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Eve Ensler & Christine Schuler On Trump's Predatory Mindset and Escalation of Rape Culture
When President Trump signed his first executive order in January to temporarily ban refugees and people from seven majority-Muslim nations, he said it was needed, in part, to protect women. A little-noticed part of the executive order reads, "The United States should not admit those who engage in acts of bigotry or hatred, including 'honor' killings, other forms of violence against women." Some observers have noticed the irony in the executive order. Both the man who signed the order, Donald Trump, and the man who drafted the order, his chief strategist, Stephen Bannon, have in the past been accused of committing violence against women. During the presidential campaign, Trump famously boasted about sexually assaulting women and grabbing them "by the pussy," in a leaked video recorded by NBC’s "Access Hollywood." Eight women have now come forward and accused Donald Trump of sexual assault and harassment. And Trump is not alone. Stephen Bannon was charged with domestic violence and battery in 1996. Trump’s first pick to be labor secretary, fast-food giant CEO Andrew Puzder, was accused of domestic abuse by his ex-wife, who even went on "Oprah" in disguise to speak about domestic violence. For more, we turn to a recent Democracy Now! interview with Eve Ensler, playwright, author of "The Vagina Monologues," and Christine Schuler Deschryver, director of V-Day Congo.