On Thursday, December 3, Frankfort Mayor Judy Sheets was joined by fellow members of the Zonta Club of Frankfort as she issued a proclamation in support of the “Zonta Says No To Violence Against Women” campaign. The 16-day campaign runs from November 25 (International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women Day) and December 10 (Human Rights Day).
During these 16 days, all Zonta clubs and districts are encouraged to take part in the Zonta Says NO to Violence Against Women campaign and to take local, national and international actions to influence the making and implementation of laws, as well as changing gender-based attitudes and behaviors to end violence against women and girls.
Violence against women and girls is a severe violation of human rights and it not only negatively affects women; it also affects their families, communities, and countries around the world. This violence continues to be a widespread problem in the U.S. with devastating consequences:
- one in three girls is a victim of physical, verbal, or emotional abuse
- one in four women will experience domestic violence
- more than three women are murdered by their partners every day
This can be intimate partner violence, including teen dating violence, with psychological, physical, and sexual violence.
Teen dating violence is a type of intimate partner violence. It occurs between two people in a close relationship and is also referred to as, “dating violence”. This can take place in person or electronically, such as repeated texting or posting sexual pictures of a partner online without consent. Unhealthy relationships can start early and last a lifetime. Teens often think some behaviors, like teasing and name-calling, are a “normal” part of a relationship—but these behaviors can become abusive and develop into serious forms of violence. Many teens do not report these behaviors as they are afraid to tell family and friends.
Child marriage is another form of violence against women and girls. Early and forced marriage happens across countries, cultures, and religions. Each year, 12 million girls are married before they turn 18 and are often pulled out of school and are at a greater risk of violence, being trapped in poverty, and serious health complications or even death due to early pregnancy.
Child marriage, or marriage before 18, is still legal in 46 U.S. states and it is happening here at an alarming rate as research revealed that nearly a quarter-million children as young as 12 were married in the U.S. between 2000 and 2010 – mostly girls wed to adult men. Indiana has made some progress in child marriage laws with a change that became effective July 1 of this year. Anyone younger than 18 now needs a judge’s permission to get married. The new law only allows 16- or 17-year-olds to marry someone no more than four years older after obtaining approval from a juvenile court judge. It also requires judges to interview each person in private to ensure their decisions are voluntary and that they are mature enough before giving marriage permission. It also states that a pregnancy or having a child is not by itself sufficient to grant marriage permission. Though this fell short of prohibiting any marriage under the age of 18, it is a step in the right direction.
This ongoing advocacy effort began nine years ago and since that time, the Zonta Says NO to Violence Against Women campaign has raised awareness of the global epidemic of women’s rights violations and has united Zonta clubs worldwide in conducting impactful advocacy actions to fight violence against women and gender inequality.
Symbols of the “Zonta Says NO!” campaign can be seen throughout our community with signs located in the lawns of businesses, city and county buildings, and residences, orange lighting at Old Stoney and the Frankfort Community Public Library, and on a special tree during the Festival of Lights at the TPA Park in memory of Martha Webb, a Frankfort Zontian for many years. And year-round, buses from the Paul Phillippe Resource Center display “Zonta Says NO!” signage. As a bright and optimistic color, orange represents a future free from violence against women and girls.
Zonta envisions a world in which no woman lives in fear of violence and for 100 years has contributed to help achieve a world free of violence against women and girls through service and advocacy. The Zonta Club of Frankfort has been at this same work right here in our local communities for nearly 65 years and continues in that work today. Please join us in saying “NO!”?