Petition: Feminists Demand Let Justice Be Done
‘As feminists, we see the arrest of former International Monetary Fund director Dominique Strauss-Kahn on sexual assault charges as an opportunity to increase public awareness and as a wake-up call to renew action against sexual violence, not only in the US where his arrest occurred and in France, where media and many public figures are portraying him as the victim, but around the world.’ demanding ‘freedom from sexual assault and harassment’ for women ‘at all strata of society and in all corners of the globe.’
Attached is a petition started by a group of us in the United States and posted yesterday at:
Hundreds of women from around the world have already signed it with numbers growing hourly. Countries include the United States, Canada, France, Brazil, Senegal, Indonesia, Germany, the Netherlands, Mexico, Israel, Morocco, Tunisia, and more.
We are urging folks to also send contributions to help the housekeeper who is now, of course, unable to work, and her fifteen year old daughter. We are working in tandem with the union and with her attorney. Please join us in signing and forwarding to others. Contributions may be sent to Judson Memorial Church, Attn: Women's Fund, 55 Washington Square South, New York, New York 10012-1018.
Many thanks,
Bettina Aptheker
Santa Cruz, CA
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Feminists Demand Freedom from Sexual Assault and Harassment
We agree:
Rape is always about power and domination; it is sexualized violence.
Rape and sexual harassment of women are pervasive at all strata of society and in all corners of the globe. Women will never be fully free and able to enjoy equality with men until this ends. As feminists, we see the arrest of former International Monetary Fund director Dominique Strauss-Kahn on sexual assault charges as an opportunity to increase public awareness and as a wake-up call to renew action against sexual violence, not only in the US where his arrest occurred and in France, where media and many public figures are portraying him as the victim, but around the world.
We join French feminists in saying that just as Strauss-Kahn is innocent until proven guilty, his accuser must also be respected and believed to be credible unless proven false.
We commend her employer, Sofitel, and the action of the NYC Police for taking her complaint seriously. We call for feminists around the world to join with her union (New York Hotel and Motel Trades Council Local 6) in collecting funds for legal and daily expenses, as her work is now curbed and life circumstances vastly altered. Contributions can be sent to Judson Memorial Church (attention Women's Fund) 55 Washington Square South, New York, NY 10012-1018.
We also share French feminist indignation at the deliberate and opportunistic confusion of seduction and sexual violence, from Strauss-Kahn's declaration that he "loves women," to the journalists and politicians who rally behind this "Great Seducer." It is outrageous that the allegation of attempted rape during the course of a housekeeper's work day raises issues about any woman's life story and sexual history. And portraying powerful Strauss-Kahn as "too civilized" to commit a violent crime plays upon colonial and racist stereotypes vis-a-vis an African immigrant woman.
We adamantly oppose all harassment, sexual violence and rape, and we know that when there is a large discrepancy between the power, the wealth and racial hierarchy of the parties involved, justice is even harder to come by. All rapists and harassers believe they are entitled, and often when they are part of the power elite they assume that influence will outweigh the legal protection and freedom from coercion all women should enjoy. Feminists around the world demand that justice be done.
Women of all countries, unite!
This statement was initiated by the following feminists:
Bettina Aptheker, CA, U.S.
Lori Askeland, OH, U.S.
Eleanor J. Bader, NY, U.S.
Rosalyn Baxandall, NY, U.S.
Halina Bendkowski, Berlin, Germany
Saliha Boussedra, Toulouse, France
Eileen Boris, CA, U.S.
Ariel Dougherty, NM, U.S.
Roxanne Dunbar-Ortiz, CA, U.S.
Judith Ezekiel, Toulouse, France
Francisca de Haan, Amsterdam, the Netherlands Myrna Hill, CA, U.S.
Merle Hoffman, NY, U.S.
Barrie Karp, NY, U.S.
Bea Kreloff, NY, U.S.
Tobe Levin von Gleichen, Frankfurt, Germany Ilana Lowy, Paris France Fran
Luck, NY, U.S.
Claire G. Moses, VA, U.S.
Marge Piercy, MA, U.S.
Fanette Pollack, NY, U.S.
Marilyn Porter, Newfoundland, Canada
Deborah Rosenfelt, MD, US
Kathryn Scarbrough, NJ, U.S.
Donna Schaper, NY, U.S.
Lise Vogel, NY, U.S.
Suzanna Walters, IN, U.S.
Naomi Weisstein, NY, U.S.
