American Psychological Association web site, “U.S poverty rose to 15.1 percent in 2010 an increase of 14.3 percent since in 2009.” Poverty affects children’s behavior, performance in school, and in extreme cases puts them at risk for child abuse. Poverty affects black and Hispanic children are a higher percentage than white and Asian children. “The percentage of people in deep poverty was 13.5 percent of all blacks and 10.9 percent of all Hispanics, compared to 5.8 percent of Asians and 4.3 percent of whites,” (American Psychological Association).
ReplyDeleteWhen I look over the Declaration of Human Rights, there are 30 articles which outline human rights including, the rights of young children. However, as I describe all the effects of poverty on young children, we can see how the rights indicated in Article 25 which states, “Everyone, has the right to a standard living adequate for the health and well-being of himself and of his family, including food, clothing, and housing and medical care, and necessary social services” are affected by a life of poverty. “The social impact of poverty on young children transcend from their early childhood years, into their teens and ultimately into adulthood. It is a sad reality which has a trickledown effect. There are young children that due to the level of poverty are at greater risk of illnesses due to a lack of proper nutrition and medical care. Children rely on adults to care for them and to provide them with security and love. In Article 3 in The Universal declaration of Human Rights, it states, “Everyone has the right to life, liberty, and the security of person.” Young children are unable to advocate for themselves, and pick their destiny. Government has a responsibility to protect these young children by creating programs and resources for these families during these difficult times. The stress of poverty on parents can lead to internal social issues which affect their ability to parent their children. “Poverty and economic hardship is particularly difficult for parents who experienced chronic depression, marital distress, and exhibit harsher parenting behaviors,” (American Psychological Association).
It has been my experience that young children love their parents despite their imperfections and they are unable to speak out, or verbalize the difficulties they experience in a life of poverty. The loyalty to their parents puts them at risk of abuse and neglect, and deprives them from a safe and learning environment that every child is entitled to have. This is the reason why I am passionate about the importance of programs and resources available to help these families with the difficulties that surface due to poverty, and the need to treat economic setbacks like an emergency that requires intervention. Helping people to stay in their homes, job search and training, food and proper shelter gives people hope and opens up the opportunity to improve the quality of life of young children in poverty
www.apa.org/pi/families/poverty.aspx
An issue I find extremely compelling to discuss is the crisis of children dying of starvation in Africa. As I watched the Youth for Human Rights video, I could not believe how alarming this problem truly is and how badly we need to bring attention to this dire matter. A child being killed from hunger is a serious human rights violation and quite frankly is inhumane. It is to be deprived of the most basic human need possible. These children are extremely malnourished and their bodies are skeleton-like, eventually leading to their deaths. They are living in conditions of extreme poverty, disease, and drought; and as a result have no access to food and clean drinking water. Clearly, there is an incredible amount of suffering going on in Africa and it is time for the global community to take action to help these poor children.
ReplyDeleteWhen the articles of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights were created, their purpose was to protect individuals with the inherent rights that all human beings need and deserve. In the case of hunger in Africa, A25-Right to Health is in severe violation. The first part of Article 25 states that, “Everyone has the right to a standard of living adequate for the health and well-being of himself and of his family, including food, clothing, housing and medical care.” Yet, the people of Africa are not being protected under this right. Moreover, as a result sixteen-thousand children die every single day from starvation. That is one in five seconds. In addition, Article 5 states that, “No one shall be subjected to torture or to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment.” When children are being deprived of food and water they are being subjected to torture and cruelty. Can you think of a more torturous death than dying of starvation?
As we live in a society where a “problem” may consist of which I-phone to purchase; we should think about the problem of a child dying because they did not have any food to eat. For years, people have heard about the vast amount of children dying in Africa because of hunger, disease and poverty. The reality is the fact that it is the year 2012 and enough is enough. How can we just sit back and enjoy life when we know children are STILL dying from the basic need of hunger? Questions that may come to mind is what is really being done about this problem and what can we do to help? I believe one thing we can all do is to open our eyes, hearts and minds to the imminent death to more children if this issue does not receive more awareness and help. One suggestion is for people to trust in organizations that are credible and donate whatever they can to help. One dollar a day could provide a meal to a child and save his or her life! Think about that we can spend a dollar on a pack of gum, and with that same dollar we could be saving a life.
It is a necessity that more attention is directed to these atrocities occurring in Africa and that these children do not have to suffer any longer in these inhumane conditions. I found two YouTube videos and several articles that made me feel a really strong urge to help and I hope it will do the same for you!
Please check out these videos: The Starving Children of Africa www.youtube.com/watch?V=grnrx7Jewhg and http://youtube.com/MNXwVZjckQU
The following are some articles that explain this issue more in depth and provide images of the severe situation: www.cbsnews.com/2100-18563_162-20087214.html and www.starvingchildreninafrica,org,
www.missionariesofafrica.org/challenges/water1.html, www.theweepingeagle.com/...eight-african-nations-on-brink-of.html
Every Thursday afternoon, a church not far from where I live opens its doors and gives out free lunches to the homeless. In addition, it provides clothing and other household items free of charge. Two Thursdays ago, I stopped by the church to donate some clothing. I saw a gentleman standing in the corner of the church with an empty plate in his hands. He was waiting for the church employees to set up the lunch table. His skin had sores on it, he was shaking and his clothes were ripped and dirty. He kept asking when lunch would be ready. The church employees said to him, “I know you’re hungry, lunch will be ready soon”. When lunch was served, the gentleman eagerly filled his plate and scarfed down his lunch. He also filled his pockets with food to take with him when he left. I have replayed this image in my mind over the past week as it made me realize how destructive poverty is. According to the Census Bureau (2011), 46. 2 million people in America fell below the poverty line last year. Poverty affects nearly every aspect of an individuals’ life including but not limited to, employment, food, housing, and overall health. I came across an essay written by John Scalzi (2005) entitled “Being Poor”, in which he gives examples of seemingly small areas in his life that, when combined, allows the reader to better understand how poverty is compounded, complex, and multifaceted.
ReplyDeleteAccording to the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights (retrieved 2012), Articles 1, 17, 23, 25, 26 are relevant to the issue of poverty.
Article 1: Everyone is born free and equal in dignity and rights.
Articles 17: The right to own property and possessions
Article 23: The right to work in favorable conditions for fair wages
Article 25: The right to an adequate standard of living and medical services
Article 26: The right to education
Without an adequate education, finding gainful employment becomes a challenge. Without gainful employment, the ability to afford food, medical care, and adequate housing becomes a struggle. Without basic life necessities, the internalization of oppression may become evident; overall well-being may diminish and feelings of freedom may seem far-fetched. A perpetual cycle begins to emerge as one area of life is negatively affected by the other. Taking the time to understand how those affected by poverty live their lives while advocacting for the rights of those afflicted by oppression, and directing attention towards governmental and non-governmental interventions could better address the issues of poverty. Rather than focus on new strategies to combat poverty, perhaps focusing on existing structural and cultural implementations (which were designed to address poverty) could help pave the way for positive change.
Link to essay "Being Poor": http://whatever.scalzi.com/2005/09/03/being-poor/
Link to Census Bureau stats on poverty, income, and health insurance: http://www.census.gov/hhes/www/poverty/data/incpovhlth/2011/highlights.html
Rebecca Botta-Zalucki
An area that there is invariably no assistance for elders in the United States is for the elder who is still able to live independently, has some or little money yet is not destitute, does not need skilled nursing care, but may have some limitations in their activities of daily living such as forgetfulness when taking medications or needs some assistance at times. These folks either have to choose to become institutionalized in a skilled nursing home or be able to wait on long waiting lists for assisted care facilities that take state assistance or have to reside in sometimes dilapidated settings such as some bed and board facilities. Connecticut does offer some funding for seniors who want to stay home and can with some assistance in their home through Money Follows the Person, or through a program that Department of Social Services offers yet there can be long waits for assessment and for these services to begin, creating a problem with the elder’s housing and at times forcing the elder to remain in a nursing home too long and becoming institutionalized.
