We humans need desperately a culture shift

Dear Michelle,

I'm approaching my fifty year of life, and as most people in this planet I witnessed many types of abuse perpetrated against women just because they are women, or because as individuals they were weak and undefended.

The fact \"anyone has witnessed\" means that, statistically, the problem is so widespread that someone is tempted to consider it \"built into\" our society. But, it isn't. Unlike many other life forms, we human beings can choose for good purposefully.

We can be just. Therefore, we are never \"innocent\", as a male lion is when killing newborns he did not generate. As non-innocent, no one of us human can honestly claim things are as they are just because of some preordained biological, or historical, or religious necessity.

I has been so lucky, in this overall suffering world, to have enjoyed a relatively safe life. Yet in my life I've knew of two cases of young girls almost raped in my entourage (in both cases by people in their group of acquaintances). The number of less dramatic abuses I've personally witnessed (and sometimes suffered) are countless, so many it is not possible to list them in a letter).

Hypersensitivity? Many people would object just that, but I don't agree.

I add one thing: all these abuses, minor and major, were made by people who felt legitimated doing so. Beating, hurting or killing someone for robbery is universally considered unacceptable. But if the same is done to satisfy sexual lust, then it seems less important, and a legion of friends would even attempt to justify the perpetrators.

We have to find a culture, a framework within which violence against women is never acceptable.

In the beginning, laws protecting women against abuse are necessary.
I think this, in the long term, is not enough however.

Best regards, and thank you and your organization for your foundamental work.

Mauri Favaron

Writing from Lomagna, Italy.

As the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women officially begins its work this month, World Pulse is asking women worldwide: What is YOUR vision and recommendation for UN Women? We invite you to raise your voice by writing a letter to UN Women Executive Director Michelle Bachelet outlining your recommendation for how this new UN agency can truly affect change on the ground to promote gender equality and uphold the rights and needs of women both on a local and global scale.
Learn more: http://www.worldpulse.com/pulsewire/programs/international-violence-agai...