This 16 July 2004 article from The Family Violence Prevention Fund reports that, according to the National Elder Abuse Incidence Study (NEAIS), "postmenopausal women experience violence - including physical, sexual and psychological abuse - at the same rate or at an even higher rate than do younger women." This study is believed to be the first to estimate the incidence of physical and verbal abuse in a large sample of postmenopausal women.
- Synthesis of Literature on Educator Sexual Misconduct Now Available
Featured on the National Electronic Network on Violence Against Women (VAWnet) website, Charol Shakeshaft of Hofstra University and Interactive, Inc., has prepared "Educator Sexual Misconduct: A Synthesis of Existing Literature" for the U.S. Department of Education, Office of the Under Secretary, Policy and Program Studies Service. This literature review of sexual abuse and sexual misconduct responds to the mandate in Section 5414 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (ESEA), as amended, to conduct a study of sexual abuse in U.S. schools. To satisfy this mandate, the Department of Education contracted with Dr. Charol Shakeshaft of Hofstra University. Using existing available research, her literature review describes, among other topics: prevalence of educator sexual misconduct, offender characteristics, targets of educator sexual misconduct, and recommendations for prevention of educator sexual misconduct. Shakeshaft also offers several new recommendations that may be worth consideration, though they may present tensions with existing laws.
Minority Rights Group International (MRG) has recently published "Gender, Minorities and Indigenous Peoples," a report examining the intersection of gender, minority, and indigenous status. MRG argues that while it is generally acknowledged that women suffer discrimination, women who are also members of minority or indigenous communities are particularly marginalized. Like male members of minority and indigenous communities, they lack access to political power and face discrimination in their access to services and rights. However, as women they face these problems and more.
The aim of this report is to encourage those working on minority and indigenous peoples' rights to consider the issues from a gender perspective, and to encourage those working on gender equality and women's rights to include minorities and indigenous peoples within their remit.