“Music expresses that which cannot be said and on which it is impossible to be silent.” — Victor Hugo
The
subject of Violence Against Women (VAW) is a difficult one to discuss
and face for most people, cultures and communities. Whether it is
considered taboo, a non-issue or a private matter, a wall of silence
often envelopes the issue, making it one of the most entrenched and
difficult human rights violations to dislodge and eradicate. Therefore,
activists, campaigners and charities/nonprofits often have to get
creative in highlighting the seriousness and severity of gender-based
violence and its impact on the well-being of communities and societies
as a confrontational approach may backfire, cause a backlash or simply
not work.
One of the most powerful and creative methods of raising awareness
about VAW and spreading the message of saying NO to VAW is through music
and song. From medieval bards to protest folk singers of the 1960s to
today’s Pop, Rock and Country songwriters, musicians, singers and
songwriters have always played a pivotal role in spreading the message
about social issues via their lyrics and using musical hooks to ensure
that the song stays with the listener until the message sinks in.
In recognition of the power of music to educate, enlighten and help
with social change, The Pixel Project presents 16 songs about or related
to VAW and women’s empowerment. While there have always been songs that
are very explicit about domestic violence, sexual violence and other
forms of VAW, we decided to select a mix of songs talking about VAW and
songs that empower women because it is important to get a balance
between the reality of violence and the message of hope for survival and
healing.
Here are this year’s selection of 16 songs presented in alphabetical
order. We hope they inspire and move you as much as they have inspired
and moved us.
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Song Number 1: 18 Wheeler – Pink
Pop-rock star
Pink
sings about standing up to one’s abuser and how abuse can’t keep a
strong woman down and a call-to-action to women to draw on their courage
and resilience.
Song Number 2: Behind the Wall – Tracy Chapman
Tracy Chapman‘s powerful a cappella track from her 1988 album,
Behind The Lines,
about domestic violence from a next-door neighbour’s point of view and
how ineffectual the police can be in dealing with the violence.
Song Number 3: Fighter – Christina Aguilera
Christina Aguilera
and her mother fled the domestic violence of her abusive father when
she was a child. Since she shot to stardom, she has always included a
song about empowerment in all her albums.
Fighter is
an anthem for survivors who fight back against their abusers and who
draw their strength from being able to face down the violence.
Song Number 4: Goodbye Earl – The Dixie Chicks
The Dixie Chicks
sing this song about an abusive husband and how his wife’s best friend
found out and worked with his wife to poison him as a defensive move so
she can escape the violence. This song riffs on the same theme explored
in the movie and book,
Fried Green Tomatoes. A tongue-in-cheek song that articulates the wishful thinking of many survivors/victims.
Song Number 5: I Will Survive – Gloria Gaynor
This is the classic Disco-era empowerment anthem of a strong woman
who throws out a lover who treated her badly and who knows her own
worth. As the chorus goes: “I will survive/ Oh as long as I know how to
love/ I know I’m still alive/ I’ve got all my life to live/ I’ve got all
my love to give/ I will survive”.
Song Number 6: Independence Day – Martina McBride
Country music star
Martina McBride
sings about how her mother finally stood up to her abusive father and
left him and the town that ignored his abusive behaviour towards her.
The rousing chorus makes this song a survivor’s anthem.
Song Number 7: King Of Anything – Sara Bareilles
In this catchy song,
Sara Bareilles
sings this uplifting song about the importance of having one’s own
voice and identity and pushing back against people who try to try to
belittle one’s opinion and worth.
Song Number 8: Luka – Suzanne Vega
This is one of
Suzanne Vega‘s
most famous songs. Here, she tackles the thorny subject of domestic
violence from the point of view of a neighbour’s child who lives with
and witnesses domestic abuse and the silence he/she imposes on
his/herself because it’s too painful to talk about.
Song Number 9: Respect – Aretha Franklin
Aretha sings about the importance of demanding R-E-S-P-E-C-T from one’s man. ‘Nuff said.
