This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Queen's U chapter.
In honour of the upcoming International Women’s Day on March 8, I have decided to write an article to celebrate the women who have no voice, women who have been abused, assaulted, battered, imprisoned, kidnapped and the women who weep whilst we exonerate our privileged sisters. My intent and motive stems not from bitter wells, but rather stands to give a voice to those oppressed and stripped of freewill. I mean to honour the women who have, are and will struggle in facing societal norms, stereotypes, abuse, imprisonment and more. We have progressed beyond patriarchal value and stand tall when faced with stigma, however to say the world is perfect would be a blatant euphoric dream.
Photo by Gabriel Matula on Unsplash
We have women being enslaved for physical pleasure through sex-trafficing, rape, and assualt, alongside women suffering from domestic violence, mental and emotional abuse, kidnapping and being made into brides as children. These individuals are victims of crime, with various shades of aggression and oppression. Women belonging to the faith of Islam suffer at the hands of xenophobia everyday and being of faith myself, I walk with careful steps and weary glances. Muslim women (along with men, but our topic centers on women) face torture in concentration camps stationed in China and India. Has the world reverted to the extent of repeating one of the terrors of history which has left marks on Jewish backs that have yet to fade? Young girls are made to be brides when they still cry out to mother to help tie their shoes. These girls are merely children who have learned nothing of this world, with brains barely developed from playing with toys. In turn, they are made to be wives, mothers, and adults with no choice in the matter, rendering their lives to the encampment of unethical tradition that plays with their innocence like an intricate dance with the devil over a fine line of torture. Lest we forget our Indigenous sisters who are taken from their homes, lives, and families in excuse of racist mindset. On average, databases have reported 3 deaths of women belonging to the First Peoples community in a month (2016-2019), over 2,049 cases of domestic violence and human trafficking (Luchessi), and Indigenous women who have gone missing repeatedly. Additionally, approximately 3 in 10 women in the USA have survived rape, violence and stalking, and from 1944 until 2010, 4 out of 5 women were made victims to assault. Now I have decided to mark only a few notable statistics in order to avoid making this article more of a research paper, however with that being said, I have yet to include the abundant numbers, names, tales and realities that I have unfolded. These would be stories of gruesome nature and vile acts that would churn stomachs and chill blood.
Original Illustration by Gina Escandon for Her Campus Media
And so in honour of International Women’s Day, I urge you all to keep every single one of these women in your thoughts and send nothing but prayers to withhold them and their loved ones. May these people all return safely. Let us end racism, hatred and envy within the community of being and identifying as and with Women. Let us come together as one, raise our voices, and remember that we must stand side by side as women and ALWAYS have the other’s back. Happy International Women’s Day ladies. Stay safe and be yourself in all of your glory!
