The Jealous Husband by Robert Browning :: essays research papers

The Jealous Husband That's my last Duchess painted on the wall, Looking as if she were alive. I call That piece a wonder, now: Frà   Pandolf's hands Worked busily a day, and there she stands. 5 Will't please you sit and look at her? I said Frà   Pandolf'; by design, for never read Strangers like you that pictured countenance, The depth and passion of its earnest glance, But to myself they turned (since none puts by 10 The curtain I have drawn for you, but I) And seemed as they would ask me, if they durst, How such a glance came there; so, not the first Are you to turn and ask thus. Sir, 'twas not Her husband's presence only, called that spot 15 Of joy into the Duchess's cheek: perhaps Frà   Pandolf chanced to say 'Her mantle laps Over my lady's wrist too much,'; or 'Paint Must never hope to reproduce the faint Half-flush that dies along her throat';: such stuff 20 Was courtesy, she thought, and cause enough For calling up that spot of joy. She had A heart—how shall I say?—too soon made glad, Too easily impressed; she liked whate'er She looked on, and her looks went everywhere. 25 Sir, 'twas all one! My favor at her breast, The dropping of the daylight in the West, The bough of cherries some officious fool Broke in the orchard for her, the white mule She rode with round the terrace—all and each 30 Would draw from her alike the approving speech, Or blush, at least. She thanked men—good! but thanked Somehow—I know not how—as if she ranked My gift of a nine-hundred-years-old name With anybody's gift. Who'd stoop to blame 35 This sort of trifling? Even had you skill In speech—(which I have not)—to make your will Quite clear to such an one, and say, 'Just this Or that in you disgust me; here you miss, Or there exceed the mark';—and if she let 40 Herself be lessoned so, nor plainly set Her wits to yours, forsooth, and made excuse –E'en then would be some stooping; and I choose Never to stoop. Oh sir, she smiled, no doubt, Whene'er I passed her; but who passed without 45 Much the same smile? This grew; I gave commands; Then all smiles stopped together. There she stands As if alive. Will't please you rise? We'll meet The company below, then. I repeat, The Count your master's known munificence 50 Is ample warrant that no just pretense Of mine for dowry will be disallowed; Though his fair daughter's self, as I avowed At starting, is my object. Nay, we'll go Together down, sir. Notice Neptune, though, 55 Taming a sea horse, thought a rarity,

Cape Literature Ia “Much Ado About Nothing” by William Shakespeare Essay

The 1993 film adaptation of William Shakespeare’s Much Ado about Nothing, by Kenneth Branagh, differs in many aspects from the original script written by Shakespeare. Branagh employs brilliant cinematography, manipulating lighting, camera angles to produce a carefree version to the original text. The soundtrack is dazzling and his interpretation breathes life and vitality into this old world play. According to critic Vincent Canby, â€Å"He has taken a Shakespearean romantic comedy, the sort of thing that usually turns to mush on the screen and made a movie that is triumphantly romantic, comic and, most surprising of all, emotionally alive† (May 7th, 1993). Lighting, music and technology enhance the various moods that perpetuate the film and Branagh is thus able to overcome language barriers, which enables the performance to be more understandable for a modern audience. The movie is assumed to be more light-hearted and free flowing than the original text. According to critic Todd McCarthy â€Å"The film is continuously enjoyable from its action-filled opening to the dazzling final shot. † Much Ado about Nothing is a tale of friendship, betrayal and the power of love to conquer all obstacles. It is one of Shakespeare’s comedies and though it has a dark side, staying true to being a comedy, serious issues are treated light heartedly. Branagh moves the setting from Messina to the verdant hills of Tuscany. His choice of setting therefore determines his overall mood for the film. The production begins with the recitation of Balthazar’s song by Beatrice (Emma Thompson). When the scene comes to light the audience is exposed to a striking panoramic shot of the rich rural setting. The shot then pans down to a society picnicking under the Tuscan sun. The society seems relaxed and warm as they loll on the grass listening to Beatrice (Emma Thompson), who is perched in a tree, reciting the song. The pace quickly changes from lethargy to one of excitement, as a messenger brings news of the forthcoming arrival of Don Pedro (Denzel Washington) and his men. Men and women scurry to the villa amid screams and laughter to get ready for the prince. Thoughts of war are abandoned and replaced by thoughts of love. The plot then