Women Affairs

Economic impulses and commercial forces drive globalization, but its impact goes far beyond the economy to affect all facets of social and political life. Powerful commercial interests have given rise to a commercial and commercializing global culture that, it is quite apparent, will not be satisfied until it reaches into the deepest recess of social life. Most recently the commercial global culture has generated a new form of slavery, more brutal and degrading than any form of slavery known thus far. Millions of vulnerable women and unsuspecting children throughout the world, some as young as ten years old, are trapped into a vicious and ugly world of exploitation, disease, and abuse. These children are sold, traded, prostituted, and trafficked under the watching eyes of a world community that has decided to ignore their plight. Most of these sex slaves are kept by their masters until their commercial value deteriorates as a result of their deteriorating health conditions with the a...

Officials in the US state of Massachusetts are investigating how 17 teenage girls from the same school have become pregnant. The number is four times as high as the year before at Gloucester High School. There are reports that some of the girls - none of whom is older than 16 - entered into a pact to have their babies together. The girls and their families have so far made no comment. Officials are also investigating the ages of the fathers. Some are believed to be in their twenties and could face the possibility of being charged with having sex with minors. It is illegal to have sex with anyone younger than 16 in Massachusetts. Disturbing Some of the school's own staff believe the sharp increase in the number of pregnancies was no accident. Don't try to get pregnant - people say they know what it's but they really have no idea Amanda Ireland Gloucester teenage mother "Some girls seemed more upset when they weren't pregnant than when they were," Gloucester Hi...

Entertainer Tania Zaetta is still furious over claims she had sex with Aussie troops on a war zone tour, despite Defence chiefs offering an apology yesterday over its handling of the affair. The Bollywood movie star said "mud sticks" and is still hoping fellow performer Angry Anderson -- and the media - will offer an apology to clear the "slur" on her name. Defence head Air Chief Marshal Angus Houston and Defence Secretary Nick Warner both admitted the military completely mismanaged the affair - which Zaetta vigorously denies - after a so-called "Hot Issues Brief" containing the claims from ageing rocker Anderson was distributed to 96 people. It was recalled four minutes later and the names removed. Despite his denials, The Daily Telegraph can reveal Anderson triggered the scandal when he told Lt-Col Greg McCauley that Zaetta had sex with troops and there were "photographs to prove it". But last night Zaetta said she did not expect an apology fro...

Pop singer Kylie Minogue's breast cancer diagnosis triggered a surge in women being screened for the disease, according to a new study. But the University of Melbourne study found the increase in testing of women at low risk of developing the cancer did more harm than good, by lowering the capacity of the system to deal with high-risk cases. The study found use of mammography and breast ultrasound procedures soared by more than 30 per cent in women aged 25 to 44, in the six months following Minogue's diagnosis. There was also a sharp rise in women aged 25 to 34 who had breast biopsies but the surge did not lead to the detection of more cases of breast cancer. The study, published this week in the International Journal of Epidemiology, used Medicare data to examine the impact of the publicity surrounding the singer's illness on breast imaging, biopsies and operations to remove breast tumours. Study leader Margaret Kelaher, of the university's Melbourne School of Populati...