ReplyDeleteAccording to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, Article 25, (1) Everyone has the right to a standard of living adequate for the health and well-being of himself and of his family, including food, clothing, housing and medical care and necessary social services, and the right to security in the event of unemployment, sickness, disability, widowhood, old age or other lack of livelihood in circumstances beyond his control. Those who do not have family who can accommodate them in their own homes, or without any assistance from friends/family, have to stay long term in skilled nursing homes where they are confined to an institution that does not offer the quality of life they can still enjoy, such as activities and freedoms offered by a more independent type of living situation could offer. Not only are there not enough assisted living facilities overall, there are not enough that are affordable and can also utilize Medicaid. The other issue, which is created by too many elders that should not be in skilled living facilities is that the State has to pay for skilled care when it is not needed and the yearly price to stay in a nursing home can be over $60,000. It would make sense to create more assisted living facilities that can accommodate seniors who cannot stay in their own housing due to various concerns yet do not need 24 hour nursing care.
http://www.aplaceformom.com/assisted-living/connecticut
As I read through The Universal Declaration of Human Rights, I forgot that it was written in 1948. Most of the articles made sense to me and I thought of how society tries to adhere these rights. However, when I got to Article 16 I was confused. It states, "(1) Men and women of full age, without any limitation due to race, nationality or religion, have the right to marry and to found a family. They are entitled to equal rights as to marriage, during marriage and at its dissolution". I read it a couple times and was appalled to see that it does not included anything about sexuality. Same sex marriage has been a heated debate for years, but our society and our law makers forget that everyone no matter what their sexuality is has the same rights as the next person. As society changes and moves forward, so do these right and laws need to be moved forward. The world will not fall apart and human population cease to exist if we allow men to marry men and women to marry women. Perhaps there would be less need for foster care if we allowed or at least made the process easier for same sex couples to adopt. Homosexuality is only a matter of preference, just like a heterosexual person has a preference of what type of person they like to date or what kind of sex they like to have. If some people do not agree with homosexuality then they do not need to stop and stare at the same sex couple in public. It reminds of me of interracial couples. Society at one time did not agree with the idea, but it came to be accepted or at least tolerated. Society needs to learn to tolerant of all people and couples no matter what their age, sex, religion, race, etc is. Below are multiple images I thought were fitting for the topic.
ReplyDeletehttp://image.guardian.co.uk/sys-images/Guardian/Pix/steve_bell/2004/02/26/bell512.jpg
http://blogs-images.forbes.com/stephenricher/files/2012/05/gay_marriage_opponents-1-731273.jpg
http://ferrellgummit.files.wordpress.com/2012/05/gay-marriage1.jpg
https://no1iswatching.files.wordpress.com/2012/05/2008061720gay20marriage.jpg
http://cdn03.cdn.justjared.com/wp-content/uploads/headlines/2009/05/sophia-bush-gay-marriage.jpg
“Neutrality helps the oppressor, never the victim. Silence encourages the tormentor, never the tormented.” - Elie Wiesel
ReplyDeleteHuman trafficking generates $32 billion annually, with $15.5 billion coming from industrialized countries (The freedom project, 2011). The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) actually reported in 2009 that trafficking in persons (TIP) had surpassed weapons trafficking to become the second most profitable international criminal industry. "Human trafficking" or TIP is an umbrella term that includes forced labor, sexual exploitation, and other forms of modern-day slavery. The International Labour Organization claims that 21 million people are currently victims of forced labor or exploitation.
When an American thinks of human trafficking or slavery, they typically picture third world countries where men are forced to work in the fields or factories, women are forced into prostitution, and children are used for child labor. While all of that is indeed happening, the terrifying reality is that tens of thousands of people are trafficked into the United States every year. Men, women, and children are exploited for labor and sex right here on our own soil. In addition, men from our country travel internationally with the specific intent of sexually exploiting women and children (NAMBLA, anyone?), while young American women are vulnerable to being kidnapped abroad for the purpose of being sold as sex slaves.
I don't even know where to start in terms of Human Rights violations. Articles 1, 3, and 4 are obvious. All human beings ARE born free; everyone DOES have the right to life, liberty, and security of person; And NO ONE shall be held in slavery or servitude. Articles 5, 6, and 13 are equally obvious. Honestly, the victims of trafficking have many of their rights violated. They typically do not have "a standard of living adequate for the health and well-being of [themselves or of their families] (Article 25). Child victims do not have access to education (Article 26). Truly, I could go on and on. It is appalling.
I have included several interesting links. The most informative and inclusive body of resources is probably CNN's "The Freedom Project" (thecnnfreedomproject.blogs.cnn.com). In addition, the A21 campaign shares interesting stories and info on their facebook page (www.facebook.com/pages/The-A21-Campaign/194115677277113)
US Department of State Trafficking in Persons (TIP) Report, June 2005: www.state.gov/documents/organization/47255.pdf
Products of Slavery, which tracks what types of products are made by child or forced labor: productsofslavery.org
When thinking about Human Rights issues, there are many that come to mind; Issues concerning discrimination, oppression, equality, and so on. I am currently employed as a Utilization Review and Billing Coordinator at a chemical dependency treatment facility, and one issue that comes to mind is the denial of adequate coverage determined by insurance companies. Every day I provide clinical information to insurance companies in attempt to get appropriate coverage for these individuals in need of adequate care. Authorization and coverage is never guaranteed and each insurance company has a very strict set of guidelines for each level of care ranging in structure. I understand that benefit information is all outlined before an individual buys their insurance, but why is it so much harder to get coverage for behavioral health verses medical? An example of what I find compelling would be that individuals are frequently denied for residential treatment with the expectation, from the insurance company, that they can maintain sobriety at a lower level such as intensive outpatient, or regular outpatient therapy after a brief, or no residential stay. Based on my own reports regarding insurance companies’ authorization for residential level of care, an average number of 7 days is noted. Not to say this is always the case but it is very common. According to A3 of UDHR – ‘everyone has the right to life, liberty, and security of person’, the fact that the insurance company is what determines ones level of care and ability to step down contradicts this. A25-‘Right to standard of living adequate for the health and well-being of himself… including medical care and necessary social services’- The facility where I work treats individuals who admit themselves willingly, they feel that they cannot maintain sobriety on their own and most have failed at lower levels of care. There have been many cases in which one is denied appropriate coverage does not have the financial means to pay for residential treatment and returns to their social environment with inadequate tools for recovery; this often leads to relapse, overdose and even death. Denial occurs in all areas of health insurance but is more common in mental and behavioral health. How can an insurance company really judge what is best for an individual based on verbal report? Shouldn’t the clinical treatment team and outpatient providers have more of a say? The levels of care guidelines used to determine authorization of care are very similar and the expectation for a rapid step down to lower levels of care is unreasonable. Yes, the insurance companies pay the facilities for services rendered and they should not pay for services that are not clinically or medically necessary. Is there a better way to gauge medical necessity? Should the individual paying for their insurance coverage have the right to determine what treatment they need based on their life situation? I feel that this is a human rights issue that needs more exploration and awareness.
ReplyDeletehttp://paulearley.net/ASAM-PPC-Articles/asam-textbook-chapter-4-5/All-Pages.html
• The link above takes you to a textbook article on ASAM criteria which is most frequently used by insurance companies to determine coverage and authorization for treatment
http://www.ncsl.org/issues-research/health/mental-health-benefits-state-laws-mandating-or-re.aspx
• The link above takes you to a list of some current laws relating to behavioral and mental health treatment
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wDDHScYy5PY
• Above is a link to a short video by a woman discussing her struggle with insurance coverage
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gvk4kldqeuo&feature=related
• Above is a link to a short clip created to raise awareness on adequate health care
“What is to be thought of a nation… boasting of its love of justice and purity, and yet having within its own borders…. millions of persons denied by law the right of marriage?” - Frederick Douglass
ReplyDeleteSame-sex marriage is an on-going major political and social issue that continues to debate whether or not same-sex couples should be allowed to have equal rights to marriage or forced to hold a different status. As of May 2012, only 8 of our states have legalized gay marriage (Massachusetts, Connecticut, Iowa, Vermont, New Hampshire, New York, Washington, Maryland, and the District of Columbia).
Our government and society have segregated homosexuals as second class citizens that are denied equal freedoms. They are subjected to unequal treatment and prejudices This is a clear violation of Articles 16 and 7 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Article 16 declares every human has the right to marriage and family without any limitations, as long as it is entered into with full consent of the intending spouses and is entitled to protection by society and State. There is no mention of denying this right to anyone due to their sexual orientation. Therefore, this violates Article 7 which states that all are equal before the law and are entitled without any discrimination. Discrimination has prevailed over justice and equality and I strongly disagree with our government controlling how to love and who to love. In the past decade, the gay rights movement has made the most progress towards equality and continues to raise awareness and fight for justice and human dignity.
The following links are examples I have chosen to share with you all on this topic. They are very powerful, and I hope you take the time to look at each one.
Video: http://www.buzzfeed.com/mjs538/the-gay-rights-movement-in-6-minutes-and-52-second
Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RclFT71GmVc
Article: http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0761909.html
Article: http://www.un.org/en/documents/udhr/index.shtml#a16
Picture: http://gaymarriagesupport.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/Gay-Marriagelegal.gif
Picture: http://www.radicalrags.com/images/t-shirts/pro_gay_marriage_rights_design.gif
Picture: http://carlosmeliablog.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/just_married.jpg
The Rohingyas of Arkan State, Myanmar
ReplyDeleteUniversal Declaration of Human Rights
Article 15.
(1) Everyone has the right to a nationality
(2) No one shall be arbitrarily deprived of his nationality nor denied the right to change his nationality.
It seems remarkable to me that one day you can have a nationality and the next you might not. People growing up in the United States need to know when we are part of the lucky ones who we might not have reason to know that citizenship can come and go, along with the rights that go with it.