revolves around two couples, Hero (Kate Beckinsale) and Claudio (Robert Sean Leonard), and Beatrice and Benedict (Kenneth Branagh). Claudio seeks Don Pedro’s help in wooing Hero. Once successful the prince then turns his attention to older, warring couple of Beatrice and Benedick and plots to gull them into falling in love. However, Don John (Keanu Reeves), the bastard, plots to destroy harmony in the play as he tries to foil the plans of marriage between the younger couple. His victory is fleeting as his evil plans are unearthed by Dogberry and his night watch. All ends well and the production ends in dancing and merriment. From the very beginning Branagh utilizes the advantages that technology has made possible producing a zesty film that is emotionally alive. He employs many techniques to make his production a success the first being the manipulation of different camera angles. As the film begins the audience hears the recital of what was originally Balthazar’s song by Beatrice, the words to the song appearing in white against a black backdrop, to the gentle lilt of a guitar. In this opening scene the screen comes to light with a magnificent panoramic shot of the countryside scenery. This establishes a very light-hearted and airy mood, and thus sets the tone for the production as blithe and jocular. Branagh sets his film at the Villa Vignamaggio in the hills of Tuscany, the bright Tuscan sunshine adds to the nature of the film giving it a jovial feel. The scene ‘pans’ down to men and women, sitting in the grass, occasionally playing with each other’s hair, allowing time to pass in a carefree manner. This slow ‘pan shot’ then quickly changes to a rapid flicking from scene to scene as Don Pedro arrives. The mood that is then highlighted is one of excitement as the camera switches from focusing of the scurry of characters to the villa and the victorious entrance of the prince and his men. As the film progresses Branagh exploits the use of the different camera angles to provide emotional information about the characters involved in the scene which thus allows the audience to form judgments about those said characters. For instance, when Benedick first speaks, the camera angle changes to focus on Beatrice – she scowls. This close-up allows the audience intimate details of the character’s emotional state. Here it hints to a history, a painful one at that, between the two. Even in the shaming scene, Branagh is able to focus on Margaret. In the original text Margaret is completely left out. Shakespeare was not privy to the advances of technology thus he was not able to do as Branagh did, thus Margaret was left out of the original scene. However through her show of guilt Branagh is able to reassure the audience that this will not last a feat Shakespeare achieved through manipulating language and plot structure. Significantly, when the villains tell of the â€Å"betrayal† of Hero the plan is never revealed however, and the camera angle switches to show Hero in her bed alone again reaffirming to the audience the truth something Shakespeare attained through language. Also as Branagh abridges the two gulling scenes, he is able to then superimpose the end of each scene, one over the next to show both characters experiencing the same thing. The cameras focus on their faces highlighting the immense joy they are both experiencing and relaying it onto the audience. Benedict is playing in the fountain and Beatrice is swinging on a swing, love is triumphant over the squabbles and the characters are now content. Another noteworthy technique that Branagh employs is that of character placement. In the opening scene Beatrice is shown perched in a tree, unlike the other women who are sitting, this immediately signifies that she is different. Shakespearean comedies usually have heroines possessing qualities beyond their time. Shakespeare is able to establish Beatrice’s character a witty and independent through her language and interaction with other characters. Through her interaction with the messenger who yields, and her witty repartee with Benedick, Shakespeare produces a character way beyond her time. However, managing simple character placement Branagh is able to visually complement what is set by language and that is an independent, strong character. Even when the soldiers arrive from war, the riding formation is to character role and status: Don Pedro, the prince, is place in the middle to the forefront and he is flanked on both sides, to the left by the ‘villains’ Don John and his henchmen and to the right by the ‘heroes’ Claudio and the others. Also in the shaming scene all the women take Hero’s side with the exception of Benedick who stays to support his love Beatrice, while the men are on the opposite side defending their honor against the ‘unchaste’ Hero. Costuming in this film is