Using the master's tools: feminism, media and ending violence against women

Abstract

Worldwide, women are harnessing the power of mainstream media to change minds and hearts about women's human rights. In particular, they are focusing on ending violence against women as depicted in the media. Violence against women is here understood in two ways - not only as violence against women in society, but as violence committed in the media. By this we mean all misrepresentations, distorted reflections, sexism and silencing of women's voices, which violate women's right to equal access to public discourse. In a workshop at the AWID Forum, three leading feminist media analysts - from Croatia, India, and Uruguay - presented short video clips from their work, and discussed the successes and failures of women's human rights activists who use mainstream media as a vehicle for change. Their presentations were followed by a discussion about the successes and failures of women's human rights activists to engage with mainstream media as a vehicle for change.