Rule by Rape (Half the Sky Chap. 4) #sjbc

This post is part of the April Social Justice Book Club. This week we are discussing Half the Sky: Turning Oppression into Opportunity for Women Worldwide by Nicholas D. Kristof and Sheryl WuDunn.

Conversation Questions for Chapter Four:

“In many poor countries, the problem is not so much individual thugs but an entire culture of sexual predation.”

Discuss the successful efforts of Ethiopian Women Lawyers Association and Equality Now in working to change the laws and the culture.

Two of the heroes in this chapter are Zoya and Mukhtar. Their lives seem to reflect the many complexities of inter-cultural change. What were your thoughts when you read that Zoya approves of wife beating when the wife deserves it?Pg.69 Were you surprised to learn of Mukhtar’s becoming a second wife only after the first wife expressed approval?Pg.79 How are these two situations similar? How are they different?

Source: The above questions come from the organization Global Women.

How have cases likes the rape in Steubenville, PA or the recent attention to the rampant gang-rapes in India changed our commitment to take action about such brutality? Has it?

How do we talk to our children about rape and sexual violence?

Please share with us your responses to the questions above or any thoughts or questions you have about rape and sexual violence in the comments section below.

The Social Justice Book Club is a project of Independence Rock Group: Center for Faith, Ethics, and Social Justice. Please consider supporting the Social Justice Book Club and our other projects. Find other posts about the Book Club and Half the Sky here.