quite simple. The characters are dressed in white cotton which evokes a sense of simplicity which matches his vision for the play and complements the setting perfectly however, it does then produce a society that is quite leisurely and not like original society which was overly concerned with outward appearances. In Shakespearean times, dress was very important especially since it shows status and that was one of the most important things even in the original script of the play. However Branagh makes simple variations which are quite as successful. For instance Don Pedro and Don John don leather pants; all soldiers wear the same uniform with the exception of color to show their roles. The villains’ pants and jacket collars are black while the heroes don blue pants and blue collared jackets. The prince is the only character seen wearing a gold chain and pendant. With these slight variations in costuming Branagh is able to achieve the same means and stays true to his vision for the play. The soundtrack to the film was brilliant, at the beginning a cadence of guitar complements the languid feeling at the picnic as the mood changes so too does the music. The soundtrack soars to add excitement and hint victory as the Prince arrives. When the scene changes and Don John takes center frame the tune is ominous, the music is threatening and thunder booms as he puts his first plot to work. The soundtrack take on a melancholic tune as Claudio believes that the Prince is wooing Hero for himself. Shakespeare knew the importance of music. It is Balthazar’s song that Branagh employs suitably as the theme song for the film as it comments on the inconsistencies of men who â€Å"are deceivers ever†. Branagh’s use of props not only adds visual insight but comedy as well. In the beginning when the men arrive from war the flag thrusted upwards symbolizes their victory. For the masked ball, the characters wore appropriate masks which related to characteristics of the characters that wore them. Leonato wore a skull which signifies his old age, Borachio had a Cyclops mask which highlights his evil, Beatrice wore a cat mask which symbolizes her cunning nature and sexual prowess, Benedict wore a fool’s mask as he is frequently the joker, Hero had a pure white mask showing her purity, and Claudio had a baby mask symbolizing his youth. Benedict is seen fidgeting with his mask as Beatrice bashes him mercilessly, which shows his deflating ego as he endures the verbal abuse. Benedict has a fold chair as his prop for his soliloquy; he fidgets with the chair to add comedy. Once again this shows that Branagh uses his ability to have props to his advantage to make the movie more appealing to a modern audience. Branagh chose Denzel Washington to portray Don Pedro despite the fact that all Shakespeare’s actors were white. It was a smart thing to do however, because he is instantly recognized, being the Prince, and this blatantly shows the infidelity due to the stark contrast between him and Don John who is played by Keanu Reeves. The actors for Benedick and Beatrice are Kenneth Branagh and Emma Thompson who were married in real life and their natural chemistry comes out while portraying these characters. Shakespeare uses language to emphasize incompetence. Critics say that Dogberry’s language is lost in the squabble of Michael Keaton’s overacting. While Shakespeare depends on language Keaton is more dependent on his movements and antics to be comedic. According to critics from ‘Cinema For Crazy’ â€Å"Some of the characters are a bit annoying, like the constable played by Michael Keaton, and some of the scenes are overly dramatic, but it is Shakespeare after all and when it comes to playing with words, there’s no one better. Branagh and Thompson are wonderful together, Leonard and Beckinsale embody everything young lovers should be, Washington is powerfully sexy as the lonely leader and even Reeves delivers as the sullen villain. † Branagh makes full use of the lighting and setting, some of the things that Shakespeare was not fortunate enough to have in his time. All of the scenes where love blooms are usually outside in Branagh’s production; the outdoor landscape is very light-hearted and highlights the affectionate nature. The talks of love and courtship take place out in the green, in an airy setting where the mood is tranquil and cheerful. Villainy thrives in dimly lit areas. When the audience is exposed to Don John’s true nature it takes place in the dark sort of dungeon-like place, which is suited for evil. Branagh must also be commended on his use of the outdoors; he takes advantage of his environment by taking his production outside whereas Shakespeare was limited to the stage. Branagh’s use of this also enables his production to be more appealing to the audience and more understanding as most of