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One of the oldest examples of art is a cave entrance drawing of a woman giving birth. Throughout the world, archeologists have found that sticks with 28 markings indicate women created the first calendars to keep track of their menses. Greek urn illustrations show women as musicians and drummers. Sappho of the 5th century BC is still considered one of the great poets of all times.

In spite of incredible and world changing accomplishments throughout the ages, women are relegated to the back of the bus – metaphorically speaking here in the U.S., and in actuality in others. Of the 195 countries in the world, only seven are considered egalitarian with balanced governments with both women and men.

According to columnist Nicholas D. Kristof, “Women worldwide ages 15 through 44 are more likely to die or be maimed because of male violence than because of cancer, malaria, war and traffic accidents combined.” Each year 87,000 women are murdered simply for being women, and half of those are killed by their current or ex-intimate partner. Two-thirds of women are murdered with a gun.

Every nine seconds a woman is beaten in the United States (two million every year), over a half million are injured so badly they require medical attention, and 145,000 require hospitalization.

There is a worldwide pandemic of violence against women that is not being addressed in any meaningful way. Our Republican Senate recently refused to reauthorize the Violence Against Women Act. Because so many incidents occur privately, this violence is considered personal and isn’t addressed as a societal problem.

Violence is always about control and domestic violence is about control over women. Male violence against women is generational. Boys emulate their fathers. If they see their father abusing their mother before age 5, they will almost assuredly become abusers themselves. Girls who see their mother beaten will be more likely to accept such abuse themselves.

March has been proclaimed Women’s History Month, designed to acknowledge the accomplishments of women. I think that women’s greatest accomplishment is to have survived.