Nicole Kidman speaks out: "Say NO to Violence against women"

Nicolle Kidman has been a Goodwill Ambassador for UNIFEM (United Nations Development Fund for Women) for over 2 years now. She is the spokesman for the "Say NO to Violence against women" a global internet campaign initiated by UNIFEM. This particular campaign fund is to help women around the world by strategically investing in areas that make women safer and prevent gender-based violence. "The Say NO campaign provides people all over the world with an opportunity to add their names to an ever-growing movement of people demanding that ending violence against women be made a top priority for governments around the world," stated Nicolle Kidman.

You can show your support by posting your signature on the campaign's website: www.saynotoviolence.org. The UN Foundation issued a challenge grant that it would donate $1 to each of the first 100,000 signatures posted on the "Say NO to Violence against women" internet site. Mr. Tim Wirth, President of the UN Foundation, followed up on his challenge recently and presented to UNIFEM a $100,000 check contribution to the Trust Fund. The UNIFEM's Say NO internet campaign will continue thru November 25, 2008, which is the globally recognized date to end violence against women.

Should Hate Crime Law Include Women?

Why YES! Does a rapist assault a woman because he loves her? I don't think so!
The Senate passed the Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act back in Sept. 27, 2007. The Act covers you if you are a victim of violence because of your race, color, religion, or national origin. It allows federal investigators to assist you in case the local authorities will not or can not intervene. President George W. Bush stated that he will veto the legislation. I don't know if he has done so yet or not.

The National Organization for Women wants to expand the Act to cover women and I agree! Women are sexually assaulted constantly by men that HATE them. It probably is the most COMMON HATE CRIME EVER! I commend the NOW organization for pointing this out. Women should get federal assistance if the local authorities do not want to intervene or will not if a woman is sexually assaulted simply because she is a woman. I think "sexual assault" is the key word here because if she is assaulted for her jewelry, that can apply to men also. The focus here is, I think, the violent sexual act that targets mostly women in this world.

What do you think? Should the Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act be expanded to include "women"?

Martha


'