For many women in Ghana, West Afrcia, rape is considered normal. As in many cultures, victims often do not report sexual asssalut due to the heavy social stigma it carries.

Thousand Waves student and Chicago Public radio’s Wolrdview producer Andrea Wenzel has been working with Ghanaian activists and media professionals to increase public dialogue about sexual violence and about self-defence.

Andrea recently spent a year in Ghana as a Fulbright Scholar teaching broadcast journalism at the University of Ghana. During this time she partnered with local journalists and filmmakers to produce a video feature that aims to raise awareness about violence against women. The video took an entertainment-oriented approach and features a martial-arts wielding female super-hero. Andrea also worked to run self-defence programs with local karate clubs and the Ark Foundation–a Ghanaian organization focusing on relationship violence and running one of Ghana’s only shelters.

Andrea’s year in West Africa has necessitated examining how cultural and political contexts must be considered when examining anti-violence initiatives. Andrea will discuss her experiences and share audio and video excerpts from her encounters.

More on Andrea Wenzel…

Andrea Wenzel has been producing Chiago Public Radio’s international affairs program, Worldview, since 1999. From August 2004–June 2005 Andrea was a Fulbright Scholar teaching Broadcast Journalism at the Universtiy of Ghana’s School of Communication Studies, and working on several community-based radio and video projects. Andrea is a brown belt in Seido Karate at Thousand Waves, and has studied karatedo for four years.

For more informatoin please visit www.thousandwaves.org.