Barbara Winslow, NY, U.S.
Laura X, CA, U.S.
Also signed by
Carol Hanisch, NY, U.S.
Jane Barry, PA, U.S.
Nancy Krieger, MA, U.S.
Vicki Nichols, VA, U.S.
Mary Carlson, CA, U.S.
Shailja Patel, Nairobi, Kenya
Elaine Shinbrot, NJ, U.S.
Barbara Rylko-Bauer, MI, U.S.
Amanda Frisken, NY, U.S.
Dabney Evans, GA, U.S.
Trude Bennett, NC, U.S.
Amy Kessleman , NY, U.S.
Therese McGinn, NY, U.S.
Carolina Neiva Viancello, Brussels, Belgium Comfort Momoh, London, UK Naana
Otoo-Otortoy, London, UK Abebah Tekleab, Stockholm, Sweden Khady Koita,
Tervuren, Belgium Ambara Hashi Nur, Aarhus, Denmark Etenesh Hadis, Vienna,
Austria Batulo Essek, Helsinki, Finland Julie Kakiese, Brussels, Belgium
Fana Habteab, Uppsala, Sweden Maretta Short, NJ, USA Martha Vicinus, MA, USA
Rosalind Petchesky, NY, U.S.
Lauri Andress, TX, U.S
Susan Reverby, MA, U.S.
Leslie Dubbin, CA, U.S.
Ellen Ross, NY, U.S.
Temma Kaplan, NY, U.S.
Troy Shinbrot, NJ, U.S.
Roberta Salper, MA, U.S.
Stephanie Gilmore, DE, U.S.
Susan Brownmiller, NY, U.S.
Laura Anker, NY, U.S.
Kathleen Slaon, CT, U.S.
Chris Coombe, MI, US
Abby Lippman, Quebec, Canada
Linda Stein, NY, U.S.
Rosemary Szegda, NJ, U.S.
Estelle Regolsky, MA, U.S.
Brigitte Bramie, Paris France
Guylene Deasy, NC, U.S.
Monique Dental, Paris, France.
Alice Ngyone Endamne, CA, U.S.
Jules Falquet, Paris, France
Suzy Rojtman, Paris, France
Maya Surduts, Paris, France.
Anne-Marie Viossat, Paris, France
Rebecca Whisnant, OH, US
Bronwyn Winter, Sydney Australia
Estelle B. Freedman, CA, U.S.
Anne-Emanuelle Birn, Ontario, Canada
Juliet Ash, London, England
Barbara Garson, NY, U.S.
Laura Flanders, NY, U.S.
Marilyn Zivian, CA, U.S.
Nisia Trindade Lima, Rio de Janeiro, Brasil Heather Booth, Washington, DC,
U.S.
Eve Ensler, Paris, France
Leila J. Rupp, CA, U.S.
Kathryn Kish Sklar, NY, U.S.
Joan Ditzion, MA, U.S.
Sonia Fuentes, FL, U.S.
Chandra L. Ford, CA, U.S.
Aida Hurtado, CA, U.S.
Alison Williams, NJ, U.S.
Elizabeth Pleck, IL, U.S.
Shelley Fisher Fishkin CA, U.S.
Leslie J. Reagan, IL, U.S.
Leisa D. Meyer, VA, U.S.
Katha Pollitt, NY, U.S.
Yanar Mohammed, Baghdad, Iraq
Sonia Jaffe Robbins, NY, U.S.
Alia Shinbrough, NJ, U.S.
JoAnn Jaffe, Saskatchewan, CA
Dee Appleby, SC, U.S.
William Scarbrough III, SC, U.S.
Teresa Scarbrough, CA, U.S.
Patricia Rackowski, Boston, MA
Nalini Visvanathan, Washington, DC
Barbara M. Sow, Dakar Senegal
Beth E. Rivin, Seattle, Washington, USA
Ana Maria Carrillo Farga, Mexico
Alison Katz, Geneva, Switzerland
Megan McLaughlin, IL, U.S.
Fatou Sow, Dakar Senegal
Dula F. Pacquiao, NJ, U.S.
Inti Maria Tidball-Binz, Bs As, Argentina Emily May, NY, U.S.
Evelyn Torton Beck, Washington, DC USA
Dana Rabin, IL, U.S.
Sarah E. Huertas, San Juan, Puerto Rico
Jesse Lemisch, NY, U.S.
Josephine Soumah, France
Claire Bond Potter, CT U.S.
