The Numbers Are Staggering






 I’ve worked so long with domestic violence and women’s  issues, that I forget that there people that don’t know (or admit) how prevalent DV is. “We” think it happens to “Them”. “It” is personal and none of our business. 

All of this thinkng is false and it’s only in recent years that we are finally talking about the numbers.

ONE IN FIVE WOMEN WILL BE SEXUALLY ASSAULTED IN THEIR LIFETIME. 

Are you shocked? We all should be. And here’s something more shocking. This number is low because the majority are of these assaults are not reported.

So here I am at this worldwide conference about the status of   women. And now I’m wrapping my head around new sets of  numbers: 

  • Women are 50% as likely to be online
  • Only 15% of STEM jobs are held by women
  • In low/middle class countries, women are 10% less likely to have basic cell phone and 26% less likely to have a smart phone.

However, women perform at least as well or better than men in grades and job performance in technology fields. What’s holding them back? Unfair stereotypes. Girls have been led to believe that they are less suited to math and sciences.

Until women are involved in the development of technology, the field will be intrinsically biased

On that note, I saw a play in Denver before I left on this trip called Laughs in Spanish. One of the lines that got a laugh involved characters with very strong Spanish accents trying to get Google’s “Alexa” to understand their commands. It was humorous until

I got here and learned that AI (Artificial Intelligence) development is dominated by men, so there is a built in bias in AI technology.

GOT DAUGHTERS? Foster any predilection for math and science school  we can level the playing field!

Other workshops dealt with how we encourage young men to free themselves from unfair gender-based expectations;; How to work for peace across the world and what some countries are doing to level the technology playing field with women.

Lastly, I heard from three brave women making pleas on behalf of the women in their countries who are facing terrifying persecution- Afghanistan, Iran and Myanmar.

Phew! It’s been intense. Thanks for your support!

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

"Presente"

Image
 TUESDAY, OCTOBER 17, 2023 Today, we drove from Phoenix to the US/Mexico border at Douglas, AZ.   The drive between Phoenix and Tucson was familiar, having driven many times when I worked for the Presbytery de Cristo and to see my daughter when she was a student at the University of Arizona. We drove past the Gila River Reservation, where many dear friends live, we passed through Tucson where I had circulated with natural born US citizens, with Native American citizens, with naturalized citizens, with undocumented citizens- with people. Tucson is a beautiful place 122 miles north of the border.  A university town, there is a rich diversity of cultures, especially Mexican and US, with amazing restaurants, museums, tourist attractions and shopping. It is a large city that still seems small, somehow.  We kept driving two more hours, c rossing the desert in the comfort of a 20 passenger van. We arrived in Douglas, AZ just in time for dinner at the beautiful, historic Gadsen Hotel.  There w
Read more

The Other Side

Image
 THURSDAY, OCTOBER 19, 2023  This is the day we walk through the desert to the wall. I'm guessing, but in our group of 18 women three are probably under 40. The rest of us are 50's, 60's or 70's.  We run the gamut on physical fitness. Some have done a lot of traveling. Others not so much. But we are all extremely invested in the trip. We load up in our vans and go to a local substance abuse rehab center to join our 5 guides for the day. So, now we are a bevy of mostly seniors led by non-English speaking recovering drug addicts, driving 5 miles into the desert to walk two miles in 90 degree heat. The level of discomfort is palpable. We have been informed that if we don't think we want to do the two mile hike, we can stay in the shade of a giant nut tree (don't know the name, but the nuts are similar to an almond) located on a private ranch that allows the rehab center to bring groups such as ours for this desert experience. Under it was a 50 gallon water barrel m
Read more

Circles

Image
 In conclusion- there's no conclusion.  We spent a lot of time with circles this trip.   Solar Eclipse on our first day The Man in the Maze- The iconic Hohokam symbol Labyrinths- for meditation at both Renewal Centers at which we stayed Nightly circles to recap days' events The Kiva design of Southside church- traditional Tohono O'Odham holy site Encircling kitchen workstations for tamale-making in Agua Prieta ... and others. The circle is a universal symbol for continuity.  To the sisters I met and came to love on this trip make up another circle that will live with me forever. Thank you to those who organized the trip- Cheri, Sharon, Chris, Bonnie, Dodie and more. To those who educated us on this deeply complex issue.  To those who do the work daily, bringing hope to those who have reason to give up. To those who fed us, led us and broke bread with us.  and to those strangers who opened their hearts and arms to us along the way. Peace to you all. I pledge to share your st
Read more