the playful scenes take place outdoors. The wedding scene takes place outside in a merry environment which is supposed to make the shaming scene lighter. Branagh’s rendition of Much Ado about Nothing is very similar in meaning to that of the original text and deserves a certain level of credit for his precision. Branagh saw to the needs of a modern audience and set his production to their appeal. His use of comedy, lighting, cinematography and costuming each contribute significantly in their own way to the play. Although Branagh made a few mistakes; for example casting Keaton as Dogberry, which was the most negatively critiqued character. The critic James Berardinelli also says that Reeves’ casting has â€Å"missed its mark† and â€Å"modern actors who seem out of place in the period setting†. Branagh chose to base his main focus on the Elizabethans’ preoccupation with loyalty and chastity rather than on their fixation with outward appearances. It can be concluded that Kenneth Branagh’s interpretation of Much Ado about Nothing is without a doubt considerably accurate in terms of its acquiescence with the text. Despite the fact that he does not capture everything in the play, the pieces which he does, enables a clearer understanding of the play for a modern day audience.

Date Rape Essay

Introduction Popular views on commital of rape are confined on the idea that a stranger, the supposed perpetrator settles on a secluded or dark area and forcibly attacking someone, before inflicting sexual contact. While this may appear to be true, it is now a basic reality that rapists aren’t just strangers. Even people we know: friends, acquaintances, relatives and co-workers are possible suspects. In fact, about half of the victims of rape know their perpetrators. Incidences of commital of the crime seemed to be alarmingly high as it comprised fifty to seventy-five percent of all accounted rape cases. But even these data do not speak of the actual figures. The University of Buffalo’s Student Affairs cited a conservative FBI statistics which provided that only three and a half percent of all forms of rape are reported. By examining and analyzing available results, this paper tries to answer questions surrounding date rape, which as follows: a) What is date rape?, b) How did it evolve?, c) What are its causes?, d) What are the risks factors?, and e) What are the necessary interventions? Anwering these questions would enable us to provide the necessary information regarding date rape. Definition and history of date rape Of the cases reported, majority of it appears that the perpetrator is a victims’s acquaintance. While it is assumed that most of this acquaintances, ranging from friends and acquaintances to dates, romantic partners, and spouses or domestic partners do not necessarily end up in violence, in certain instances and causes, rape happens. For this study, when forced sexual intercourcourse takes place between two acquaintances, it is called date rape or acquaintance rape (Homeier, et al., 2006). Date rape, on an initial public sense, is defined to be a subset of acquaintance rape where two people involved in a romantic relationship engage in nonconsensual sex. But in the case of acquaintance rape, relationship (romantic or professional) has no bearing of the situation; hence, it can be described as plain and pure sexual assault or unwanted sexual contact. The law refers sexual assault to include the commital of rape (oral, anal, or vaginal intercourse) or the force penetration of any foreign objects in the genitalia (dildo, vibrator, including finger) without consent from the victim. Meanwhile, one of the early advocacy movements on date rape in the US was pioneered way back in the 70’s in Delaware. The realization of an organization called Support Group for Victims of Sexual Offense (S.O.S.) founded by then Director of the Health Service Dr. Majorie McKusick was a driving force behind the idea to provide services to survivors of sexual assault. In 1988, SOS produced a brochure dedicated to date rape. At present, bearing a new name, the organization is continuing its efforts to raise awareness on date rape. III. Hypothesis But as to why many people fall on the verge of date rape and as to why individuals commit this crime, remains a broad subject open for discussion. Basing on facts and scientific studies though, leading experts and institutions underwent a series of researches about the topic, some of which have produced fair but contradicting results.   