Today, Myanmar is very much in the news. The Rohingya people of Arakan State are only one example of the Human Rights abuses happening there at this time. In the 19th and 20th centuries, the western colonial powers drew up the maps establishing nation states across the world. In the case of Myanmar, formerly Burma, it was the British who established the territory of Myanmar. In doing so, they formulated a nation state predominantly Buddhist with many ethnic minorities.
In 1982, the government of Myanmar removed citizenship from the Rohingya people. Depending on to whom you speak, what you read, or what you Google, the Rohingya people either settled in what is now Myanmar in the Arakan State in Western Myanmar as early as the 8th century or they are simply Bangladesh citizens that migrated to Myanmar illegally over time crossing the border by any means to seek a better life.
Today, in 2012, it is estimated that 800,000 – 1,500,000 Rohingya live in Myanmar. They are stateless, have had mass exoduses to Bangladesh, Thailand, and Turkey over the last 40 years, and have been repatriated against their will. They are boat people looking for a home, segregated in camps in their own land, tortured and abused. They are refugees living both in camps and illegally in Bangladesh, Thailand and Turkey. They are not wanted at home. They are not wanted anywhere.
Read more at: http://www.restlessbeings.org/projects/rohingya ahttp://arrcinfo.blogspot.com
It is shocking and disturbing to read that the notion of resettling people is even on the table: http://www.globaltimes.cn/content/734790.shtml
Learn how to help at: http://www.rohingyablogger.com/2012/09/american-muslim-organizations-rally-on.htmls?
And http://www.ndphr.net/2005_08_01_archive.html
Universal Declaration of Human Rights
ReplyDeleteArticle 4 -No one shall be held in slavery or servitude; slavery and the slave trade shall be prohibited in all their forms.
About two years ago I would have thought that if the UDHR prohibits slavery and slave trade that slavery would therefore be abolished. Then I was at a Guster concert when I saw a tent for the organization Love146, where my eyes were opened for the first time to modern day slavery. I talked to their representative for a while and went home to do my own research.
I learned that 27 million people are enslaved today and in fact trafficking generates around $32 billion annually. Many of these victims are women and children; over 1.2 million children are trafficked annually. This exploitation leads to prostitution, pornography, and sex tourism. These young children forced into the commercial sex industry suffer severe physical and psychological damage.
Love146 is an amazing and inspiring organization. They aim to combat the issue of child sex slavery by prevention and aftercare. There are Safehome’s for survivors in which therapy, education, and directions for careers can be set. The workers and volunteers at these locations are specially trained in working with the survivors; Love146 provides a certificate training program in aftercare. They also do a lot of work in prevention and the headquarters for advocacy and awareness is in New Haven, CT.
The amount of young children in the commercial sex industry is absolutely heartbreaking. I wanted to feel like I was doing something to combat the objectification of young girls so Love146 inspired me to get certified as a Rape Crisis Counselor through my university. This led to educating young girls about rape culture through small groups and schools. I know that many universities and woman centers provide programs like this. There is also information on how to get involved with Love146 by volunteering or donations at www.Love146.org.
Also: check out this video on an introduction to Love146 and their mission:
http://love146.org/videos/imagine
Learn about the demand for victims of commercial sex and how to address it in this article:
http://www.uri.edu/artsci/wms/hughes/demand_sex_trafficking.pdf
What About Gay Rights?
ReplyDeleteThe Universal Declaration of Human Rights, Article 7 states, “All are equal before the law and are entitled without any discrimination to equal protection of the law. All are entitled to equal protection against any discrimination in violation of this Declaration and against any incitement to such discrimination.”
It has been no secret that Gay Rights have been surfacing, especially within the last decade. It has been a very complex issue that has been debated for many years by government officials, religious affiliates, non-gays, and people in the LGBTQ community. I have an Aunt who is a part of the Lesbian community and we often have conversations about gay rights. She has told me about the countless times where discrimination has been extremely hard on her and her lifelong partner. For example, she and her partner lost their home due to Hurricane Sandy. My Aunt works for a company that usually helps people in need. The year prior, our area was also hit by Hurricane Irene and a man she works with lost everything. Her company helped out with new items for his new home, food, and even time off from work. She was not helped in any way and even had to endure a snide comment from another manager about her and her “partner” finding their own way.
I can’t help but to think about this constant battle over a marriage between “men and women.” I mean who really cares as long as the people love each other. But that is just it! It seems as though people lose sight of what is really important in this world and that is people and love.
Recently I stumbled across a few articles that I found pretty interesting on DailyMail.com. A Lesbian couple were both able to put their names on their child’s birth certificates for the first time ever. This is huge for the gay community! I think this information is significant because we will always face battles in our changing culture. Sometimes it just takes baby steps to get there.
I also heard news that the Boy Scouts were considering allowing openly gay members to join. According to a video found on Youtube one of the reasons the Boy Scouts didn’t previously allow openly gay men into their troops was because 75% off them are funded by churches. Although a decision has not been made yet, this is an important change in perception from when the Boy Scouts had just said no. The fight for equality in gay rights has begun opening minds in a way they weren’t before.
Although gay rights will be an on going issue for quite some time, I am glad to know that it can continue to change as our culture changes its perception of equality and love. It’s proof that our culture can change and that we can change an overall perception.
An article about the first two women to be on a birth certificate:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-1267923/Lily-Britains-baby-women-parents-birth-certificate--Mummies-tell-Dad.html#axzz2K4hsOy27
Youtube video representing Boy Scout debate:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d22IAtDbkwE
It seems as though America is fascinated with the idea of prison. There are now many shows on television that show a day in the life of someone incarcerated at one of the many institutions in this country. While I will say, I too find these shows interesting (even entertaining), they also are helpful in informing the viewer of the realities of prison life.
ReplyDeleteThe other day, I saw a show on women’s prisons, and was especially interested in a segment that highlighted nursery programs. Nursery programs allow for a woman who is pregnant, prior to being incarcerated, to have her child stay with her in prison up until the child is 18-30 months of age (depending on the state). While this type of program is rarely seen in today’s society, it has been successfully implemented in eight states in America, as well as in other prisons in different countries around the world. While the Nebraska Correctional Center for Women (NCCW) is well known for setting the trend of nursing programs in 1994 in the US, New York was actually the first state to adopt this practice beginning in the early 1900’s.
Mothers who qualify for nursery programs must be non-violent offenders in minimally secure prisons, whom have often been given short sentences, typically for drug related offences. Those supporting the program speak of the mother/infant bond, and how important it can be for the child’s development. It has also been shown by the NCCW, that female offenders who participate in their nursery program have a recidivism rate that is 3x lower than that of other female prisoners. The nursery program supports the female prisoner in many ways; and prepares them for future success by offering reasonable accommodations for raising a child, educational classes on parenting, drug treatment classes, and therapy sessions for the mother.
Those opposing nursery programs cite two major problems, both involving the unfair treatment of the child. The first issue being that prison is not a healthy environment for a child to be raised in. The other issue cited is that the program delays the inevitability for the child leaving the mother when he/she reaches the set age limit.
The topic of pregnant women who are in prison and raising their infant children, does not appear to be of great significance to many, nor has it been discussed much in the media. I found two articles in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (Annex III) that support nursery programs. Article 16.3 discusses the family and how it is a ‘natural and fundamental group unit of society’, and is therefore protected by the government. Article 25.2 discusses how a mother and child are ‘entitled to special care and assistance’. Both of these Articles clearly demonstrate the potential for a nursery program to not only exist, but be supported by the natural entities within human rights.
I found many articles related to this issue, some of which were informational, and some that were personally related. One personal experience was (which can be read in the link below) written by Deborah Jiang Stein, a woman who was born in a state prison in West Virginia. Her story offers a unique perspective to the positive effects that a nursery program can offer. I have also included some videos of female prisoner’s in different nursery programs. The most profound video I found was of a women’s prison in Indiana, where one of the inmates was given a baby shower prior to giving birth. I see this act to be a courageous effort by the prison to advocate for the nursery programs, and for the rights of the mother and child as discussed in the UDHR.
Related articles:
- http://www.cwla.org/voice/JA10babies.html Deborah Jiang Stein - Babies behind bars
- http://thegazette.com/2011/01/31/prison-nurseries-cut-female-inmates-risk-of-reoffending/
Related videos:
- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qYnCGm2C73Q (Indiana woman’s prison- baby shower)
http://prisonlullabies.com/videos- (nursery program documentary, Prison lullabies)
- http://www.cga.ct.gov/2012/rpt/2012-R-0157.htm (statistical data on nursery programs)
“After the hundreds of stories I've heard of atrocities around the globe, I know that if you're a woman born in the United States, you're one of the luckiest women in the world.” –Oprah Winfrey
ReplyDeleteWhile it may be true that women in the United States are not faced with many of the horrific acts of violence against women that other countries experience, violence against women all over the globe is an all too true reality in today’s world. Despite numerous efforts over the years to improve the rights of women, gender inequality, especially gender crime, is still a problem that plagues women everywhere.
