WBFO Women's News Desk

Victims of domestic abuse have to confront a wide range of emotions when they seek help. And those emotions can intensify when they take the first steps to prosecute an abuser. But Buffalo-area groups like the Family Justice Center can provide support. WBFO’s Nancy Fischer has more about the center and its expansion plans.

Strong women's roles may be a rarity in Hollywood, but not here on Western New York stages, including the three daughters of King Lear over at Shakespeare in Delaware Park and the various roles in the very timely and topical SLUT, played by students from Buffalo's Academy for Visual and Performing Arts at the Manny Fried Theater. Also note Rebecca Ritchie's IN THE BEGINNING (the "real" story of Eve, Lillith, and "the serpent") up at the Kenan Center, paired up with Mark Humphrey's DAYROOM.

Lois Gibbs became a symbol for grassroots environmental activism in the fight again toxic waste at Love Canal in Niagara Falls in the late 1970s. But there are others who have continued the grassroots fight. Women like Jackie James-Creedon of Kenmore. She is literally digging up dirt and grass to look for toxins.

Wikipedia has a glaring gender disparity when it comes to editors. Less than 10% of them are women. In an effort to improve coverage of gender, feminism, and the arts on Wikipedia, Squeaky Wheel Film & Media Art Center has held “Art and Feminism Wikipedia Edit-a-thon” workshops this year to teach local residents how they can contribute to the site.

Perhaps you've heard about the crowd-pleasing video introductions at Vegas Golden Knights playoff games in recent weeks. The videos feature Buffalo-based voiceover artist Eileen Dugan. She's also a local actress. Dugan introduces armored knights, who on the videos, vanquish their opponents. She joined WBFO's Mark Scott for a live interview Thursday afternoon on "All Things Considered."

A book sale that raises money to benefit female students through scholarships is underway in Clarence. The American Association of University Women's annual project continues through the weekend.

The STEM fields – science, technology, engineering and math – have traditionally been dominated by men. And that can make it tough for women to break in – or gain respect. The Me Too movement is highlighting those issues. And some female professionals in the Great Lakes Region have their own stories about the culture of gender bias.

Erie County Government is observing All Women's Equal Pay Day, a day marked to raise awareness of ongoing gaps in pay between women and men. Elected leaders are marking the day by urging support for a statewide ban on wage-history discrimination.

The Ignite Awards serve two purposes. They honor local women-owned businesses that are enjoying notable success. The awards ceremony hosted by the Women's Business Center also works to bring together female entrepreneurs with the services and connections needed to move their firms forward. During her monthly appearance on WBFO's Press Pass, Jessica Marinelli of Buffalo Rising profiled the award winners and discussed the promising trends for women in the business world.

It is called the Radical Women's Night Out, a special event highlighting black arts.  WBFO's senior reporter Eileen Buckley talked to organizers about how it celebrates women. 

Women's History Month was celebrated in the lobby of Buffalo's City Hall Monday. This year's national theme is ‘Women fighting against all forms of discrimination against women’.