From the social media circus surrounding Planned Parenthood to the bashing of female presidential hopefuls, women and their rights are once again on the chopping block. But in the past few years, women have been fighting back…literally.

From Mother’s Against Senseless Killings patrolling the streets of Chicago, to organizations like #SayHerName defending against the questionable death of Sandra Bland; American women of all colors have been taking a stand in hopes of warding off domestic, sexual and gang violence in their neighborhoods.

But this isn’t just happening in America. Across the world their are stories of women refusing sexual Jihad, women demonstrating in front of Mexico’s Interior Ministry in protest of domestic violence, and the recent win of Genital Mutilation finally being banned in Nigeria.

Most recently, an all female military was formed to fight off Isis attacks. The all-female fighting brigade in Iraq called the “Sun Girls”  formed to battle back against ISIS militants who try and rape them. Xate Shingali, 30, is the woman  behind the battalion.

The Gulabi gang of Northern India was formed in 2006 in a deeply patriarchal culture riddled with domestic violence, child marriages, child labor and more. The all female gang members wear pink and carry bamboo sticks used to beat oppressive husbands, fathers, and brothers and combat domestic violence and desertion.

The “Red Mariposas de Alas Nuevas Construyendo Futuro“- “Butterflies with New Wings Building a Future” was started in Colombia, South America with the goal to support women who are victims of abuse, educating them about their rights and helping them report sexual crimes to the police.

Women in Kenya went as far as to form their own community where men are forbidden.

“We are fighting everyday for the rights to our own bodies, to have our female ancestors preserved in history books and honored as statues in parks. We are fighting at home and abroad to be treated as equals physically, mentally, sexually, financially, politically and spiritually. We are fighting and we won’t stop. We’re wide awake and we’ve only just begun.”- Arlene Lagos

Arlene Lagos is the Author of a popular fiction book series called, “Butterflies Wake” about an underground female mafia righting the wrongs of an unjust society. You can find “Butterflies Wake” and “Butterflies Rising” available now on Amazon.com

“Butterflies Forever”, Book 3 Coming Winter 2015!

 Email: authorarlenelagos@gmail.com

Website: http://www.authorarlenelagos.com

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/authorarlenelagos

Twitter: @ArleneLagos

Amazon Author Page:

http://www.amazon.com/Arlene-Lagos/e/B00DH829PQ/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_1

Butterflies Wake Book Trailer https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fJ6NulqdZsw