One act of violence against women that exemplifies gender inequality is the act of “honor killings.” In many countries, especially the Middle East and India, honor killings, or the killing of female family members that are seen to have brought shame upon the family are on the rise. In India alone, 5,000 brides are killed as a result of insufficient dowries, or money paid to the husband by the woman’s family. (National Geographic). This number may not be accurate as families are not likely to report such crimes and authorities are not likely to prosecute the perpetrators. Reasons for shame range from things as talking with a male outside of the family to getting a divorce. Physical abuse, arranged marriages, as well as dowry –related crimes, where brides’ families must pay money to the groom, are also common (Amnesty International). When dowries are not considered sufficient, it often results in crimes such as acid thrown on the woman’s body and even murder. Other female family members support these types of crimes, adding to the difficulty in stopping them. Police and other government officials usually look the other way and prosecution of the male family members never happens. When it does, the crime can be anywhere from a few months to a few years in jail, a small price for the murder of a family member. Iraq law limits the sentence to no more than 3 years for an honor killing of a wife. In addition, women are often afraid to report a rape or domestic violence, as this would be considered bringing shame on the family and would result in some form of violence. One woman in Iraq was killed by her father for being seen as too “Westernized.” In a report from WHO, in 2006-07, 83 percent of women reported experiencing "controlling behavior" by their husbands and 21 percent reported being victims of physical violence.
Violence against women is completely unacceptable and something that needs to stop. Women in many parts of the world are seen as objects and possessions, not humans with rights. What perpetuates this violence is the lack of punishment for those committing the crimes and the lack of response and support of women by the governments, themselves. Even in the U.S., rape is still stigmatized and underreported. Until we have harsher penalties for criminals committing these acts, as well as a culture that treats women with respect and with dignity, these crimes will only continue.
The following rights are being violated everyday around the world when women endure violence and death, simply because of their gender:
Article 1. The right to freedom and equal rights.
Article 3. Everyone has the right to life, liberty and security of person.
Article 6. Everyone has the right to recognition everywhere as a person before the law.
Article 16. The right to marry freely with consent from both parties, as well as have a family entitled to protection by society and the State.
http://www.amnestyusa.org/our-work/issues/women-s-rights/violence-against-women/violence-against-women-information.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-21356233.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/ethics/abortion/medical/infanticide_1.shtml.
http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-504083_162-57409395-504083/honor-killing-under-growing-scrutiny-in-the-u.s/.
http://www.firstpost.com/india/india-failed-to-protect-its-women-from-sexual-violence-human-rights-watch-610085.html.
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2002/02/0212_020212_honorkilling.html
HUMAN TRAFFICKING
ReplyDeleteDISMANTLING OF THE HUMAN SOUL
As defined by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) “Human Trafficking is a crime against humanity. It involves an act of recruiting, transporting, transferring, harboring or receiving a person through a use of force, coercion or other means, for the purpose of exploiting them”.
Sometimes it begins with a promise, for a better life. They tell you “we can make your dreams come true” or “ we can help you support your family”. They build your sense of “hope”. You feel relief; life is finally going to change for the better, for you and more importantly for your family and/or children. Traffickers, they prey on the vulnerabilities of ones needs and/or weaknesses.
There are 3 elements of Human Trafficking; 1. The “act”- recruitment, transportation, or harboring. 2. The “means”; in what manner is the act done? By force, deception, coercion, physical abuse, or threatening. 3. The “purpose”; financial gain. Watch the attached video “Affected for Life” to hear the pain these victims will live with indefinitely. These three elements are all committed at the expense of a persons or child’s emotional well-being.
The Articles created under The Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) intended for all persons, but the following Articles are specific of a person who has been forced to live a life against their will and at the expense of another.
Article 1 and 3 state that “All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights” and “everyone has a right to life, liberty, and security of person”. Human Trafficking violates people’s rights as they are being held against their will and denied freedom, protection, and dignity.
Human Trafficking is the purchasing and selling of people, holding them against their will and forcing them to work. Article 4 of the UDHR “No one shall be held in slavery or servitude; slavery and the slave trade shall be prohibited in all their forms”.
Whether the purpose is prostitution, child labor, or sale of organs, there are often abusive physical and/or psychological treatments. Article 5 of the UDHR states “No one shall be subjected to torture or to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment”.
People subjected to Human Trafficking are robbed of their dignity, pride, beliefs, hopes and dreams. Even when rescued the inhuman treatment and environments they have been subjected to will forever be embedded in their souls.
The United Nations Convention Against Transnational Organized Crime developed the “Protocol to Prevent, Surpress, and Punish Trafficking in Persons”, the author, Kofi A. Annan, Secretary-General states that he “believes the trafficking of persons, particularly women and children, for forced and exploitative labour, including for sexual exploitation, is one of the most egregious violations of human rights that the United Nations now confront".
The following are a list RESOURCES that are a guide to help in this horrific crime.
1. The following link is for the VITA system known as the Victim Translation Assistance Tool, often used by law enforcement http://www.ungift.org/knowledgehub/en/tools/vita.html. This tool translates a numbers questions that help to determine if a person is a victim of Human Trafficking in 40 different languages. All questions can be answered “yes” or “no”, utilizing a white or black items. It is explained if they answer “yes” touch the white item and if they answer “no” touch the black item.
2. http://www.humantrafficking.org/
3. http://www.un.org/en/documents/udhr/index.shtml
4. United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime (UNTOC), which is under the UNODC and the Protocols thereto, assists States in their efforts to implement the Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons (Trafficking in Persons Protocol).
5. Affected for Life video http://www.unodc.org/unodc/en/multimedia.html?vf=/documents/video/2009/Affected_for_Life_-_Short.flv
Human Rights and Social Justice
ReplyDeleteAshley Millington
Did you know that there is an estimate of three hundred and fifty thousand offenders in United States correctional systems that are mentally ill. People who are mentally ill are more likely to be multiple offenders and re-arrested several times. Without the proper medical treatment people with mental illness will continue to commit crimes, and be sent to prison. Once these people are in the prison system there are not as many resources for them. Although prisons have begun to try to conform to these changes of the amount of people with psychiatric needs in the prison system, there is still an overwhelming amount. Once a person has been convicted and is placed in a correction facility they are more likely to not receive proper mental health care. They then begin to have more overwhelming symptoms; these can look like depression, paranoia, hallucinations, and delusions. They will then have a higher chance of lashing out or becoming violent. Again prisons have recognized the amount of mentally ill inmates and have begun to try to set programs and facilities for these inmates, with this being said there are still many cracks in this system inmates usually are not given enough resources when they are released (medication, therapist) due to the lack of supports most mentally ill inmates, will re-offend and end up back in prison.
Article 25 Everyone has the right to a standard of living adequate for the health and well-being of himself and of his family, including food, clothing, housing and medical care and necessary social services, and the right to security in the event of unemployment, sickness, disability, widowhood, old age or other lack of livelihood in circumstances beyond his control. When putting people who are mentally ill in prison you are taking away their rights to the best medical care, and their right to a standard of living. When inmates are put into solitary confinement due to acting out they are not able to receive proper medical treatment including their mental health treatment. This can continue to make their symptoms more pronoun and have significant effects on that person.
Article 10 states everyone is entitled in full equality to a fair and public hearing by an independent and impartial tribunal, in the determination of his rights and obligations and of any criminal charge against him. Is it fair to charge a person of committing a crime when they are suffering from mental illness? If a person who has Schizophrenia or bi-polar disorder cannot control their behaviors and thoughts should they be convicted of a crime that they may not have been able to control themselves from committing.
For more information please take a look at these links. One is a great article from the NY Times, and the other is a video on solitary confinement, and the effects for mentally ill prisoners.
http://www.nytimes.com/2003/11/02/opinion/treating-mental-illness-in-prison.html
http://youtu.be/DIEaK7ekW5k
Dana Bray
ReplyDeleteI have been looking further into the issues concerning sex slave trafficking since listening to the NPR broadcast “Women Turning Oppression Into Opportunity”. I listened to that broadcast shortly before going to bed for the night and just after putting my one year old daughter to bed in the room next to me. That turned out to be a terrible idea because I spent half the night thinking about what the families of these girls must go through, and of course how scary of an ordeal it must be for the girls themselves. I could not even imagine what my life would be like if my daughter was taken from me and turned into a sex slave.
I was able to find this website (http://www.womensfundingnetwork.org/resource/past-articles/enslaved-in-america-sex-trafficking-in-the-united-states) which went into a bit more detail about sex trafficking specifically in the US. It is stated here that the average age of girls who are forced into sex work is 12-14. At that age one can see how a rebellious girl could be easily fooled into believing that she was getting herself into something good when someone promises her money and a career. I am shocked and amazed by the types of people who could do this to anyone, much less a young girl. I recently completed reading a book entitled “Daddy’s little earner” by Maria Landon which is a memoir that tells the story of a young girl who was forced into prostitution by her father. The amount of physical and emotional abuse that went into making her believe that prostitution was the only way for her is disgusting. This article (http://www.forbes.com/sites/shenegotiates/2012/12/03/selling-american-girls-the-truth-about-domestic-minor-sex-trafficking/) goes more into depth about sex trafficking and how the “pimps” usually fool the girls into trusting them.
