Once again demonstrators have taken to the streets of India to protest Indian authorities’ handling of sex crimes. On April 15, a 5-year-old girl was kidnapped from her apartment, raped tortured and left for dead. This comes only months after protesting the gang rape and murder of the 23-year-old student in December 2012.

From 2005 to 2013 the immigration detention population has risen nearly 85 percent. The detainees are rarely given a set timeframe – instead they are held until they agree to be deported or until immigration authorities examine their case. Immigrants who are detained have no right to counsel.

U.S. Rep. Chellie Pingree and Sen. Jon Tester introduced a bill on Feb. 13 titled the Ruth Moore Act of 2013. This bill will set up better access to help and benefit veterans who are survivors of sexual assault and are dealing with disabilities that developed from such attacks.

The New York State legislative leaders are preparing to pass a “Rape is Rape” bill that has been pushed forth by Assemblywoman Aravella Simotas. This bill will classify forced anal and oral sex as rape, instead of just “criminal sexual acts.” 

The Boy Scouts of America have a “scout law” stating that a Boy Scout must be “trustworthy, courteous, kind, cheerful and brave,” to name just a few required qualifications. Shockingly enough the word “homophobic” does not seem to fit in with the rest. 

The Kayapó tribe is an indigenous community currently residing in Brazil’s tropical rainforest around the tributaries of the Xingu River. Recently Dilma Vana Rousseff, Brazil's president, authorized the construction of a dam that will not only wipe out the rainforest, but will destroy the lives of the Kayapó people.

The abortion debate in Ireland has resurfaced, as vigils and marches are held for Savita Halappanavar, a 31-year-old woman who died after being refused an abortion. Halappanavar was 17 weeks pregnant and had been in the middle of a miscarriage when she was denied treatment.

November has been a monumental month for gay rights. Historical movements in the United States, France and Spain have given hope to gay rights supporters, especially in the sphere of gay marriage.

The Washington state adoptive system recently came under fire after a number of child abuse cases came to light. The Severe Abuse of Adopted Children Committee was set up following these violent incidents, and the committee recently released its report.

Many Republicans have claimed that the “War on Women” is a fictional idea that Democrats have made up to distract voters. If this is the case, someone may want to inform U.S. Senate candidate and Indiana State Treasurer Richard Mourdock and ask him to shut his mouth.

On Sept. 30, California became the first state to ban conversion therapy services, more commonly known as “ex-gay” therapy, for minors. The day after Gov. Jerry Brown signed the legislation into law, a college student filed a lawsuit against Brown along with over 20 other California state officials.

On Nov. 29, 2010 New York State passed the Domestic Worker Bill of Rights, and today a number of states are considering passing similar laws.

In March, the Colorado State Supreme Court overturned a Colorado University campus ban on guns. Guns have been banned from the CU campus for over 40 years, but a law passed in 2003, the Concealed Carry Act, permits students to carry concealed weapons. The court ruled in favor of this law. This action is a step in the wrong direction, and I completely agree with the professors who are voicing their opinions against this ruling.

With every presidential election comes a massive push to get people out to vote, especially young people, with programs such as Rock the Vote working to make voting easy and accessible.

Slut shaming is the act of attacking a woman for being sexual, having one or more sexual partners and/or acknowledging sexual feelings. The outpouring of hatred toward Kristen Stewart following news of her and director Rupert Sanders’ affair is a prime example.

Two facts. First, rape is the unlawful act of compelling a person through physical force or duress to have sexual intercourse. Second, if a woman is raped with vaginal penetration she can get pregnant.

On March 9, members of President Barack Obama’s administration traveled to Detroit, Mich. to host a national conference on homelessness in America. The administration worked in partnership with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and the Ruth Ellis Center.

Just when I thought the plethora of government attacks on women could not be any more degrading or ridiculous, Arizona went and proved me wrong. The state of Arizona recently passed a bill in its state legislature that sets restrictions on abortions. The unbelievable part of this bill is the fact that it states that the “age” of a zygote should be “calculated from the first day of the last menstrual period of the pregnant woman.”