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Disturbed by the idea that a pledge to "commit to struggle to eliminate violence against women" might fail to ellicit more than seven responses? Then go sign it!

I started this pledge a few weeks ago on PledgeBank as a way of promoting discussion of gendered violence and generating reflection on the ways in which we can fight to eliminate it, in our local communities and around the world. But it is not doing well at all! Only seven people have signed (six of whom are feminist friends of mine, rather like preaching to the choir!) and a mere three weeks remain to reach the target of 100 signatories...

Here, again, is the full text of the pledge:

"I will commit to struggle to eliminate violence against women in my community; formally or informally support women in my life or in my community who are in abusive situations to escape them; and help to create a culture of non-violence and respect for women, starting with the way I interact with acquaintances, colleagues, friends, family, children, and my partner(s). but only if 100 other people from anywhere in this dangerous world will commit to do the same."

Link to it on your (pro-)feminist blogs, take it to the streets...Anything to start a discussion about this issue.

Because violence against women is a global epidemic. Take a look at Amnesty International's Campaign to Stop Violence Against Women to gain a transnational perspective.

Where there is oppression, there is resistance. While in Iraq feminists are fighting for the codification of human rights in the new Iraqi constitution, in the State of Lagos, Nigeria, new laws to prosecute acts of domestic violence are currently under debate:

"The Lagos State House of Assembly is currently considering a state-level bill in Nigeria on violence in the family, which provides remedies under civil and criminal law. Lagos State is Nigeria’s most populous state, containing within its borders the nation’s economic capital. Moves to confront violence against women in Lagos are likely to have a major impact elsewhere in Nigeria.

And in Uganda, according to women's rights activist Ruth Ojiambo Ochieng,

“Women’s bodies have actually become battle grounds, not only to … the rebels who are fighting government, but … even the government soldiers are violating women, and targeting their sexuality… the violation is all about destroying … the inbuilt strength of a woman to build a community, so both warring factions are targeting the woman’s body to make sure that they destroy that community through this woman."

Read the stories of activists struggling to eliminate violence against women here.