Women Talking by Miriam Toews Review

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About

The internationally bestselling novel based on real events. Now a major motion picture from writer/director Sarah Polley, starring Rooney Mara, Claire Foy, Jessie Buckley, with Ben Whishaw and Frances McDormand.

“This amazing, sad, shocking, but touching novel, based on a real-life event, could be right out of The Handmaid's Tale.” --Margaret Atwood, on Twitter

"Scorching . . . Women Talking is a wry, freewheeling novel of ideas that touches on the nature of evil, questions of free will, collective responsibility, cultural determinism, and, above all, forgiveness." --New York Times Book Review, Editor's Choice

One evening, eight Mennonite women climb into a hay loft to conduct a secret meeting. For the past two years, each of these women, and more than a hundred other girls in their colony, has been repeatedly violated in the night by demons coming to punish them for their sins. Now that the women have learned they were in fact drugged and attacked by a group of men from their own community, they are determined to protect themselves and their daughters from future harm.

Book

While the men of the colony are off in the city, attempting to raise enough money to bail out the rapists and bring them home, these women―all illiterate, without any knowledge of the world outside their community and unable even to speak the language of the country they live in―have very little time to make a choice: Should they stay in the only world they’ve ever known or should they dare to escape?

Based on real events and told through the “minutes” of the women’s all-female symposium, Toews’s masterful novel uses wry, politically engaged humor to relate this tale of women claiming their own power to decide.

Named a Best Book of the Year By

THE NEW YORK TIMES BOOK REVIEW (Notable Books of the Year) * NPR.ORG* THE WASHINGTON POST * REAL SIMPLE * THE NEW YORK TIMES (PARUL SEHGAL'S TOP BOOKS OF THE YEAR) * SLATE * STAR TRIBUNE (MINNEAPOLIS-ST. PAUL) * LITHUB * AUSTIN CHRONICLE * GOOP* ELECTRIC LITERATURE * KIRKUS REVIEWS * JEZEBEL* BUSTLE *PUBLISHERS WEEKLY * TIME* LIBRARY JOURNAL * THE AV CLUB * MASHABLE * VOX *

Excerpts from Amazon and Good Reads

Review

By Aurora Gómez

This story offers readers a raw, authentic, vulnerable yet powerful perspective of women and children facing unimaginable abuse, violence and oppression in their closed  Mennonite community. 

The story  is set in a simple barn with a circle of women of varied ages and perspectives finding a way to transcend their differing opinions and responses to their systemic abuse and find a lasting solution. The dialog is elegant in it's simplicity and the wisdom shared is profound. 

This story is not for children or the faint of heart. The subject matter will be triggering to most  and will certainly elicit strong emotions and opinions. But regardless of wether one agrees with the final decision or not the elegance of thinking and expression are expansive and life-changing.

While this story focuses on extreme scenarios of abuse, gaslighting and oppression it sheds light on the more insidious forms of the same that many of us live with daily without realizing it. 

This was a life-afferming story for me. I found myself changing and growing along with the women in the story. I was inspired by their courage as well as their faith. I recommend this story to mature readers but also caution that this story maybe very triggering to survivors of mental, emotional, physical or sexual abuse. I had to take my time and read in small increments. I would try to stay in touch with my somatic responses as I read. If I noticed I was having a somatic response I would take a break to do breathing and grounding exercises. 

About Miriam Toews

Miriam Toews was born and raised in Steinbach, Manitoba, Canada, the second daughter of Mennonite parents and a direct descendant of one of Steinbach's first settlers, Klaas R. Reimer, who arrived in Manitoba in 1874 from the Ukraine. 

Her best-selling novels, which include Fight Night, Women Talking, All My Puny Sorrows, and A Complicated Kindness, have won numerous literary awards: the Governor General's Award for Fiction, the Writers' Trust Engel/Findley Award, and the Rogers Writers' Trust Fiction Prize. She is also a three-time finalist for the Scotiabank Giller Prize. Toews had a leading role in the feature film, Silent Light, written and directed by Carlos Reygadas, and winner of the 2007 Cannes Jury Prize, an experience that informed her fifth novel, Irma Voth. 

Thank you for honoring the feminine and thank you for visiting. Wishing you peace.

You can find more information about Aurora Ferrer and Self-Actualization thru Women's Empowerment at:http://www.empowerment.ws/

POI

WSLB Vigil Honoring Domestic Violence Awareness Month

October is National Domestic Violence Awareness and Prevention month. WomenShelter of Long Beach (WSLB) and the office of Councilmember Al Austin hosted a special vigil and event in the city of Long Beach on October 19, 2024. The event and vigil provided a safe, empowering and educational space for community members to come together to honor those lives lost and raise awareness and outreach in hopes of preventing future lives lost. 

Council Member Al Austin

The hosts balanced the somber and sobering message of the toll that domestic violence takes on individuals, families and communities with music played by Sugi of Tamotsu Music and Entertainment and with booths of educational materials, outreach and interactive arts and crafts that were welcoming and engaging for people of all ages. 

 

WSLB had staff throughout the event to offer emotional support to all those present and outreach for those that needed help with current and past domestic violence situations. Esther Ogunrinu, Senior Community Affairs Deputy for the office of Council-member Al Austin was on hand to welcome participants and document the event. 

