Wednesday, June 03, 2009

Silence is the Enemy



Although this blog is intended to cover Swedish law issues I have to tell you about "Silence is the Enemy"

Silence is the Enemy is a campaign initiative against the rape and abuse of women and girls in Liberia and around the world started by Sheril Kirshenbaum in her blog The Intersection.

The initiative has also a Facebook Group to join.

In her original blog post Sheril Kirshenbaum wrote i a:
"Today begins a very important initiative called Silence Is The Enemy to help a generation of young women half a world away.Why? Because they are our sisters and children–the victims of sexual abuse who don’t have the means to ask for help. We have power in our words and influence. Along with our audience, we’re able to speak for them. I’m asking all of you–bloggers, writers, teachers, and concerned citizens–to use whatever platform you have to call for an end to the rape and abuse of women and girls in Liberia and around the world.

In regions where fighting has formally ended, rape continues to be used as a weapon. As Nicholas Kristof recently wrote from West Africa, ‘it has been easier to get men to relinquish their guns than their sense of sexual entitlement.’ The war has shattered norms, training some men to think that ‘when they want sex, they need simply to overpower a girl.’ An International Rescue Committee survey suggests 12 percent of girls aged 17 and under acknowledged having been sexually abused in some way over the previous 18 months. Further, of the 275 new sexual violence cases treated Jan-April by Doctors Without Borders, 28 percent involve children aged 4 or younger, and 33 percent involve children aged 5 through 12. That’s 61% age 12 or under. We read about their plight and see the figures, but it’s so easy to feel helpless to act in isolation. But these are not statistics, they are girls. Together we can do more. Mass rape persists because of inertia so let’s create momentum."


Many bloggers are blogging to support this initiative. I have noted i a Nicolas Kristof at the New York Times, Alun Salt in Archaeoastronomy and many many more

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hi! I really like your blog, its very useful for the lawyers from other places of the world.

I´ve a question about the "Foehn effect" like extenuating circumstance in Sweden. Is being applicated nowadays? and in that case, where is that point in swedish legislation?


Thank you!

Spanish lawyer

KBz said...

Dear Anonymous,

I think that a Swedish judge would most certainly find that arguing that a "Foehn effect" or other metrological occurrence is an extenuating circumstance is as deploring and disrespectful to a rape victim as arguing that a short skirt or a winning smile was the "cause" of the rape.

nagyon_mikey_c said...

Hey,
This may seem very random but maybe you could help me. My girlfriend is Swedish and about to enter law school in England.

She would like to work in Sweden after she has qualified. Do you know if it is possible to convert an English Law degree and use it in Sweden?

I know she would eventually need to take the swedish bar exam, but would it be possible/realistic for her to work in sweden after she has qualified to gain the experience she will need for that?

Any help you could give me would be great, i'm trying to help her figure things out.

This blog is very informative which is why i am asking you!!

Tack!

KBz said...

Hi!

I found the some information in English about admission to the Swedish Bar Association on this web page, http://www.advokatsamfundet.se/templates/CommonPage.aspx?id=6706 (Do not miss the links!).

I hope that the information will be helpful. If your girlfriend needs more information do ask her to call the Bar Association at +46 8 459 03 00 or to send an email to info@advokatsamfundet.se