I think many people (like me) are surprised at how much of a reality sex trafficking is in the US. As seen on this map (http://www.covenanthouse.org/sites/default/files/images/map_.jpg) and in this video (http://youtu.be/FERc99F-Css) sex trafficking of children is a real problem in this country and I think awareness by everyone will play a major role in helping to reduce the number of people affected.
I think many of the UDHR articles can be seen as relevant to this topic. Article 3-Security of person (i.e. not being forced to give up your body to someone when you don’t want to), Article 4- No one shall be held in slavery or servitude, Article 5 - No one shall be subjected to torture or to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment, and lastly Article 23(1)- (in regards to employment) to free choice of employment, to just and favourable conditions of work. I also think there are more that can be in some way linked to this topic but these seem to be the most obvious ones.
Black Hate Crime
ReplyDeleteAmerica is full of diversity and the color of one’s skin has been the calling card for discrimination. Being an African-American youth was the reason for hatred, violence and ultimately his untimely death. This is a continuation of racism that carries a heavy infliction to my race, despite some progress in civil rights.
“I am Trayvon Martin.”
Trayvon Martin was an unarmed, 16-year-old who was killed by a neighborhood watch member as he walked to his father's home in a gated community. The case has gained national attention, as George Zimmerman, the man who admitted to shooting and killing him, was not initially arrested or charged. After nearly 6 weeks and considerable public outcry, prosecutors charged Zimmerman with second-degree murder in the case, which has become a flashpoint in the conversations about racial profiling and gun laws.
According to civilrightslawfirms.com website, an act that has emotionally or physically harmed another person based on his race will be considered a “hate crime.” A "black hate crime" generally refers criminal acts which are seen to have been motivated by hatred of a member of the Afro-American race and may involve acts of physical assault, damage to property, bullying, harassment involving black stereotypes, verbal abuse or insults, or the use of offensive graffiti or symbols.
The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights is a coalition charged by its diverse membership of more than 200 national organizations to promote and protect the civil and human rights of all persons in the United States. Through advocacy and outreach to targeted constituencies, The Leadership Conference works toward the goal of a more open and just society – an America as good as its ideals.
According to The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, among groups currently included in the Hate Crime Statistics Act, the greatest numbers of hate crimes of any kind are perpetrated against African-Americans. From the lynching to the cross-burning and the church-burning, anti-black violence has been and still remains the prototypical hate crime - an action intended not only to injure individuals but to intimidate an entire group of people. Hate crimes against African-Americans impact upon the entire society not only for the hurt they cause but for the history they recall, and perpetuate.
http://www.civilrights.org/hatecrimes/
According the Human Rights: Questions and Answers, the United Nations defines human rights as follows:
Human rights could be generally defined as those rights which are inherent in our nature and without which we cannot live as human beings (United Nations, (1987).
According to IFSW manual, Human rights are universal and apply to all persons without discrimination.
All are equal before the law and are entitled without any discrimination to equal protection of the law Universal Declaration of Human Rights Article 7, (“A7-Discrimination”).
'We Have Decided to Turn the Pain Into Power' Marian Wright Edelman, 12.26.2012 President, Children's Defense Fund
The goal of equal rights, equal justice, and equal opportunity for every child in America may not have been realized yet, but it's still the goal we have to meet in order for America to finally live up to its promise. Let's all make sure that happens in Trayvon's case.
Richard Lyon, 11.05.2012 Policy Analyst
Racism is embedded in most of the institutional structures of our society. It is difficult to see patterns that have always been before our eyes, especially if they are eyes that have enjoyed the benefits of white privilege.
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Justice-For-Trayvon-Martin/278155035593734
http://www.cbsnews.com/2300-504083_162-10012917.html
http://thegrio.com/2012/03/17/family-of-trayvon-martin-say-911-tapes-disprove-self-defense-claim/#46771333
http://thegrio.com/2012/03/19/rev-al-sharpton-why-race-matters-in-the-trayvon-martin-tragedy/
I copy a picture of Trayvon Martin but it is not shown in the blog. I wonder what happened. This is my first time blogging.
ReplyDeletePart 1
ReplyDeleteShannon Mchugh
A humans rights issue which seems that many are “sick and tired” of hearing about even though it has remained a thorn in the side of America is the positionality of our African American male population and the affects it has on families, communities and society.
Think of nine men in your life that are 20- 34 years old, friends, family, classmates, colleagues, now pick one, you have no choice, no questions asked, one of those men has to leave you, society, his community, his family and go to prison. It is a raw blatant fact obtained from The Pew Charitable Institute, shows that 1 in 9 black males, ages 20-34 years old are incarcerated. To go further, 1 in 15 black males over 18 are incarcerated. Are you unnerved yet? Let’s run through some hard facts. According to the Bureau of Justice Statistics, there are 709 whites males per 100,000 U.S residents incarcerated versus 4,749 black males per 100,000 U.S residents that are incarcerated. That is a difference of 4,040 more black men being incarcerated than white men per 100,000 U.S residents. This is put into a different context when you review the 2010 census at recognize that non-Hispanic blacks made up only 12.6% of the entire population of the United States. Appallingly in contrast, non-Hispanic black males comprised around 40.91% of the total incarcerated male population. Are you bothered yet? There is more. A New York Times article titled “Jail and Jobs,” states that 1 in 3 black men without a high school diploma are in jail and also contends that it is more likely for a black male without a high school diploma to be incarcerated than employed. Are you heated yet?
Let’s start with the lives of children; 1 out of every 15 black children will grow up having a parent in jail. Black children statistically, according to Education Weekly, have only one parent that will have graduated from high school. That child also has a 46% chance of failing to graduate from high school. With a parent missing from the home, the US Census Bureau 2011 American Community Survey shows that 46.5% of families in the black community, who have a female head of household, live in poverty. Though the emotional and physical reactions to these oppressions may not be purposeful, it still shapes how a child living through them sees the world. When growing up in this cycle of oppression your personal identity and social identity become skewed. Mass media portrays you as a hard core gang member high school drop out that does drugs, carries a gun and partying all night. Not to mention that within your own home and community, those who have felt oppressed by the structural systems are working through their own feelings of oppression, internalized or otherwise, and may inadvertently acting out their frustrations. Many people come home for being incarcerated are angry, suffering from inferiorzation, unable to obtain gainful employment or education because of their incarceration, which adds to their sense of a false consciousness because they come to believe that they are the stereotypes that they have been equated with their whole lives. With the feelings of not being able to fulfill a family role, many go back to the illegal acts that put them in jail truly believing that it’s all that can be done. What are you, as a child of these circumstances, expected to draw from for support to overcome your own positionality? Or is it just expected that you will follow in the footsteps laid before you and add to the statistics? Who do you turn to for help, when the state is willing to pay upward of $40,000 to incarcerate you but only pay a median of $9,000 to educate you? This is where we call for structural change.
Part 2
ReplyDeleteShannon Mchugh
The United Nations created the Universal Declaration of Human Rights with the hopes of change and even though the United States believes that it has done what it can to honor the declaration, it has truly missed its mark with this human rights issue. The United Nations created the Universal Declaration of Human Rights with the hopes of change and even though the United States believes that it has done what it can to honor the declaration, it has truly missed its mark with this human rights issue. The articles of the declaration that have been trampled upon in regards to this particular human rights issue are A1-equal in dignity and rights, A2- everyone is provided the rights set forth in the Declaration, A3- right of life, liberty and security, A7- all are equal before the law, A9- no one shall be subject to arbitrary arrest or detention, A10- full equality to a fair and public hearing by an independent and impartial tribunal, A11- innocent until proven guilty, A12- no one shall be subject to attacks on their honor and reputation, A25- the right to a standard of living adequate for health and wellbeing of himself and family and A26- right to education that provides full development of the human personality. Each of these articles has been breached in some form or fashion. With a foundation laid with the words of the Declaration we need to shake up the structures and start laying the brick. The issue of black males missing from the home and community is an issue for all of us. Right now we take men out of supporting roles in their homes and communities, keep them as criminals, mentality demean them, provide them with minimum resources and then spank these men for falling again. What would happen if we changed how we treated these families? What if we decided to take the money allocated to incarcerate and in fact educate? What if regulations were changed in a way that employment and education were still obtainable even if you have had an issue with the law? Mentor programs, feeding programs, early intervention, properly supplied medical clinics and dentists, and an education from k-12, that provides full development of the human personality .What if we decided that instead of boxing up and shipping out the parts we don’t like, we commit to finding where and why the issue may be happening and actually try and fix it? It starts with us.
http://www.pewstates.org/research/reports/one-in-100-85899374411
http://economix.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/09/29/jail-and-jobs/
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7SufITaCc0Y
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zEmBIx8KwjQ
A key component is missing from the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and most all dialogue about human rights and social justice. This component is the concept of ecological justice. While so much has been done to “work towards safe, equal and ethical treatment of all people, the fate of the natural environment is becoming increasingly significant” (Muldoon, 2011). In other words, ecological issues and human rights issues are closely intertwined, and as we make progress with social issues we need to concentrate on environmental issues as well.
