by Mykie Ozoa-Aglugub and Khara Jabola-Carolus
Domestic violence is an intimate form of imperialism. One party dominates over another through the use of hard and soft power in order to exploit *her labor and territory (body). Similar to a colonizer, the abuser does not always utilize physical violence to maintain control. Often, the abuser relies on internal colonization. The abuser makes their “partner” feel so inferior or economically dependent that the partner struggles to leave the relationship even if she engages in hundreds of acts of daily resistance. Attempting to achieve total independence from the abuser takes careful planning and…
A Bystander Intervention Guide from Abolition Feminists
By Mykie Ozoa and Khara Jabola-Carolus
To be blunt, domestic violence is frightening. If you’ve witnessed an incident of abuse, or if you suspect a neighbor is experiencing violence at home, finding a supportive way to get involved may seem overwhelming. We may fear that our instincts are wrong, that we’re being nosy, or that we’re unqualified to intervene. These are all valid emotional responses to witnessing gender-motivated violence that make it hard to speak up against it. Patriarchy tells us that the personal is personal. To this day, many of us are…
This week, Hawaiʻi observed an increase in reports of landlords on multiple islands pressuring “arrangements” and sexual conduct from women unable to pay rent due to lost income from the COVID-19 crisis. This tells us that there is likely an increase in unreported incidents.
Landlord sexploitation is the latest byproduct of the pandemic. This is because the responses to COVID-19 — fast and furious in some states, and, in others, molasses slow — all failed to factor in gender and the “non-crisis” reality of male violence waiting around every corner for women, femme identified and non-binary people.
“Safer at Home”…
Khara Jabola-Carolus
Executive Director, Hawaii State Commission on the Status of Women
