A Poem a Day (541): Woman (home)

To quote this article, 'Estimated 45,000 women and girls killed by family member in 2021, UN says' from The Guardian on November 23, 2022:
“More than five women and girls were killed every hour by a family member in 2021, according to new UN figures on femicide. A report, published on Wednesday, showed that 45,000 women and girls – more than half (56%) of the 81,100 murdered last year worldwide – were killed by their husband, partner or other relative – someone they knew. UN Women and the UN Office on Drugs and Crime said the figures were “alarmingly high”, but the true number of femicides – where women are killed because of their gender – is likely to be much higher. Roughly four in 10 deaths in 2021 were not counted as femicides because there was insufficient data.”
 
Woman
 
Woman.
And.
Home.
A place of safety.
 
Woman.
And.
Family.
A haven of care.
 
Home.
A place to sleep.
A place to eat.
A place to speak.
A place to pray.
A place to live.
A place to be.
Home.
 
Family.
They bring nurture.
They offer safety.
They give support.
They listen freely.
They speak wisely.
They hold out their hands.
Home.
Family.
Where you should be safe.
 
Woman.
They say the streets aren’t safe at night.
So they say don’t walk there.
Be careful what you wear and say.
Be careful how you walk or act.
And just don’t speak to strangers.
Don’t speak out too loudly.
Don’t stand up for yourself.
Just walk away. Be silent.
They say report it.
But then no one listens.
 
Home.
Family.
At least you should be safe there.
 
 
 
Copyright Vickie Johnstone, December 3, 2022