ReplyDeleteAll the effort to improve the personal, cultural, and structural issues afflicting people will be to no avail if the environment we live in does not allow for an adequate quality of life; or if the environment we live in is not capable of sustaining life at all. The environment we live in is the foundation for everything else. The oppressed will become further oppressed due to a decline in ecological wellness. That is, as with most everything else, the dominant groups are entitled to the finest this world has to offer while the submissive are left with the poorest living conditions. As the quality of the environment declines, the dominant groups will still live in environmentally healthy areas, and be entitled to clean air, diverse vegetation and wildlife, and minimal pollution. On the other hand, the poor living conditions of the submissive groups will only get worse with the decrease in clean air, vegetation and wildlife and an increase in pollution. An example of this idea is a concept referred to as “environmental racism.” In an NPR program entitled Pollution, Racism, and the Environmental Justice Movement, Travis Smiley describes environmental racism as “the dumping of hazardous wastes in or near communities of color” (2004). Furthermore, Annie Muldoon claims that have a particularly large impact on all ethnic minorities, women, and the poor (2011). This lack of healthy environmental conditions will only be detrimental to progress made in other fields of human rights as well. Annie Muldoon summarizes this idea best by stating that “attempts to improve social conditions may be lost if society itself lacks clean air, drinkable water and adequate food” (2011).
The Universal Declaration of Human Rights does not do much to support ecological justice. Article 25 states that “everyone has the right to a standard of living adequate for the health and well-being of himself and his family.” While this broad generalization can be construed as a form of ecological rights, there is nothing in the UDHR that specifically addresses ecological justice. Furthermore, Article 17 of the UDHR is far too general in that it states everyone is entitled to the right to own property. It should specify that everyone has the right to own property with the understanding that the ecological environment of the property will be respected and cared for. If a person owns something is it not his right to do with it what he pleases? So if I am to purchase a plot of land it is my human right to cut down all the trees on the land and drive off all the animals? A specific article needs to be instated that directly addresses ecological rights and the direct impact they have on human rights.
Part 2
ReplyDeleteThe causes of most ecological injustices have been directed to the dominant groups and western cultures and ideals. The beliefs that more is better instead of the ideals of preservation are leading us into a society with no moral ecological compass. Claudia Dewane has a more radical perspective on the subject by stating that the “Western focus on humans as the center of all ecosystems, called anthropocentrism, essentially keeps us isolated and disconnected and thus incapable of spiritual, psychological, and social fulfillment” (2011, p.20). The solution to ecological injustices is a relatively simple one that Claudia Dewane summarizes perfectly by stating that “environmental sustainability requires that ‘natural capital remain intact,’ meaning natural resources should not be used in excess of their rate of renewal. In addition, nonrenewable resources should be guarded and used minimally” (2011). Nature is a perfect system that requires nothing from humans to operate at an optimal level, all it needs is for us to learn to respect it and help preserve it.
For further reference into sociological issues in general, I direct you to the following videos created by Greenpeace.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=b9u_juYdRI8
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aQpjPgJquDY&feature=player_embedded
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dRJ2b2I6glA&feature=player_embedded
The homepage for Greenpeace is:
http://www.greenpeace.org/usa/en/
References
Dewane, C. J. (2011). Environmentalism & Social Work: The Ultimate
Social Justice Issue. Social Work Today, vol.11 No.5, Page 20.
Retrieved from http://www.socialworktoday.com/archive/092011p20.shtml
Muldoon, A. (2006). : Environmental Efforts: The Next Challenge for
Social Justice. Critical Social Work, vol.7 No.2.
Retrieved from http://www.uwindsor.ca/criticalsocialwork/environmental-efforts-the-next-challenge-for-social-work
Smiley, T. (2004). Pollution, Racism and the Environmental Justice Movement.
The Travis Smiley Show: NPR.
Retrieved from http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=1846825
Child abuse and maltreatment in today's society
ReplyDeleteBefore I begin, I wanted to share this brief video that truly shares the extent to which we still struggle in today’s society with the abuse of children. http://youtu.be/kW7Uf9d_ryI The Universal Declaration of Human Rights states in article 1: “All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood.” In article 2 it states that everyone is entitled to the same rights set forth by the declaration “Everyone is entitled to all the rights and freedoms set forth in this Declaration, without distinction of any kind, such as race, colour, sex, language, religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth or other status. Furthermore, no distinction shall be made on the basis of the political, jurisdictional or international status of the country or territory to which a person belongs, whether it be independent, trust, non-self-governing or under any other limitation of sovereignty.” Article 3 states that everyone has the right to life and article 5 states that “No one shall be subjected to torture or to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment.” Despite these rights set forth by the Declaration on December 10, 1948, there are still prominent issues within the United States, as well as other countries regarding the treatment of children.
Taking a brief look at the situations regarding the treatment of children, we take into consideration places like Sierra Leone and Cambodia. In Sierra Leone, children under the age of 12 accounts for 26% of rape cases, and 52% are between the ages of 12-17. Yet, due to a lack of political interference, the number of rapists that are ever charged with a crime is less than 1%, leaving them free to do as they will while women and children live in constant fear. In Cambodia, girls as young as two are sold to brothels and forced to perform sexual acts with older men.
However, right here in the United States we have our own issues with the maltreatment of children that still exist despite the declaration and laws put into place to protect children. In 2008, Child Protective Services estimated 772,000 children were victims of abuse or maltreatment, receiving over 3 million reports of children being abused. Additional statistical information can be obtained here: http://www.cdc.gov/ViolencePrevention/pdf/CM-DataSheet-a.pdf
Mary Ellen Wilson became the face of child abuse in the 1800s when she was rescued from a home where she was beaten and abused regularly. Henry Bergh, a leader in the animal humane movement, assisted in Mary Ellen’s removal after the courts refused to get involved. In more recent times, there was a case back in 2006 that struck me as one of the most horrific cases we’ve seen. Nixzmary Brown, a 7 year-old girl from New York City was beaten and tortured by her mother and stepfather. She was sexually assaulted, forced to eat cat food, and left in a rodent infested room to die. Because of prior contact and complaints that ACS had regarding Nixzmary’s treatment, the situation became that much more tragic and preventable. A 7-year-old boy named Roderick Arrington died November 30, 2012 after his mother and stepfather beat and abused him because he didn’t complete his homework.
Child abuse part 2
ReplyDeleteWith an estimated 3 million cases of child abuse right here in the United States each year, it is clear that despite the rights that each individual has, and despite the systems that are in place, there is still a war against children going on right here at home that needs to be acknowledged and addressed, starting at home. As Eleanor Roosevelt stated, “Where, after all, do universal human rights begin? In small places, close to home - so close and so small that they cannot be seen on any maps of the world. Yet they are the world of the individual person; the neighborhood he lives in; the school or college he attends; the factory, farm, or office where he works.” Understanding human rights, acknowledging a problem in our country with the treatment of children, and knowing that the struggle starts at home is possibly the best way to move towards true progress in dealing with the maltreatment, neglect abuse and deaths of children right here in our country.
I wanted to share some videos that can provide further information regarding the issue of abuse against children:
Here’s a glimpse of what is going on in Sierra Leone: http://youtu.be/jjbTpKE4mr8
This video shows a brief example from the moving documentary regarding Cambodia “Half the Sky” http://youtu.be/WuKygSFJBYs
One last video that really struck me regarding the severity of the issue of abuse right here in the United States is here: http://youtu.be/kW7Uf9d_ryI
References:
Articles1, 2, 3, 5 of the United Declaration of Human Rights, retrieved from: http://www.un.org/en/documents/udhr/index.shtml
Center for Disease Control (2012). Injury Center: Violence Prevention http://www.cdc.gov/ViolencePrevention/childmaltreatment/index.html
Kristof, Nick (2012) Half the Sky: Turning Oppression into Opportunity for Women Worldwide accessed through film and information at: http://www.pbs.org/independentlens/half-the-sky/
Wheeler, Etta Angell The Beginnings of a Worldwide Child-Saving Crusade retrieved from http://www.americanhumane.org/about-us/who-we-are/history/story-of-mary-ellen.html
M4-22 BLOG JFyffe
ReplyDelete2/10/13
The foundation for the concept of Human Rights, given life, character and substance by the United Nations through Eleanor Roosevelt in 1948, via the proclamation of The Universal Declaration of Human Rights by the United Nations, was possibly the single positive enduring result of World War II. The attention of the world, as the war wound down, was on the concept of the newly formed United Nations, as the world focused on the idea of “ending war”, all war, forever. It was the time, and the entire world was ready and in agreement. This is important, as events had centered the attention of the world, and there was a universal yearning for peace.