Given the extensive scope of this issue, this paper assumes that risk factors: perceived dating behaviors, external factors (drugs, alcohol), and attitudes of supposed victims and perpetrators constitute likelihood of dating violence and rape. Gravity of the crime Meanwhile, depending on the gravity of the case, non-penetration actions such as touching the private parts of the victim (e.g. buttocks, breasts, genitalia), naked or through clothing constitute an assault but not necessarily rape, albeit, these are detterent to the rape itself. Forcing another individual to touch another person’s private parts even against his/her will also constitute the same.   On the otherhand, the infliction of physical hostility, threats of aggression, or perform sexual contact with an unconscious, asleep, or intoxicated individual describe the force or advantage. Coercion, without the aid of force or hostility is also used such as grave threats, reaveling secrets, put the victim to shame, sack an employee or fail a student are forms of sexual harassment. The Crime scene Actions pertaining to date rapes are reported in strategic areas or venues, depending on the status and preferences of the supposed victim. As the name suggests, the crime usually pointed to locations related to the place of the date or meeting. The assault usually happens in secluded, dark, and private or even public and busy places (e.g. hotels, garden, beach, comfort rooms, cars or club houses). Some cases were reportedly committed in bushy, dark areas away from the human settlements. In the case of college students, date related violence was recorded within the university premises. This is proof to the fact that even the school is not even safe nowadays, more so, it has become a favorite venue for this crime. Commission of rape happens usually in a predictable and definite instance. This can be observed if the prospect is conscious of what is happening around him/her. But in most cases, the motives are already predisposed; hence, timing is of great consideration for the suspects to pursue with the aided or unaided sexual assault and for victims to escape the trap. Even in a promenade or a fair, where people are busy, perpetrators find a leeway to commit rape if not harassment. The targets While many people often think that rape only happens typically to women, this is not always the case. Even men also have experiences of sexual assault. Some even lead to rape, although it occurs frequently within heterosexual dating relationships. This scenario showed that date rape transcends gender, as in the case of people of every ethnicity, age, culture, religion, economic background, or sexual orientation. Just like the opposite sex sexual assault, the majority of same-sex cases occur between people who have close relationships. However, perpetrators as well as the survivors are not always gay or lesbian. Moreover, sexual assault can also be part of a bias crime against someone perceived to be gay, lesbian, bisexual, or transgendered the perpetrator in this instance can be either the same or opposite sex as the survivor. Although girls and women are the most often victims of rape – one in three women will be sexually assaulted in her life, men is also vulnerable to be raped. A study revealed that seven to ten percent of rape victims are male. Meanwhile, teenagers and young adults are four times more likely to be sexually assaulted than women in all other age groups. A USF-Counseling Center for Human Development report showed: that 52% of women students have experienced some form of sexual victimization, 1 in 8 college women have been raped; 1 in 12 college men admitted to sexually abusing women but did not consider themselves rapists; of the women raped, almost 75% didn’t identify it as such; 47% of rapes were by first or casual dates or by romantic acquaintances; and over 1/3 of the women didn’t discuss the rape with anyone, and over 90% didn’t report it to the police. Moreover, in a 1998 Minnesota Student Survey, approximately 9% of girls and 6% of boys had experienced date violence or rape. On the other hand, lifetime prevalence of date or acquaintance rape ranges from thirteen percent to twenty seven percent among college-age women and 20% to a high of 68% among adolescents. VII. Causes and Tendencies As to the cause of becoming a victim and becoming a rapist, an array of results from researches in the last decade revealed that behavior, perception, and external factors confronts both the victim and the perpetrator. On a study conducted on perceived causes of date rape, 142 undergraduates were presented with grids containing 9 causes listed by column and row. They were asked to indicate if they believed there was a causal link between each of the 72 causal pairings. The result placed emphasis on drunkenness, norms of dating, and society’s attitude to date rape. Misunderstanding of men’s behavior, male attitude on the unimportance of date rape, and need by males for dominance were seen as prime causes (Bostwick & DeLucia, 1992). Demographic characteristics that increase vulnerability to date rape include younger age at first date, early sexual activity, earlier age of menarche, history of sexual abuse or prior sexual victimization, and being more acceptable of rape myths and violence towards women.   