Song Number 10: Annie Lennox and Aretha Franklin – Sisters Are Doing It For Themselves
Annie Lennox and
Aretha Franklin
duet about the joy of women’s empowerment and independence in this
1980s music video that features a montage of news visuals featuring
everyone from 1920s suffragettes to female world leaders, sportspersons,
astronauts and other high achievers.
Song Number 11: The Story – Annie DiFranco
Ani DiFranco
sings about enduring street harassment and how: “I would have returned
your greeting/ if it weren’t for the way you were looking at me/ this
street is not a market/ and I am not a commodity.” With a thoughtful and
lovely acoustic guitar melody, this song invites introspection and
thought about what she has to say.
Song Number 12: Superwoman – Alicia Keys
Alicia Keys
sings this inspiring mantra-like song about the long road to women’s
empowerment, about women fighting to achieve as much as possible with
their lives and about how women can brave even the most stressful and
hopeless situations to live the lives they want to live.
Song Number 13: Temporary Home – Carrie Underwood
Carrie Underwood
sings about the importance of hope in even the most bleak situations
including a single mother struggling to get herself and her young
daughter out of the halfway home. The slow, beautiful melody unabashedly
plays on the heartstrings of many who listen to this song.
Song Number 14: Thank You – Jamelia
British R&B singer-songwriter
Jamelia sings this autobiographical song about her abusive relationship and how she emerged from it as a strong survivor.
Song Number 15: Two Beds and a Coffee Machine – Savage Garden
Australian band
Savage Garden
(now defunct) sings about a woman who packs her kids in the car and
drives away from her abusive partner without looking back and how she
has to keep moving over the years while rebuilding her life.
Song Number 16: You Don’t Own Me – Bette Midler, Diane Keaton and Goldie Hawn
Bette Midler,
Diane Keaton and
Goldie Hawn sing an updated version of this classic
Lesley Gore song
asserting their position as independent women and rejecting being a
man’s property: “Don’t tell me what to do/ Don’t tell me what to say/
And when I go out with you/ Don’t put me on display.”
El Día Internacional de la Prevención del SIDA es una
oportunidad para despertar interés por el VIH y el SIDA en el público. Y
así lograr transmitir mensajes de prevención en las colectividades,
mejorar la asistencia de los infectados por el VIH y luchar contra el
rechazo y la discriminación. Estos son algunas de las estrategias
utilizadas para enfrentar esta epidemia mundial. Los primeros registros
aparecen en Estados Unidos a comienzo de los años ochenta. Ya en los
noventa el síndrome de inmune deficiencia adquirida se había convertido
en una epidemia mundial. En la actualidad la mayoría de las víctimas de
la enfermedad son hombres y mujeres heterosexuales y niños de países en
vías de desarrollo.Esta enfermedad es considera incurable, aunque
existen medicamentos antirretrovirales que son capaces de contener dicha
infección. Lamentablemente éstos son inalcanzables por su costo, para
la mayoría de personas que padecen esta mortal enfermedad. A pesar de que existe un mayor acceso y se ha mejorado el
tratamiento antirretroviral y el cuidado en muchas regiones del mundo, la
epidemia de SIDA costó aproximadamente 3,1 millones (entre 2,8 y 3,6
millones) de vidas en el 2005 de las cuales, más de de medio millón
(570.000) eran niños.El concepto de dedicar un día a la lucha contra el SIDA en el mundo
se originó en la Cumbre Mundial de Ministerios de la Salud de 1988,
dentro de los programas para la prevención del SIDA. Desde entonces, ha
sido tomado por gobiernos, organizaciones internacionales y caridades
alrededor del mundo.Desde 1988 hasta 2004, el Día Internacional de la Lucha contra el
SIDA fue organizado por UNAIDS (ONU SIDA), organismo que escogía un tema
para cada año, después de consultarlo con otras organizaciones.
