Nonviolence and Freedom from Fear
~Visit our *Related * Building Bridges of Understanding Initiative Page ~
While the poor do not have a lock on violence, there is little question that pervasive violence has become part of the culture of the poor. Violence begets a milieu of fear and anger, which in turn breed more violence. The media-infused glamorous lifestyles of drug kingpins, and their apologists in gangsta rap, are the inner city's Pied Pipers-far more alluring and promising of quick money than a staid education.
Violence robs entire neighborhoods of fathers and sons. And poverty and homelessness are exacerbated when male heads of household are in jail. Families without fathers comprise the fastest-growing group among the homeless. Domestic violence, fueled by the loss of hope, contributes still further. The startling, shameful statistic is that in the U.S. today a woman is raped every six minutes and a woman is battered every 15 seconds1.
* TAKE BACK THE NIGHT * -- It would be good if it were remembered that feminists started using this rallying cry in marches in October 1975 after the death of a young microbiologist named Susan Speeth, killed by a stranger while walking alone after dark in Philadelphia
Phil Inquirer 10/25/75: West Phil Poised to Take Back the Night
To walk the distressed streets of our cities' crime-plagued neighborhoods or to see the blank faces of the rural poor is to witness the despair and fear that accompany poverty. Living in fear deflates morale, paralyzes action and extinguishes hope. It is only by working to ignite hope and erase fear that we can hope to mitigate the culture of violence and give the poor a chance to live lives free of fear.
What You Can Do
Regions with the greatest inequality experience a ten-fold increase in homicide rates2. Your involvement matters, and it starts with a willingness to see there's a problem and then work together towards solutions.
At Elfenworks, we believe that we can and should do better, and by working together we can get our country back on track. Do not underestimate the power of your efforts and your voice - they are just exactly what is needed. There are many ways in which your involvement can make a difference, and helping one person can start a ripple that sends waves of change throughout a community (and makes a difference to you personally, too). See our RIPPLE page for ideas.
1Source: Stop Violence Against Women Campaign USA
2Source: Richard Wilkinson, The Impact of Inequality
