rape and sexual assault

Sexual violence and coercion by intimate partners plays a critical role in unintended pregnancy, the spread of sexually transmitted infections, poor maternal outcomes and in abortion. The problems of violence, control, and contraceptive sabotage are so widespread that public-health advocates see teen pregnancy as a "canary in a coal mine" or one indicator of possible abuse.

Parents and teachers need to have lots of difficult conversations about sex with their teens, where the "right" answer isn't clear.

The international community played a role during the drafting of the Afghan constitution, ensuring seats for women in Parliament. Now this is the time to follow up on those principles that they enshrined for the Afghan people.

At the Men Can Stop Rape conference in DC, a 40% male participant group brainstormed on evolving masculinity, gender relations, re-examining marital rape, and innovations coming from the federal government.

The date rape in "Observe and Report" is a natural progression from the "Knocked Up" mentality of sidelining women for dude-induced yuks.

As a Law and Order: SVU junkie of sorts, I always assumed that there would be a sassy female detective pestering the crime lab to ensure that any sexual offender would be tracked down and reprimanded for their crime, making sure that every bit of evidence is tested. But when it comes to the handling of rape kits, life doesn’t always imitate television.

The reason that people blame Rihanna or any victim of a gender-based hate crime is that the supposed protection of the patriarchy is only extended to good girls.

Follow Amanda Marcotte on Twitter, @amandamarcotte

If you can't grasp the basics -- women have minds and feelings, just like men -- it's a short jump to dehumanizing women and girls in other ways.

Follow Amanda Marcotte on Twitter, @amandamarcotte

If there is no room in the Catholic Church for doctors who would provide an abortion to a nine-year-old incest survivor pregnant with twins, then there is no room for me, Brazilian Catholics are saying.

The Ohio program Abstinence 'Till Marriage no longer victim-shames on their website. A small victory -- but now we need to end funding for all failed abstinence-only programs.