Carina Ray, NJ, U.S.
Deborah Rossum, IA, U.S.
Maria E. Cotera, MI, U.S.
Barbara Molony, CA, U.S.
Kristy Rawson, MI, U.S.
Antoinette Burton, IL, U.S.
Mary Nolan, NY, U.S.
Ruth Rosen, CA, U.S.
Julie Laut, IL, U.S.
Erik McDuffie, IL, U.S.
Yxta Maya Murray, CA, U.S.
Jo Salas, NY, U.S.
Barbara Leon, CA, U.S.
Edwina Barvosa, CA, U.S.
Maureen H. Williams, CA, U,S,
Bob Weil, CA, U.S.
Anica Leon-Weil, CA, U.S.
Finn Mackay, Bristol, England
Regan Kramer, Paris, France
Dominique Tripet, Orleans, France
Sandrine Goldschmidt, Paris, France
Didier Epsztajn, France
B. Chical, Paris, France
C. Steinmuller, Paris, France
Emmanuelle Cesari,Paris, France
Rhania Azzouz, Montreuil-Sous-Bois, France Nelly Trumel, Paris, France
Frederique Strzalka.
Flores Espinola, Artemisa, Paris, France.
Claire Desaint, Varades, France
Anne Mogensen, Paris, France
Cecile Vermot, Paris, France
Marie- Claire Lotrian, France
Francoise Leclerc, Montrouge, France
Khursheed Wadia, Birmingham, Uk.
Danielle Michel-Chich, France
Barbara Wolman, Toulouse, France
Anne Larue, Paris, France
Suzy Candido,Toulouse, France
Marie Frantz Joachim, Port Au Prince, Haiti Sylvie Duverger, Paris, France
Dominique Pineau, France Christiane Marty, France Nathalie Harran, Paris,
France Michele Loup,Paris, France Malka Marcovich Paris, France Emmanuelle
Piet, Bondy, France Marie-France Casalis, Fresnes, France Francoise Bellot,
Fresnes, France Lena Lavinas, Rio De Janeiro, Bresil.
Lourdes Bandeira, Brasilia - Bresil
Martine Noel, Paris, France
Jamileh Nedai, France
Trine Korsvik, Oslo, Norvege
Saadia Majdi-Jollivet, Paris, France
Marie Josee Pepin, Paris, France
Francoise Leclerc, France
Natacha Henry, Paris, France
Jocelyne Fildard, Grigny, France
Claude Viguie, Bergerac, France
Aline Silvestre, France
Bila Sorj, Rio De Janeiro, Brazil
Nathalie Adato Paris, France
Anais Becquelin, France
Ingrid Darroman, Tarbes, France
Fiona Rescan, Toulouse, France
Nicole Johnson, Fez, Morocco.
Francoise Mariotti, Montpellier, France
Gilles D'elia, France
Raphaelle Legrand, Paris, France
Laurence De Cock, France
Danielle Charest, Paris, France
Rose-Marie Lagrave, Paris, France
Paula Dumont, France
Christele Rocher, Marseille, France
Jacqueline Julien, Toulouse, France
Patricia Cartier-Millon, France
Anne Chantran, Paris, France
Sophie Chauveau, Paris, France
Julie Poupe, France
Lise Roure,France
Michele Dayras, France
Sarah Nassera Oussekine, Saint Denis, France Barbara Wolman, Toulouse,
France Christine Aubree, France Francoise Stichelbaut, Bruxelles, Belgique
Therese Gracieuse Gentil, NICE, France Yvette Claveranne, Paris, France
Nelly Trumel, Paris, France Jean SYLVESTRE, Paris, France Isabelle Moulins
Marseille, France Anita Freudiger Marseille, France Ashinsa Bopearachchi,
France Anne-Elisabeth Moutet, Paris, France Catherine Caudal, Paris, France
Sofi Plisson, Toulouse, France Laurence Pujol, Toulouse France
Benloucif-Ouali Taous, Nancy, France Henriet Genin, France Zahia Aitbachir,
France Claire Michard, Montrouge, France Constance Durocher, Quebec, Canada
Gisele Bourret,Montreal (Quebec),Canada Rayhana, Paris, France Elsa
Petit-Hassan, Blois, France Agnes Montier, Alencon, France Marie Claude
Rousseau, Le Mans, France Christine Delphy, Paris, France Frances Auda,
Paris, France Elisabeth Maugars, Saint-Pierre-Des-Corps, France
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