The Teacher
“If someone wants to murder me, they will.”
Who: Marisela Ortiz Rivera
What: Leads the association “Give us back our daughters”, at the risk of her life.
Panzi Hospital
“Would a male lion destroy a female lion’s genitals? It’s unthinkable.”
Who: Panzi Hospital
What: Treats survivors of sexual violence and women with severe gynaecological problems.
The Midwife
“When I look back on it, I feel genuine regret and compassion.”
Who: Enayat Abdelhanid
What: Midwife who has changed her opinion and is now opposed to genital mutilation.
“I used to circumcise up to twenty girls a day, and I was paid in money, tea and sugar. We used to cut out three parts. We held the girl down and she usually screamed. When I look back on it, I feel genuine regret and compassion.”
The Radio Station
We’re going to start a discussion about women’s rights in our area.
Who: Rádio Mulher um Ambiente Comunitário
What: Broadcast local radio for women in the favela, about women’s problems.
The Home for Young Mothers
“We won’t hide the girls away, they have nothing to be ashamed of and they have rights.”
Who: Hope Village Society’s home for young mothers.
What: Offers support and education to street children who have become pregnant.
The Police
“Have you got any children he knows aren’t his? Does he spy on you, or leave threatening messages?”
Who: Family Crimes Division, Department of Police
What: Prioritise cases of violence against women.
Transit and Safety House
“The women are so keen to learn.”
Who: Maison Dorcas
What: Help Panzi Hospital’s patients who have been the victims of violence to make the transition back into society.
The Course Leader
“I can’t un-do what happened to Maggie, but I can decide what I’m going to do with my life. The same is true of everyone who takes my courses.”
Who: Susan Omilian
What: Works with abused women who want to thrive.
The Parents
“We had no idea of the dangerous life our daughter led. Now we want to warn other people.”
Who: Marta and Rick Omilian
What: Manage the Remembering Maggie Fund, which spreads information about violence among young people and agitates against the US liberal weapons legislation.
The Psychologists
“When I started working I was naive, and my aim was to have families reunited.”
Who: Elena Zolotilova and Tatiana Pavlova
What: Fighting to open the city’s first women’s shelter.
The Inspiration For A Law
“The number of cases reported to the police is growing by the day.”
Who: Maria Da Penha
What: Brazil’s new law on violence against women bears her name. She herself runs an institute to spread information about the law.