The recognition of the individual and collective rights of each person in the family of human kind to “freedom, justice and peace,” and what flows from these ideals, tranquility and the dignity of each person, at that time entered the human collective consciousness. The seed was planted, and the way prepared for implementation on a universal scale. In my judgment the opportunity was not missed; an important and necessary component for a move forward to a new level had come to be. This “move” to a new and conscious level is still ongoing, and newer generations are taking part in the development.
I would argue, however, that the way forward can be diminished by a subtle misunderstanding of the elements of Human Rights, on which the process rests, resulting in moves that give “solidarity,” a necessary element for sustainability, a hesitation that can undermine and impede the process. Over- reaching and lack of precision in semantics and language can harm the process conceptually out of all proportion to what is intended.
The documents of the United Nations are now clear that life is unquestionably at the center of the newly recognized dignity of the human person, and seemingly this would have to include birth. From this dignity flows everything; it is the essence of existence. The enhancement of life is the nucleus of the concept of the dignity of the person. I would argue this recognition cannot be qualified in any sense, and is, per se, the nobility of the person, and should not be confused with other worthy and sound ideas, such as the right to leisure or even education. Holding otherwise could grow into a confused and somewhat tortured journey to fulfillment of the world in which we want to live, to say nothing of the resistance to forward movement to a peaceful world that can result from anything less than full agreement. My argument is that we must give full attention that we not shortchange any part of the process of moving forward; the opportunity we have at the moment will continue to evolve, and either the impetus will continue, or it will diminish. Necessarily we must note a hierarchy in what we choose, and not miss this opportunity for fulfillment by a misstep that might implode our expanding expectations. There may well be an order or implementation in how goals may be accomplished that must be respected lest the entire forward thrust fail.
I argue that Article 1. of The Universal Declaration of Human Rights has the human cause correctly and clearly identified:
Article 1.
All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood.
I point to the expressed origin and derivation of the universal concept of human dignity that has grown from the two World Wars and assert that the lesson we have learned cannot be equivocated.
The history of the League of Nations most clearly indicates that we cannot miss our chance to bring the dignity of the human person to fruition. I argue that this is the core, the raison d’etre, for the United Nations. A sharp disagreement on a fundamental element of the dignity of the person might well be fatal to United Nations success.
_ _ _
United Nations History Link
www.un.org/en/aboutun/history/
Andy: A comment on your blog...
ReplyDeleteI have no solution to the problem of mothers w/minor children who are incarcerated. I will say that my exprience in jail ministry indicated that some were repeat offenders of a very minor type...who might well have been expempted by some program from being separated from their children. Avery good case can be made that the poorest population in our society in terms of discrimination are children. We seem almost shameless in our treatment of them
And...our system of justice is not really tweakable (to coin a word) in making adjustments for unusual situations...and concerning children almost all situations are unique...
One of the most useful tools that might be used is to decriminalize some common "crimes." I'm adjusting my opinion on the mj question...yet, some situations will always fall outside whatever rules we make...We always have with us the prostitution laws, and these are the most common female infractions.
A valid question: Are we the criminals when we separate minor children from their mothers?? (Allowing of course for some very violent crimes outside the normal parameters.
Your contribution was a good one.
J (James)
Thank you for your interest in my post James. I was uncertain if I was reaching too far by including this issue. As I continue to analyze it, I continue to see its potential for a broader understanding of human rights.
DeleteYou are right that there is no easy answer to this issue, or the many other issues in modern day prisons. The idea that you mentioned of decriminalizing certain crimes is a valid one. However, the bigger issue in my opinion is the gap in second generational rights in this country. This gap encourages a divide in society, driven by those that have and those that do not. Those who are in charge of the laws, and have the power to imprison offenders, are often living in a very different reality than those who are ending up in prison. It is easy for an individual of high stature and privilege to condemn a poor person for his unlawful actions. While I don't defend the right for people to commit crimes, it is clear that in our country (one that holds a greater percentage of people in prison than any other in the world), we are dealing with matters ineffectively. People who have limited resources need redress (not always correction) in order for there to be an equal playing field.
In my opinion, mothers who are allowed to care for their infant children in nursery programs in prison are benefiting from a type of redress. They are being awarded a civil compromise to turn their lives around that not only benefits them, but also their child. This is supported by the data that shows for a recidivism rate that is 3x lower for female prisoners who are involved in nursery programs, than other female inmates (as seen in Nebraska's prisons). This type of redress can serve to humanize the prisoner, and personalizes their role in changing their lives for the better.
Here is an article from the NY Times that sheds light on the reality behind America's prisons.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/23/world/americas/23iht-23prison.12253738.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0
Human trafficking is an issue that I feel is not given enough attention in today’s society. For those that are unaware human trafficking is a crime against humanity, the act of recruiting, transporting, transferring, harboring or receiving a person through the use of force, coercion or other means for the sake of exploiting them. It is an issue that affects every country. http://www.unodc.org
ReplyDeleteAccording to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (A1-All Human Beings are born free) (A4-No one shall be held in slavery of servitude) and (A5- No one shall be subjected to torture) these individual are faced with unimaginable cruelty. An article published from the Associated Press in 2007 depicts human trafficking as “Modern Day Slavery”. As mentioned earlier human trafficking affects every country, and the majority of victims trafficked are women and children. Usually these victims are lured by false promises for a better life. In some cases families even assist with trafficking in order to make money themselves. http://www.nbcnews.com
The FBI continues to investigate human trafficking and gave examples in their article http://www.fbi.gov/humantrafficking where this form of modern day slavery continues on the rise even in the United States. These victims are held against their will, threatened, beaten along with other cruel forms of punishment with no hope in site, no one to turn to, and their total existence is derived from FEAR.
The overall goal is to abolish human trafficking all together by raising awareness and educating yourself and those around you. The idea is to target the criminals who exploit these victims. Ways one can help the fight against human trafficking is to educate yourself and raise awareness to those around you, and most importantly if you suspect someone has been trafficked report it.
(Picture referenced from unodc.org)
Proper care for the mentally ill has always been a major issue. This topic has always been an interest of mine because of how close to home it is. My schizophrenic aunt was diagnosed almost 20 years ago, and yet we have not been able to find the right type of residential home for her that can provide the adequate care that she needs. She has moved from different psychiatric wards to group homes to nursing homes; but every place she has lived does not offer the right care for her and her disorder. My aunt may be very delusional, but she still knows what is happening in her surroundings and many of these places have exacerbated her issues because of how depressed she gets living there. We have gotten lucky with a few of these homes where she feels comfortable and well taken care of and her symptoms usually lessen while she is there, but those homes have always been temporary.
ReplyDeleteThese residential homes are not suited for anyone; the walls are bare, the food is awful, and the sanitation is far from okay. The majority of these places don’t offer any activities for the residents, leaving them to have no other option but to sit in rooms all day, every day. How can anyone call this adequate living? Not a single place my aunt has lived would qualify for a comfortable, homey place to live. If the patients that are living within these residences are not even being well taken care of and they fell as if everyone has given up on them then they will eventually give up on themselves. I know that a lot of the mentally ill don’t have any chance of getting better, but what about those that do? They all deserve to be treated as everyone else outside of those walls and given the same treatment and care as any other human on earth.
According to Article 25 in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, Everyone has the right to a standard of living adequate for the health and well-being of himself and of his family, including food, clothing, housing, and medical care and necessary social services, and the right to security in the event of unemployment, sickness, disability, widowhood, old age, or other lack of livelihood in circumstances beyond his control.
The maltreatment that goes on within the mental health system goes against what Article 25 says. Their rights to adequate housing, medical care, and necessary social services seem to be forgotten about. They may be taken care of, but at the bare minimum. A few years back, my aunt told me that she was not feeling well and described the symptoms of a sinus infection, which I told her nurses about and asked if they could have that checked out. It took them two months to have a doctor finally diagnose her, and by that time the infection had spread and she ended up getting sick with pneumonia. What kind of medical care is that? I truly believe that if she was not mentally ill that she would have been seen by a doctor immediately. The fact that these issues continue to go on each and every day just shows how limiting the Universal Declaration of Human Rights really is. It is an amazing step towards equality, but we have a long way to go. In order for these rights to actually begin to have more success, I believe they need to become laws.
Luckily, many other organizations have begun emerging and are fighting for the rights of the mentally ill. One non-profit organization I found is the Citizens Commission on Human Rights, founded in 1969 in Los Angeles. CCHR act “as a global watchdog committed to investigating and exposing human rights violations in the field of mental health.” With more and more organizations popping up around the United States, maybe eventually some of these issues can be ratified. I hope that one day the care for the mentally ill will be much more positive than it is now.
Here is a link to the Citizens Commission on Human Rights, specifically their page regarding The Mental Health Declaration of Human Rights
http://www.cchr.org/about-us/mental-health-declaration-of-human-rights.html
Human Trafficking Holly Bender
ReplyDeleteAs defined at Dictionary.com human trafficking is “the illegal practice of procuring or trading in human beings for the purpose of prostitution, forced labor, or other forms of exploitation”.
