Arab Scholar Nadera Shalhoub-Kevorkian Speaks on Violence Against Women in the Palestinian Community

TORONTO, November 19, 1999 -- Recognized internationally recognized for her work on behalf of Palestinian women who are victims of domestic violence and sexual abuse, Professor Nadera Shalhoub-Kevorkian of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem will speak in Toronto on Monday, November 22, 7:30 p.m. at York University, Osgoode Hall Law School.

Kevorkian has devoted much of her career to helping Palestinian women in Israel, the West Bank and Gaza. She set up the first hotline for Palestinian victims of abuse in 1992, recognizing the need for culturally sensitive assistance where traditional Arab society is silent on the subject. "The priority is not the welfare of the victim, but rather the restoration of family honour or absolving the man," says Kevorkian, noting that the ësolution' to a rape might be for the rapist to marry his victim.

Kevorkian still devotes 15 hours a week to the hotline. She is in Toronto to raise awareness of the problem of abuse in order to create both legal and cultural change. She is currently writing a book on the victimization of women in Palestinian society and plans to conduct further research on cultural, legal and political methods employed to silence female abuse. Her visit is sponsored by the School of Women's Studies at York University, and the Toronto chapter of Canadian Friends of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem.

The Hebrew University of Jerusalem was founded in 1925, 23 years before the establishment of the State of Israel. Founders include Albert Einstein, Sigmund Freud and Chaim Weizmann. Dr. Kevorkian is a criminologist and professor at the university's Lafer Centre for Women's Studies.

York University, a leader in women's studies since 1971, established Canada's first university-based School of Women's Studies. Since then, the role of gender has gained international recognition as a vital factor in how we view our global community and operate within it.

Dr. Kevorkian will be speaking in the Moot Court, Room 101 at Osgoode Hall Law School, York University, Keele Campus, 4700 Keele St.

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For further information, please contact:

Marilou McPhedran
Centre for Feminist Research
York University
(416) 736-2100, ext. 40202
E-mail: marilou@web.net

Susan Bigelow
Media Relations
York University
(416) 736-2100, ext. 22091
E-mail: sbigelow@yorku.ca
YU/129/99