Many domestic violence survivors feel alone and isolated even from their families. For many, isolation, shame, grief, fear, financial problems, and housing insecurity are all intensified when they feel literally scared for their and their children’s lives and think that no one can help end their nightmare. The list of speakers at the event was inclusive and highlighted that various people and organizations were there to do all they can to not only provide an end to the nightmare of abuse but also to help find safe places to live and to heal. Each speaker brought their unique perspectives and lived experiences as well as understanding, compassion and promoted a feeling of community. The event not only shown a light on domestic violence it also demonstrated that there is a vast network of diverse people and organizations working together and that survivors don’t need to stand alone. 

We want to thank all the speakers that shared their hearts, inspired us, educated us, and reminded us that domestic violence survivors are not alone. We also want to thank all the volunteers and staff that made this event and vigil possible. Their example of compassion, courage, commitment and understanding create stronger bonds for our community and give hope for a better tomorrow for us all. They are the unsung heroes that are present every day for so many in need of safety, protection, education and healing. Thank you all!

Mike Vela, WSLB Board of Directors President

Kent Wallace-Meggs, WSLB Executive Director

Long Beach Councilmember, Al Austin

Long Beach Chief of Police Hebeish

Longwood Neighborhood Association, Connie Espino & Coolidge Neighborhood Association, Pamela West

Gabriela Eddy Community Organizer

Spoken word representative- Aurora G.

SAFETY ALERT: If you are in danger, please use a safer computer and consider calling 911. The National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233 / TTY 1-800-787-3224 (se habla español) or the StrongHearts Native Helpline at 1−844-762-8483 (call or text) are available to assist you.

Helpful Links

US National Domestic Violence Hotline (Se habla español)

Safety Tip from National Resource Center on Domestic Violence

Office on Violence Against Women (OVW) DOJ

United Nations – Domestic Violence Information

Health.Mil - Domestic Violence Resources for Military Partners

Thank you for honoring the feminine and thank you for visiting. Wishing you peace.

You can find more information about Aurora and Self-Actualization thru Women's Empowerment at:http://www.empowerment.ws/

POI

                                    

Domestic Violence Awareness Month (DVAM) History

Brief History:

 

In March of 1917, The National Women’s Party (NWP) was formed to fight for women’s right to vote. This is important to the history of domestic violence awareness for two reasons. One, the (eventual) right to vote empowers women to support legislation that works toward gender equality and against the violation of women’s human rights (including domestic abuse). The NWP remains a leading advocate of women’s political, social, and economic equality throughout the 20th century.

Two, the NWP establishes its official colors as white, gold, and purple, lending more symbolic visibility to supporters of women’s rights. 

 

In January of 1978, The United States Commission on Civil Rights held the Consultation on Battered Women and formed the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence (NCADV).

 

In July of 1978, over 100,000 women marched in Washington, DC to demand equal rights. Many of them wore lavender and purple. Symbolically, this choice of color also represents the important work of the NWP. 

-       Connections for Abused Women and their Children, www.cawc.org

In October of 1981, the "Day of Unity" was created by the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence. Intended to connect advocates across the nation who were working to end violence against women and their children. The Day of Unity soon became an entire week devoted to a range of activities conducted at the local, state, and national levels.

 

The activities conducted were as varied and diverse as the program sponsors but had common themes: mourning those who have died because of domestic violence, celebrating those who have survived, and connecting those who work to end violence. The Silent Witness Project is often observed during DVAM made up of painted red, life sized figures with shields that tell the story of individual women and others who died as a result of domestic violence in the previous year.  The display is said to be viewed in at least 46 states on an annual basis. 

 

In October 1987, the first Domestic Violence Awareness Month was observed. That same year marks the initiation of the first national domestic violence toll-free hotline. In 1989 the U.S. Congress passed Public Law 101-112 designating October of that year as National Domestic Violence Awareness Month. Such legislation has passed every year since with NCADV providing key leadership in this effort. Each year, the Day of Unity is celebrated the first Monday of Domestic Violence Awareness Month.

      - University of Minnesota, Aurora Center. https://aurora.umn.edu/dvam

 

In 1989, Congress passed Public Law 101-112, which officially established October as the federally observed Domestic Violence Awareness Month.

 

In 2010, Katherine Hudson co-founded “Wear It Purple Day” in support of LGBTQIA+ youth struggles and resilience. This eventually becomes Purple Thursday, a day that is observed on the third Thursday of every October. Later, Purple Thursday (also called “Go Purple Day”) is also adopted by domestic violence advocacy organizations. 

-       Connections for Abused Women and their Children, www.cawc.org

 

 

The following hashtags will be used this month by people trying to raise awareness about Domestic Violence, including by sharing their own stories. -       LSCPA, www.lamarpa.edu 

#DVAM

#WeAreResilient

#HealHoldCenter

#LoveShouldntHurt

#Every1KnowsSome1

#StandAgainstDV

#PledgePurple 

If you or someone you love is experiencing physical, emotional, financial, sexual, mental domestic violence and/or coercive control you/they are not alone. There are organizations that are dedicated to helping you/them and your/their children to find safety and help in the healing and recovery process. 

SAFETY ALERT: If you are in danger, please use a safer computer and consider calling 911. The National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233 / TTY 1-800-787-3224 (se habla español) or the StrongHearts Native Helpline at 1−844-762-8483 (call or text) are available to assist you.

Helpful Links

US National Domestic Violence Hotline (Se habla español)

Safety Tip from National Resource Center on Domestic Violence

Office on Violence Against Women (OVW) DOJ

United Nations – Domestic Violence Information

Health.Mil - Domestic Violence Resources for Military Partners

Thank you for honoring the feminine and thank you for visiting. Wishing you peace.

You can find more information about Aurora and Self-Actualization thru Women's Empowerment at: http://www.empowerment.ws/

POI