Fibromyalgia & Women & . . .

by tiah on Aug 9th, 2012

In honour of National Women’s day I bring you some notable stats and quotes on two issues that primarily affect women: fibromyalgia and rape.

Fibromyalgia is a disorder characterized by widespread musculoskeletal pain accompanied by fatigue, sleep, memory and mood issues. Researchers believe that fibromyalgia amplifies painful sensations by affecting the way your brain processes pain signals.

Symptoms sometimes begin after a physical trauma, surgery, infection or significant psychological stress. In other cases, symptoms gradually accumulate over time with no single triggering event.

Women are much more likely to develop fibromyalgia than are men. Many people who have fibromyalgia also have tension headaches, temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disorders, irritable bowel syndrome, anxiety and depression.

While there is no cure for fibromyalgia, a variety of medications can help control symptoms. Exercise, relaxation and stress-reduction measures also may help.

- Mayo Clinic

It is estimated that a woman born in South Africa has a greater chance of being raped than learning how to read.

- www.rape.co.za

Those of us with fibromyalgia have highly sensitive natures … and we absorb this violence regularly, to the detriment of our hyper aroused nervous systems.

- Barbara Keddy, Women & Fibromyalgia

NICRO has estimated that only one in twenty rapes are reported to the police. On the basis of this estimate, it is calculated that one rape occurs every 83 seconds.The SAPS has recently presented an even bleaker picture and they have suggested that one rape occurs every 35 seconds.

- Mary Robertson, An Overview of Rape in South Africa

Women who have been raped may face an increased risk for [fibromyalgia].

- Penn State Hershey

South Africa remains an extremely violent country. 30% of crimes were assault with grevious [sic] bodily harm. With 68332 reported incidents of sexual offences, that boils down to 187 sexual offences incidents per day. [emphasis author's]

- Jen Thorpe, Victim Empowerment South Africa

These quotes and stats were put together for you by Tiah Marie Beautement: hypermobility (life long), chronic degenerative ligaments (diag Nov ’11), fibromyalgia (diag July ’12). She fought off two potential rapists in Cape Town on April 2000.