Proper protection of female immigrants against abuse in this nation is certainly not being witnessed. Similarly to how there are gaps in healthcare coverage for certain demographics of women, there are also groups of women that are not afforded the same protection against battering and abuse as their counterparts. These women are literally slipping through the cracks under a flawed set of laws that forces silence upon them. What fosters this silence is often the failure to provide the proper information to these women about how and why they can utilize the law for their protection. Crenshaw highlights this issue in her text, and points to how there is a long history of immigrant women suffering in silence. Originally this began with a law that for all intents and purposes forced immigrant women to stay in a marriage with a U.S. citizen for two years if they wanted to achieve citizenship. What this unfortunately led to was many immigrant women that were “reluctant to leave even the most abusive of partners for fear of being deported” (Crenshaw 4). While this particular issue was rectified under the Immigration Act of 1990 the situation for immigrant women still remained where they were unable to voice their troubles and seek help. One interesting circumstance that Crenshaw points to in order to highlight why these women were unable to seek help is the language barrier. The language barrier was an issue both because many immigrant women were unable to properly locate the services that would protect them and also because even if they did locate the proper clinics or shelters they were turned away because the shelters lacked “bilingual personnel and resources.” This clearly illustrates how services are at times limited to only those who are English speakers, which immediately nullifies the rights to prevent abuse and to achieve help to end these circumstances of many of the inhabitants of this nation. Regardless of how one stands on immigration laws and the presence of illegal immigrants in this nation it is unacceptable to allow the persistence of violence against anyone, particularly those who are stuck within the lifestyle of battering and violence. One important point that Crenshaw highlights is that in order for effective change to be witnessed the root of issues must be addressed. While certain provisions can provide immediate alleviation of a problem it is often the case that these changes only alter one aspect of why and how a woman is being battered and not taking steps to prevent the issue altogether. One example of this is the Violence Against Women Act of 2000. Changes need to take place from the grass roots and work their way up because it is often the case that the marginalized women that are being abused are unfamiliar with congressional measures that in effect will minimally benefit them. A widespread education program, perhaps in the form of an ad campaign, may be one effective measure to present this issue to the entire public and shed light on this forgotten demographic. Presenting this as an issue is the first step to solving the issue and this is something that has not yet occurred. Simply presenting services does not ensure that all women will be able to access them, and just how we have seen that healthcare access was unequal but has undergone helpful changes, a fundamental restructuring and the provision of information and aid will be necessary if this problem is ever to be fixed.
I think Dave points out several important issues in his post on Crenshaw's article, "Mapping the Margins: Intersectionality, Identity Politics, and Violence against Women of Color." There are groups of women, he specifically discusses immigrants, that are not afforded the same protection against battery and abuse as others. As Dave so accurately wrote in his post, "These women are literally slipping through the cracks under a flawed set of laws that forces silence upon them. What fosters this silence is often the failure to provide the proper information to these women about how and why they can utilize the law for their protection." I agree with Dave that simply presenting services does not ensure that all women will be able to have access to them. Women cannot reach out and receive help if they do not know it is available or the system somehow prevents them from accessing the resources they need.
ReplyDeleteI think there are several parallels between the concepts raised in Dave's post and the issues raised in author Steven Lee Myers articles "A Peril in War Zones: Sexual Abuse by Fellow G.I.'s" and "Living and Fighting Alongside Men, and Fitting In," from the New York Times section Women at Arms. Myers explains, "While tens of thousands of women have served in Iraq and Afghanistan, often in combat, often with distinction, the integration of men and women in places like Camp Taji has forced to the surface issues that commanders rarely, if ever, confronted before." These issues include sexual harassment and sexual assault - issues that military policies address, but have proven difficult to enforce. The military has a "zero tolerance" policy for abuse or harassment, yet many cases go unreported. A recent report by the Government Accountability Office found that victims were reluctant to report attacks "for a variety of reasons, including the belief that nothing would be done or that reporting an incident would negatively impact their careers." In some cases, military women fear that reporting an incident would also jeopardize the mission. Combined, these fears have silenced an issue that only seems to be increasing.
I was apalled by Representative Jane Harman's statement that "A woman in the military is more likely to be raped by a fellow solider than killed by enemy fire in Iraq." Whether or not this accounts for unreported issues only makes her statement more significant. The Pentagon maintains that is has transformed the way it handles sexual abuse, and in 2007 the Uniform Code of Military Justice expanded the provision that covered rape (Article 120) to include other offenses like indecent exposure and stalking. Despite these policy changes, efforts are "undermined by commanders who are skeptical or even conflicted, suspicious of accusations and fearful that reports of abuse reflect badly on their commands." The conditions of combat only seem to make these issues worse, and the military seems ill equipped to handle both the counseling and treatment of assault victims. As Dave pointed out, changes in policy does not translate to changes in action. In the case of women in the military, most are aware of the policies but are discouraged (for various reasons) from reporting any violations. Sexual abuse is not something anyone should feel forced to ignore. Some women are beginning to break this silence, but not without consequences and not without fear.
Beautiful posts, Nora and Dave. You've both done a really wonderful job of getting at the central and most compelling ideas presented in Crenshaw. Further, Nora, you make some wonderful connections between Dave's comments and the articles on women in the military. you're right: Harman's statement IS appalling, as is the situation that many women are finding themselves in, both in and out of the military. It all goes back, as you point out in the post for Tuesday, to the ways in which women are not only violated, but silenced. Excellent work, both of you!
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