The Australian Defence Force (ADF) has set up a new office to assist the victims of abuse confidentially, which has been labelled a “fundamental change” to the manner in which it handles sexual misconduct. This means that there is now a new body through which incidences can be reported outside of the chain of command…
Read more
The Australian Defence Force Academy is improving in its attitudes towards women, an Australian Human Rights Commission audit has found, but progress may be hindered by budget cuts. The training institution is reportedly making steady strides towards becoming more inclusive to female members. This includes the introduction of programs to better supervise cadets, and…
Read more
Bindi Irwin has joined the birth control debate, saying she is upset that young girls in poor countries are having children they simply cannot feed. The daughter of the late Steve Iriwn turns 15 today. In an interview with News Corp, Ms Irwin said she wanted to use her time in the media spotlight…
Read more
UNICEF has reported that more than 125 million girls and women alive today have undergone female genital mutilation, and 30 million more are at risk in the next decade. Female genital mutilation (FGM) refers to any procedure that intentionally changes or injures female genitalia for non-medical reasons. It has no health benefits, and can cause…
Read more
A young Norwegian woman, Marte Deborah Dalelv, who was sentenced to 16 months jail after reporting an alleged rape at a business meeting in Dubai, has been pardoned overnight. Ms Dalelv, 24, reported the alleged rape to police on March 6 only to be charged with sex outside of marriage, consumption of alcohol, and…
Read more
Male employees without children or relationships have been identified as the most desirable employees in Australia. In a survey of 500 Australian employers, Kronos research revealed that close to 40 per cent of employers believe men are better employees than women, while only about one in five surveyed favoured female workers over their male…
Read more
There was no real surprise at Sunday’s news that Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling published a detective book under a pseudonym, because why wouldn’t she want a book she wrote to be judged on its merit and not her very famous name? What was of real interest, though, was the nom de plume she chose…
Read more
This week’s controversial Roxy Pro Biarritz 2013 Official teaser ad, has again highlighted the divisive issue of visual exploitation of women in Australian society and advertising. Released on Wednesday, the advertisement, promoting the Women’s World Surfing Championships, has been slammed by media and women’s rights advocates as ‘sexploitation’ and demeaning to women, while others…
Read more
Female scientists are being urged to climb the career ladder as early as possible. Australian Laureate Fellow, physicist Tanya Monro, is encouraging young women to take risks in their career, rather than settling for job security. Professor Monro has recently won a share of $47 million in Australian Research Council Laureate Fellowship funding. With the…
Read more
Chinese sculptor Xu Hongfei has hit the streets of Melbourne with his exhibition of Chubby Women; an interactive, outdoor display of artworks designed to challenge the stereotypical image of beauty. With consideration that ‘each person has the right to enjoy one’s own body’, Xu’s exhibition features brass, white marble and precious wooden depictions of gleeful…
Read more
More and more young Australian women are choosing to freeze their eggs for future use. While the chance of having a baby from a frozen egg was extremely low a couple of years ago (less than one per cent in 2011), new technology has ensured that women are just as likely to get pregnant from…
Read more
Ireland looks set to legalise abortion this week, albeit in very limited circumstances. According to The Guardian, the numbers are stacking up in favour of the reforms that will allow abortion when a woman’s life is in danger or when a woman is at risk of suicide if the pregnancy continues. If a woman…
Read more
Robin Thicke has defended his much-criticised hit, ‘Blurred Lines’, in an interview with BBC Radio 1 on Wednesday. He claimed, among other things, that the lyrics are anything but misogynistic, and could even be empowering to women. ‘For me, [the lyrics are] about blurring the lines between two things. One, men and women and how…
Read more
The three women at the centre of a decade-long kidnapping ordeal have released a video thanking the public for their support. The video is the first public statement from the women after their dramatic rescue in May. Michelle Knight, Amanda Berry, and Gina DeJesus, along with Ms Dejesus’ parents, appear in the video, to thank…
Read more
