TW for rape, child marriage“Silent Consent” Photo Series Highlights Violence Against Wom

TW for rape, child marriage“Silent Consent” Photo Series Highlights Violence Against Women & Demonstrates The Complexities Of Consent“Instead of assuming that only “no” means “no,” new affirmative consent standards are dictating that only “yes” means “yes” — and that’s a good thing. But what happens when a “yes” is not enthusiastic, but rather given under pressure, coercion, or threat? Miklos Kiss’ “Silent Consent” photography series examines situations around the world where “yes” does not mean “yes” because women are not allowed to say “no.”The photos feature women with lips painted the colors of different countries’ flags. Kiss, a Hungarian artist, … hopes they serve as “a constant reminder that there are women who could say ‘no’ but instead are forced to remain silent thinking that they don’t have other options.”The contrast between these women’s shut lips and the words painted on them illustrate how a “yes” can be empty when the speaker has no voice. The words on their mouths are not coming from within, but are literally put on them, concealing whatever words they may actually want to speak.This problem manifests in many different situations throughout the world today. For example, one out of nine girls in developing countries is married off by age 15, and 3,000 girls were forced into marriage in the United States alone over a two-year period. As children, these girls do what adults tell them to because they’ve been taught to obey and have nowhere else to go.In addition, marital rape is still legal in many countries, including China and India. In Jordan, rapists can even escape punishment by marrying their victims. This means that 2.6 million women may agree to sex with their husbands simply because they think they have to — which is not really agreement, since consent must be given freely. Kiss’s photos remind us that if we want to create a world full of interactions that everyone consents to, we need to ensure that everyone has the power to say “yes” or “no” in the first place.”Read the full piece here -- source link

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