Human Trafficking is the modern day slave trade. Many in the United States dismiss the notion of human trafficking as an issue of the past or an issue that occurs in “other” area of the world. While it is true that Human Trafficking is prevalent in Asia, Africa, and the Middle East to name a few, it is also occurring in disgusting numbers here in the United States. Depending on your source, estimates today suggest that there are 100,000 – 200,000 people enslaved in the United States today. Most of these are women and children for the purposes of sexual exploitation. For the purposes of this blog I will focus on this population (but in no way minimizing the huge numbers of people sold into slavery and other forms of forced labour).
These women and children that are being sexually exploited are “our” women and children. Many of these are women and girls born and raised right here in the US of A. According to David Batstone, founder of Not for Sale Campaign, a child will be approached by a trafficker within 48 hours of running away from home. Young girls on the fringes of society, poor, orphaned, overlooked and/or outcast are at risk. They are lured by traffickers with sometimes something as simple as a warm meal and a change of clothes. Would this be the case in a nation that truly valued and enforced human rights, where everyone had adequate food and housing? A topic for another blog perhaps…
Women and girls from other countries too are being sold into slavery and brought to the United States to be exploited, used, and abused. These women and girls abducted with lies and deception, violence, drugs or any other means possible are forced to endure endless horrors with no hope of rescue. Many were deceived with promises of love, money, education, a better way of life, the “American Dream”. How disturbingly ironic that their soon to be “wife-in-law” (Alcindor, 2012) was born and raised in America and was deceived with similar lies.
Once the trafficker has the victim they maintain their control and dominance with violence, drugs and threats of death. Many victims who have been freed bare unbelievable physical scars from the torture and physical abuse they endured. USA Today reporter, Yamiche Alcindor retold how one such victim, Asia Graves, was tortured.
“In one incident, her captor took a potato peeler to her face then raped her as she bled. Years later, the light scar remains just below her left eye. Other violent episodes left her with eight broken teeth, two broken ankles and a V-shaped stab wound just below her belly button.” (Alcindor, 2012).
The emotional wounds however, will take a lifetime to heal, if at all. For Asia some of this healing comes from helping to empower and educate others about human trafficking. Asia works for Fair Girls, a non-profit organization which helps victims of human trafficking.
Article 4 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights says that “No one shall be held in slavery or servitude; slavery and the slave trade shall be prohibited in all their forms”. (United Nations, 1948) Slavery destroys the very fiber of human dignity. In my opinion, being enslaved and sexually exploited is the very lowest and most inhumane place a person could be. For a victim of human trafficking, every single human right is violated.
Many ask “how can this be happening in the US?”, while others minimize and dismiss it. Human trafficking is an all too horrific reality occurring right here: the place we call home. Similar to illegal drug and arms sales it is here because we…people in our own communities, streets, churches, convenient stores, libraries and offices… pay for these services and people in these very communities sell these girls to make the “all important dollar”. Sex sales is a very profitable business and as is evident in this capitalist society, we place a higher value on profit than we do on people. The “monsters” that are buying girls and then selling them (and reselling them) are Americans, right here; the same person we pass on the street, say “Good Morning” to or sit across from at a restaurant. It is happening here because we are allowing it and enabling it. This statement may offend many who would reply vehemently, “I don’t enable human trafficking”. My response to this is that if you are turning your eyes away, numbing your hearts and not doing anything to stop it…then you are enabling it. If there were no market, there would be no slavery. It is the duty and responsibility of every human being to defend and preserve the human rights of each other. Women and children are being sold over and over and over again, beaten, raped, drugged, starved, and exploited all while we sit in our comfortable homes, warm and well fed, loved by our spouses, adoring our children. Human trafficking for sexual exploitation is happening before our very eyes, what are you going to do to stop it?
ReplyDeletehttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YGAaWjsAOCA Eye To Eye with Katie Couric: Human Trafficking (CBS News)
http://www.notforsalecampaign.org/ An organization that fights human trafficking and modern day slavery
Alcindor, Y. (September 2012). “Sex trafficking in the USA hits close to home”. Retrieved From. http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/news/nation/story/2012/09/27/human-trafficking-in-the-united-states-finds-a-home-in-the-schoolyard/57846054/1
http://fairgirls.org/ An organization that works to prevent the exploitation of girls worldwide through empowerment and education.
UN. GIFT . “Human Trafficking – The Facts”. Retrieved From. http://www.unglobalcompact.org/docs/issues_doc/labour/Forced_labour/HUMAN TRAFFICKING_-_THE_FACTS_-_final.pdf
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ReplyDeleteAn interesting topic which I am compelled to discuss and intrigued at having my voice heard is the horrendous and fatal deaths in which Christopher Dorner, former trained LAPD officer and Skillful Naval Reservist, is being implicated. This case has the media exchanging dialogue and sharing critical and bias opinions on how Chris Dorner has taken the law into his own hands. The recent incidents which led up to the three murders he is accused of, it appears started when Chris Dorner accused another LAPD officer of violating the human rights and brutally mistreating a 62 year old man who suffers from mental illness.
ReplyDeleteChris Dorner reported the incident to his superiors in confidence that justice would prevail on behalf of the victim and that the officer would suffer consequences. Chris Dorner believed he was acting in good faith and performing his duties, which is to uphold the law at all costs and protect individuals from an indigenous people, who have no respect for social justice, whether it be individuals of higher authority or criminals without regard for human rights (i.e. race, gender, social status, sexuality, positionality, religion, socioeconomics, and disabilities).
Chris Dorner later found out that he, himself was the only officer being reprimanded- just for reporting the truth. The LAPD terminated Dorner for falsifying testimony and he lost compensation. He was suspended, then fired and sent packing to the unemployment lines. This was just another example of a continuous colonialized corrupted LAPD, who had been violating innocent people’s human rights for over a decade. such as seen in The Watts Riots and the Rodney King beating in which the LAPD only received a slap on the wrist. Chris Dorner believes he was unjustly dismissed from his duties as an officer and his human rights and reputation was indelicately violated in order for the LAPD to cover up their corruption.
Chris Dorner attempted initially to handle the situation in the most appropriate manner and also consulted with an attorney who he hired in his defense in an effort to prevail justice and exposed the Los Angeles Police Department for what they really stand for in my opinion Licentious, Adulterate, Paltry, and Decadence (LAPD). Let’s reflect for a moment and ask ourselves is Chris Dorner in the right or wrong for taking drastic measures by taking the law into his own hands and pursuing his own institution which he has accused of violating human rights and social justice of an indigenous oppressed diverse culture?
I understand Chris Dorner’s frustration towards the white supremacy double standard on enforcing the rules to dominate the subordinates by silencing the voices of this mishandled and mistreated population. While I, in no way, condone any actions he has taken, I can sympathize with his loss of faith in our judicial system, set in place only to benefit the structural levels such as the upper government hierarchies. I disagree with Chris Dorner’s actions in taking the lives of innocent people and although he is still at large, I can’t help but meditate on the thought that when different adversities mount up against the average person, how do you respond?
In Chris Dorner’s Manifesto which he mailed directly to Anderson Cooper at CNN, he stated that this plight was aimed at restoring his name. Given the underpinning thought and what we see as his motivation, I find that Article 12 of The Universal Declaration of Human Rights most applicable to this critical social injustice.
cont...
As I read through The Universal Declaration of Human Rights Articles one that I find relevant to the issue at hand is “Article 12” which states “No one shall be subjected to arbitrary interference with his privacy, family, home, or correspondence, nor to attacks upon his honor and reputation. Everyone has the right to the protection of the law against such interference or attacks.” Based on Article 12 it is my belief that this provision relates directly to this case.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.counterpunch.org/2013/02/08/american-blowback/
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2013/feb/10/la-1m-reward-christopher-dorner-manhunt
http://bit.ly/Y4GPlK
http://youtu.be/4Ed8xpcKHZU
http://youtu.be/Y6ckBiLahr4
Child abuse and neglect is an important human rights issue that has a severe impact on youth through adult hood. The issue of child abuse runs deeper than the physical appearance. It usually presents with long term emotional scaring. Child abuse is also the cause of many deaths in children, both accidental and intentionally. What’s interesting is that there are no cultural boundaries when it comes to child abuse. It remains to be a worldwide issue that does not have a specific ethnic background, religion or economic status. There is no one answer prevention or cause for child abuse.
ReplyDeleteThe Childhelp website http://www.childhelp.org/pages/statistics provides you with statistics, names of organizations that are fundamental in helping and ways you can become involved to address this issue.
The following articles of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights pertain to child abuse:
Article 5
No one shall be subjected to torture or to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment.
Article 25
Everyone has the right to a standard of living adequate for the health and well-being of himself and of his family, including food, clothing, housing and medical care and necessary social services, and the right to security in the event of unemployment, sickness, disability, widowhood, old age or other lack of livelihood in circumstances beyond his control.
Motherhood and childhood are entitled to special care and assistance. All children, whether born in or out of wedlock, shall enjoy the same social protection.
The following website provides information around resources, prevention and evidence based practices.
https://www.childwelfare.gov/preventing/preventionmonth/