Battered Women's Movement

I asked my small group members if they knew anyone who had been battered.  They did not.  This could be for many different reasons.  (I wish I did not know violence first hand). What first struck me was the fact that I am the only female in my group and that they, as males, may be less aware of violence toward females.  We didn't get into why they didn't know anyone but it did strike me that perhaps it is because they are guys. Though this is a generalization there might be something to it.  The Women's Resource Center was established at CSULB in 1979.  It was originally the Women's Opportunity Center and was started by a group of  female students to address the inequities in women's status at the university and in the larger culture.  Battered women were just beginning to get funding for programs and shelters at this time.  The WRC today, as always, provides a safe place for women to seek information and one-on-one or group support for concerns like domestic violence, (October is Domestic Violence Awareness month) and sexual assault (April is Sexual Assault Awareness month).  Through programs like "Take Back the Night" and Project Safe" and the "Clothesline Project" they continue to assist women in oppressive situations.  Though there may not be someone you "know" that has been victimized, the victimization of women is happening all around you.  Last week the WRC provided a "Stalking Workshop"--this includes cyber-stalking which is more subtle but causes fear and victimization.  In our video we learned that so many imprisoned women have been victims of violence either/both as a child or as an adult.  This is a very tragic situation.  I would think that with today's economic recession, mortgage foreclosures, and high rate of poverty and unemployment that violence against women would be on the rise.  Tragically I grew up in a very patriarchal society where the Catholic church (especially in this rural area) controlled people's lives to a great extent.  Men ruled women and children and violence occurred and was even tolerated.  Women were NOT allowed to divorce because of the threat of excommunication from the Catholic church.  One women dared to divorce and was ostracized.  Women did not effectively step out of the bounds of patriarchy until the late 1970's. OUCH!!!.  I blame the church for allowing that kind of behavior to continue without a safety net for the victims.  (WWJD indeed!). I see a complacency among women (all ages) concerning women's issues.  I call them "women's issues" because I don't think guys really concern themselves with what women have to go through just walking on campus at night.  Women, as a group, have power to create a better world for themselves and which translates into a better world for all.  What do you think?