Ackard & Neumark-Sztainer (2002) on the other hand associated date rape with the higher rates of eating disorder behaviors and suicidal tendencies, and lower scores on emotional well-being and self-esteem scales.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Teenage girls intentionally hurt by a date in the previous date are more likely to experience sexual health risks, including vulnerability to human immunodeficiency virus infection (HIV) and other sexually transmitted infections, or getting pregnant. Dating violence should also be included in reproductive health programs, and greater efforts to identify women experiencing violence while on date are needed among those providing care related to adolescent reproductive health (Silverman, 2004). Other risk factors include date-specific behaviors such as who paid the expenses, who drove, date, location and activity, as well as the use of alcohol or take drugs such as flunitrazepam (Rohypnol) (Rickert &Wiemann, 1998). A benzodiazepine with pharmacologic actions is similar to those of diazepam that can cause anterograde amnesia. Some reports showed that it is used as a date rape drug and suggest that it may cause violent behavior. The US government has already banned the importation of this drug which was introduced in 1984. Alcohol consumption that occurs within the context of the date can lead to: the misinterpretation of friendly gestures or cues as sexual invitations and the female’s inability to ward off a potential attack. Kanin (1985) proposed that perpetrators’ deviant sexual behavior has often been portrayed as the result of frustrated but legitimate sexual exhaustion. This study of the perpetrators reveals that as a product of a hypersexual socialization process, these men are sexually active, aspiring, and successful. Due to an exaggerated desire levels viewed as responsible for instituting a high degree of sexual disappointment, this acute relative deficit is a significant process reponsible for the rape episodes. VIII. Interventions   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Dating violence happens among teemagers which bears common and unique risk factors for dating violence found across adolescents grouped by sex, race/ethnicity, and prior victimization. Rickert, et. al., (2002) described that efforts to lessen dating violence should (1) increase the use of screening tools that measure victimization as well as contextual parameters that will promote promote dating violence; (2) increase self-efficacy to promote safer sex; (3) reduce the use/abuse of alcohol and other drugs that facilitate dating violence; and (4) eliminate the influence of negative peer behavior. Interventions to prevent dating violence will likely also lower unwanted pregnancy rates, HIV-AIDS, and sexually transmitted diseases (STD’s)among young people.. Old town beliefs of a woman being unable to rape another woman and a man with another man – these make survivors hard to find someone to talk to, avail services, or even believe themselves that they were raped. Survivors of assault by a same-sex partner or date may face various fears such as homophobia and heterosexist attitudes when disclosing the sexual ordeal or receive medical or psychologicalinterventions.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Van Wie’s 1995 study on resistance to rape showed that participants in the category with perceived resistance conditions took a longer time to identify when the subject should abstain from pursuing sexual contact, thereby exposing them more to be raped.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Results of this study could be used to promote level of awareness on date rape, educate people about the risks and responses with date rape, and to strengthen rules regarding proper sexual behavior. Conclusion   Research designs and materials are needed to advance our our knowledge and understanding of sexual violence among teenagers and the most effective ways to eliminate it. Understanding and comparing research findings would be easier if consensus regarding the definitions of date rape, sexual aggression, and sexual assault was obtained. Finally, prevention programs on primary and secondary date and acquaintance rape must be enhanced and be subjected to systematic evaluation (Rickert &Wiemann, 1998) Almost sixty percent of victims who experienced rape and attempted rape disclosed this information to one or more individuals, whereas only 47% of those who experienced verbally coerced sex told another person. Rickert, et. al., (2005) observed that alcohol addiction and a shorter dating history are important variables related with disclosure of