Takes A Village

Image by Sara Bernard

Another slightly off-topic PSA that has ostensibly nothing to do with comics but nevertheless deserves wider exposure to as many different demographics as possible. It dovetails with an oft-repeated theme I've posted about here before with the issues of sexism, harassment and equality as they relate to women in the comics culture.

On September 11th The Atlantic published a moving, insightful and alarming essay, "Rape Culture in the Alaskan Wilderness" by Sara Bernard, on the prevalence of domestic violence and sexual assault in Alaska, triple the national rate. Within the context of our state's double-than-average suicide rates, plus our rates of violent crime and firearm ownership (note who's #1), it paints a pretty grim picture.

On a related note, over the weekend I noticed and screengrabbed an ironic - and thoroughly depressing - juxtaposition of articles from the News-Miner website this weekend:

 

Astonishing willful ignorance + patriarchal privilege on display… rare to see examples like that letter-to-the-editor so simply and effectively rebutted right there on the same page. Connect the damn dots. 

Victim Services resource list is here.