SheResonance

📸: Evie Magazine  "We cannot address the issue of WHY DO MEN RAPE without addressing the language used to frame and describe violence"  In 2015, a study  was conducted by University of North Dakota and the North Dakota State University. Its sample size was 86 students. Roughly one third of male university students.  (Emphasis on the underlined words) In that study, male students were asked if they will have sex with a woman against her will “ if nobody would ever know and there wouldn’t be any consequences.” Interestingly, 31.7% of all men participant answered in the affirmative. The question was then reframed and the same group of men were asked if they will rape a woman  if they were sure they could get away with it.  Interestingly, the number of men who answered in the affirmative dropped from 31.7% to 13.6%. The only difference was in the word- use of force and rape! The same action, different words of description; drastic change in replies.  Thi...

📸: Addiction Training Institute. "We cannot make progress by using the language of the oppressor to tell our own stories and describe our oppression... What we say is as important as the words we use to describe them". Language psychology tells you that language is a window to the soul. In fact, Freudian slip (slip of tongue) is said to reveal the true state of a man's mind because your beliefs unconsciously shapes the language you choose. For instance, a woman who uses the word "husband house" and a woman who uses the word "matrimonial home" are operating on two different set of beliefs regarding their position in their marriage and home.  Our choice of words might feel random, it might not be intentional, nonetheless, it is deeply rooted in our belief system. At the heart of female oppression is the language used in describing our stories, our lived experiences, our oppression which makes it pertinent to examine ones choice of words as well as the ...

📷: Saroyan Chemaly- The Rage Becomes Her (2018). "Patriarchy is a a system built on gender hierarchy. And a system built on hierarchy- means that anger would be directed at those below the ladder" As can be expected in a patriarchal society that is based on gender hierarchy, there is an anger gap between and women. Now I know the next question some will have in mind is- Do you now want women to be as angry or violent as men to balance out the equation??? Now, that is in fact a very good question! It reveals two things. First, we associate anger with violence which is understandable giving that we live in a patriarchal world that in fact views anger as violence and aggression. Secondly, you realise that there is a deep problem with the male anger and women's inclusion will only makes society worse off. Now, the third question is, what are we doing about the male anger/aggression? Are we as a society comfortable with it just because men are the overwhelming Perpetuators? T...

📷: Dreamstime.com "Decisions you make when you're not thinking reveals the true state of your mind, and that true state is that "you view women as easier target" She left her office pass at home and quickly rushed back to get it. Upon entering the house, she was greeted with strange noise, only to find her husband on their matrimonial bed with a strange woman.  What started out as a beautiful morning with kisses shared and goodbyes traded turned sour in a matter of seconds.  Now let's take a quick guess- If she is to physically carry out her anger, who do you think she would pounce on? (Let me give you a second to think:- - - I'm sure by now, you'll rightly guess that the vast majority of women would pounce on the other woman, even though: 👉 That other woman was actively chased down by her husband. 👉 That other woman would never have being there if he did not usher her in. 👉 That other woman did not take her to the altar and say 'I do' before ...