Born Into Tragedy

Week 10/11

I would like to start off by saying that the videos this week were AMAZING. “Born Into Brothels” was so heart wrenching- I felt like those kids were my friends by the end of the video, and to see what they have to go through (and will continue to go through) breaks my heart. Zana Auntie has a heart of gold- even though she knew there would be so many hurdles to get those kids into boarding schools she did everything she could. Those children are vivacious, perceptive, witty, and capable- to hear how some of the adults speak to them was horrifying. To think that these little girls will grow up to be “on the line”- that any man with enough rupees can come in and sexually use/abuse them, is horrifying to me.

The ONLY reason these women prostitute themselves, and the ONLY reason this cycle is being perpetuated, is money. These women are exploited, beaten, controlled, and oppressed by the men in their communities. Avijit’s mother was burned to death by her pimp in the kitchen! Is that the life these young, curious, innocent children have to look forward to? Days of endless sex with evil men, for years and years, until they’re finally killed by their pimp? I want to fly to Calcutta and take all of the kids in that brothel back home with me. Feed them good food, teach them how to read and write, enroll them in public school. The thing is, there isn’t just this one brothel in Calcutta- there are hundreds of thousands, even millions more- across the world. There are many other children living in violent, filthy, unstable, unsanitary conditions that are far beyond their control.

As the video was ending, it broke my heart to see that some of the mothers had removed their kids from the schools, and that some had left on their own. Only one little girl stayed. They all had the chance to take control of their lives, to get an education, and work in any profession they chose, but they didn’t. I think the biggest problem (and solution) to this whole predicament is education. Education. We live in a capitalist society, and although many don’t like it, it’s all we have right now. These women are sex workers, and exploit their children as sex workers, for money. They do this not because they love it or have a choice, but because they have no other means by which to make money, no skill or education to find alternatives. Also, if these women were literate, perhaps they wouldn’t be taken advantage of so much, would know when they weren’t being paid enough, or could read books that would teach them things like how to crochet clothing, cook, how to disinfect a house, or teach them about the dangers of violence against women. I feel strongly that education is the key to ending a lot of women and girls’ problems in the world.

A lack of education contributes largely to violence against women. If the women from the FGM video in Sierra Leone were educated about their genitalia, the risks involved, and were introduced to theory about “innocence” and “promiscuity”, then perhaps the tradition wouldn’t continue. Also, if these women were educated and economically stable, then they wouldn’t have to go around cutting off other women’s genitals to make a living. It all seems to go back to capitalism and ignorance. Money is the driving force, and lack of education is the road block. As far as what distinguishes culture from torture- that is a fine line, and I think that culture can be more of a disguise for torture. If you say “well this is a tradition thousands of years old” then it is hard to explain that it needs to stop, especially when it is deep-seated in religion. Outsiders do not necessarily have a right to critique the cultural practices of others, but when it comes to a cycle of violence where women are systematically mutilating the bodies of young girls in their communities, then I feel that the UN (and otherwise) are justified to call attention to the injustices that are being committed. My question is: when are we going to do something about it? When is the UN going to make classes about the dangers of FGM mandatory to the regions in which it is being practiced? When will punishments be distributed to those people participating in the ritual? Recognizing it as a human rights violation is a start, but it is not nearly the end.

The Eve Ensler video was really tragic and empowering- I know from performing in "The Vagina Monologues" that she mixes real accounts of women with fiction, so it is scary to think how many women actually go through something like this. It is empowering to hear her 8 different rules, ending with "No one can take something from you unless you give it to him". I like her message that girls and women should be strong, no matter how bad the situation gets. That if you do what is in your power to take charge, hope is never lost. This was a really haunting piece, one that makes me wish desperately that I could end sex slavery.

Finally, the Chain of Change videos were really insightful. Watching a few with black women in poor communities, I feel like like these girls are not empowered in their daily lives, that they are not told how valuable, useful, and unique they each are. They are kept down with verbal, physical, and mental abuse, so it is no wonder that poverty and oppression of women is so prevalent there. We need to have more outreach programs that empower and inspire women, that teach them of their self worth, their potential, and their power to do anything they want to do and change the world.