after a month hiatus, GCNova is back.

though we realize that the issues we fight for never sleep, we really needed a break. after the crazy rush of fundraising and events at the very end of fall semester, along with the added stress of final exams and papers, our students have been enjoying a well-deserved vacation. now, however, we are officially in the midst of the spring semester and are resuming our advocacy duties!

Human rights groups are up in arms on the account of the myriad of suicides committed by foreign maids who have been severely abused while working in Lebanon.  To make matters worse, it seems as if the Lebanese government is doing little to prevent such abuse.   According to CNN, 10 women working in Lebanon as maids have died by either hanging themselves or falling off a tall building in the last 7 weeks!

After the craziness of finals season, it’s time to catch up on some of the headlines we’ve missed: a case of alleged rape in a CA middle school is being referred to as a case of hormones gone wild, charges have been dropped against a 9-year-old defendant in this past summer’s Phoenix gang rape case, new statistics regarding sexual harassment at work have us scared to graduate, Uganda has taken a big step by finally banning female circumcision, and a sexually-frustrated husband in New Zealand intentionally infected his wife with HIV.

With the help of Chi Eta Phi, Villanova’s service nursing sorority, GCNova was proud to bring some holiday spirit to campus. Last week, we held our very first fundraising event, a Secret Santa sale that allowed students to anonymously send holiday gift bags to friends, faculty, and staff on campus. Photos after the jump!

I will be the first to admit that, despite his controversial and often derogatory lyrics, I have always been a fan of rapper Lil’ Wayne. I love hip-hop and rap music, and I have always admired some of the creative rhymes, rhythms, and beats Lil’ Wayne brings to a track. But, I saw a video today that made me absolutely sick to my stomach.