Gender Equality And Rape Culture - 1722 Words

Throughout time, issues with equality have denied groups some of the most basic human rights. A common example of this is the right to one’s own body. The statement that people have the rights his/her own body is broad and rightfully so. It encompasses matters ranging clothing they want to wear, who they have sex with, and even what gender they want to be. In the film Difret, the ideas of gender equality, rape culture, and the right to one’s own body are highly prevalent. Addressed through the use of a documentary about marriage by abduction, rape, and a fight to regain freedom twice - once from the captors and then from the legal systems - these ideas present the viewer with one story about Ethiopian culture. There are several prominent†¦show more content†¦Another concern that is prominent in this film is the initial unwillingness to hear what a female has to say about her situation, especially in a court setting. Fighting gender-based obstacles within the justice system was a large part of this film as Meaza worked to free Hirut. She pushed the idea that women have the right to a voice and justice just as much as men do. While Hirut shot a man, the act was self-defense. Before this case, it seems as if no woman had ever been able to convince a judge of that. An article by Arming Women Against Rape and Endangerment discusses the importance of being able to defend oneself because often times there is no one else there to help or who will help. The article also mentions a few cases where women tried every possible route to prevent violence, but the majority of the women ended up dead. This is because when put in a situation where there was no other choice except to fight, they wer e not able to. In addition to this, when women are in locations where equality conditions are similar to that of Hirut’s village, they do not fight back for fear that they will be reprimanded rather than their assailant. In this film, Hirut and the other women that worked with her proved that self-defense is an option and everyone should have the right to practice it. This was a great demonstration of how perseverance can pave the way for countless people to come, providing incredible changes to socialShow MoreRelatedGender Equality And Gender Discrimination1429 Words   |  6 PagesGender equality has been actively sought out for, chiefly by women, throughout history with a goal to establish equal rights and opportunities among all genders. While extensive progress has been achieved towards women’s rights throughout the twentieth century, women continue to experience gender discrimination on a daily basis. 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