rape/attempted rape as well as the time for disclosure. Meanwhile, factors affecting the disclosure of verbally coerced sex and the latency associated with it are less well defined A present survey based on 70% returns of a random sample of 200 women at one college indicated that, although 5% had been date raped, none reported the rapes to authorities due to feelings of self-blame and embarrassment. Rape scenarios that were not reported could perpetuate a self-fulfilling prophecy that rapes do not occur. A victim of rape may feel she is the only one against the world and is reluctant to exclude one’s self who will report. However, this denial by both victims and authorities does not encourage programs for prevention and treatment (Finkelson & Oswalt, 1995). Increasing identification of the incidence of date/acquaintance rape (DAR) in the US, especially among women in college, has led to an understanding that the techniques needed to ward off attacks from acquaintances differ from the techniques used to prevent rape by strangers. This study proved and validated the following DAR constructs: perceived vulnerability, self-efficacy, relational priority which is neglecting self-interest to save a relationship, rape myth acceptance (believing myths about rape which makes women avoid facing their own vulnerability), and commitment to self-defense. These constructs were also correlated with scales for masculinity, self-esteem, and degree of belief in a â€Å"just world.† Finally, date and acquaintance rape is not only a woman’s issue. Men must also be actively aware of this issue, as they can help minimize rape by educating themselves and others. â€Å"Healthy relationships involve respect – including respect for the feelings of others. Someone who really cares about you will respect your wishes and not force or pressure you to have sex.†          References:    Finkelson, L., & Oswalt, R. (1995). College date rape: incidence and reporting. Psychol Rep, 77(2), 526. Kanin, E. J. (1985). Date rapists: differential sexual socialization and relative deprivation. Arch Sex Behav, 14(3), 219-231. Rickert, V. I., Wiemann, C. M., & Vaughan, R. D. (2005). Disclosure of date/acquaintance rape: who reports and when. J Pediatr Adolesc Gynecol, 18(1), 17-24. Silverman, J. G., Raj, A., & Clements, K. (2004). Dating violence and associated sexual risk and pregnancy among adolescent girls in the United States. Pediatrics, 114(2), e220-225. Walsh, J. F., Devellis, B. M., & Devellis, R. F. (1997). Date and acquaintance rape. Development and validation of a set of scales. Violence Against Women, 3(1), 46-58.

The Memo Every Woman Keeps in Her Desk

Case Analysis: The Memo Every Woman Keeps in Her Desk Introduction In this case study, Liz Ames has come up against an all too common problem in business today: gender bias. Effectively managing racial, ethnic and gender diversity is not just a human resources issue; it is a serious business issue. Background The recent departure of several senior-level women at Vision Software has significantly elevated Liz’s concern for gender bias at the company. She has arrived at a point where she feels compelled to communicate her frustration to their CEO, John Clark. She has experienced some uncertainty on whether or not she should send him a memo, and has asked for advice from a colleague whom she trusts. Problem Statement Liz’s male colleague seems to be considering only whether or not he should advise Liz to send or not send the memo. The issue here is not whether Liz should communicate her message to Clark, but how and when she should communicate that message. As her colleague examines his options for counseling and supporting her, he should carefully consider how best he can help communicate the importance of addressing gender diversity at Vision Software. Analysis and Issues When the senior-level women at Vision resigned, it seems from the information in Liz’s memo that people assumed that they were choosing family over a career and therefore, management believed there was nothing that the company could have done to retain these women. However, these women may have left for better opportunities, potentially with competitors. Vision’s obvious costs of losing these employees include the loss of investment made in recruiting and training them as well as the cost of recruiting and training their replacements. Yet, the hidden cost of employee turnover is possibly even more devastating. These hidden costs include the loss of intellectual capital and the potential for the former employee to become a competitor; potential disruption in the continuity of Vision’s customer service and the associated dissatisfaction and potential loss of market share; and the negative impact on the morale, motivation and productivity of the remaining employees. If Clark is just starting to recognize the high cost of losing these seasoned employees, he should be receptive to Liz’s message and wide open to strategies for resolving the issue. However, it would most likely be a mistake for Liz to communicate the message in a memo that she alone has authored. The one-way communication channel afforded by a memo does not provide Liz with the ability to tweak her message on the fly as she receives feedback from Clark. Recommendations Liz absolutely needs to communicate the important points of her memo to Clark, but this is far too important and complex of a subject to effectively address in a memo. A subject of this level of importance and involvement is much better suited for interactive communication. Liz’s colleague should advise her to work with him and other like-minded co-workers to develop a strong business case for gender diversity that will effectively persuade Clark, convincing him that Vision will lose out on the best executives, senior-level talent and potentially new business and customers if it continues to operate in an environment of exclusionism. Then, taking it a step further, they need to convince Clark that Vision will be able to capitalize on diversity by integrating it into their business strategy and company culture. Clark needs to be able to relate to their cause and adopt it as his own. They should be sure that Clark understands that women are a rapidly growing and highly educated group from which Vision will need to recruit and develop its future leadership. Vision’s high cost of failing to address gender diversity issues will be significant, including the cost of turnover and the inability to attract and advance talented managers. In an environment of exclusionism, talented leaders of both genders will depart for better opportunities in more open and progressive companies. In order to bolster her argument for gender diversity, Liz needs to remove all of the conjecture from her message. She needs to replace any statement that begins with â€Å"I believe† and replace it with facts. She could talk with the women who resigned to find out the true reasons for their departures rather than guessing and putting words into their mouths. For example, Susan French did not receive the esteem and authority that her male predecessors enjoyed. This disparity in authority caused Susan frustration that ultimately led to her resignation. Liz needs to cite this and other specific incidents that can be corroborated. She must choose her examples carefully, selecting only those that really strengthen her case. Stories of a man commending his wife and a male coworker going home to play mom are not firm examples of gender bias, thus weaken her argument. Stories of women being closed out of meetings and purposely excluded from conversations serve well to strengthen her case. In her memo, Liz has adopted a negative and accusatory tone that could serve to alienate Clark, leading him to dismiss the message as too extreme. If Vision truly does have an atmosphere that slowly erodes a woman’s sense of worth and place, why has she continued to work there for ten years? Once Liz crafts her message to remove the negative tone and accusation, it will be much more persuasive to Clark. Over dramatizing this situation will not serve the goal of effective and persuasive communication. Conclusion/Summary Liz’s message of the importance of gender diversity is a critical one which needs to be communicated in an effective and compelling manner. Liz’s male colleague should provide her with coaching, support and corroboration to build a solid business case for developing an atmosphere of gender diversity at Vision Software. Vision’s need to develop senior-level women is a critical business management issue. Those companies that learn to manage gender diversity are able to recruit and retain the most talented managers, reduce turnover costs, respond to the changing marketplace, and, ultimately, make better business decisions. Vision will reap benefits within the company such as increased employee retention, loyalty and morale, as well as the potential for increased customer satisfaction and market share. The approach to the communication with Clark needs to be well planned and ffectively crafted. Liz needs to take a number of steps to strengthen and fortify her message, build cohesive strength in numbers with her co-workers, and then communicate the message to Clark in a positive, proactive and supportive manner. Sexist or exclusionary practices are not good for anyone in a business. Liz has taken on the task of communicating the message to senior management so she now has a responsibility to craf t a message that has the best opportunity to be heard, understood and well-received by the CEO and others in management at Vision.

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