STATION ELEVEN NGO

RESEARCH ASSIGNMENT
MB
Human Rights Abuses/Social Issues
In Station Eleven
In the novel Station Eleven which was written by Emily St.
John Mandel, we come across many social issues and
Human Rights violations. Some of the main recurring
issues were
➔ Sexual Assault/Violence
➔ Homelessness
➔ Crime
1

Sexual Assault
“She said no, so the Prophet shot her”.. (524).

In Station Eleven, Sexual Assault is a huge social issue. The Prophet, named Tyler
Leander and his men take young girls without their consent and “marry” them.
Tyler Leander also tries to make an 11 year old his next wife, and since there is no
other option she decides to escape with the Travelling Symphony. This is a huge
issue, and there is no help. Another incident relating to this topic happens is when
a woman is sexually assaulted in the Museum of Civilization (428). The United
Nations Peacekeepers would save and protect the survivors, and bring justice to
them.
2

Homelessness
“By the side of the road… they pitched their tents on the wet
ground”.. (257).

Homelessness is also a major social issue in Station Eleven. Proper housing

isn’t made for everyone, and many people carry around tents to sleep in.
Since the characters had left their homes at the begging of the book after the
pandemic outbreak, they had to leave their homes resulting in tents replacing
houses in the future. Built For Zero is an organization that provides housing,
and it’s goal is to eliminate all homeless people for a better Canada. This
organization would help everyone in Station Eleven sleep under a proper
roof, in safety.
3

Crime
“You took something that belongs to us,”.. (543).

Since law isn’t a huge factor, and survival is more important people like the
prophet pass with major crimes such as kidnapping, and murder. Kidnapping
and murder are both human rights abuses, although it occours constantly in
the book. No one can legally defend and help Sayid and Dieter when they are
kidnapped by the Prophet, and Dieter is later on killed. The Front Line
Defenders organization would help save Dieter’s life if they were in Station
Eleven, and this organization defends from such social issues.
Works Cited
“Conflict-Related Sexual Violence Peacekeeping.” United Nations,
United Nations,
https://peacekeeping.un.org/en/conflict-related-sexual-violence.
Accessed October. 19, 2020.

Built For Zero Canada - Getting To Zero,

https://bfzcanada.ca/getting-to-zero/. Accessed October 20, 2020.

Staff, FLD. Front Line Defenders, 19 Oct. 2020,

www.frontlinedefenders.org/en. Accessed October 20, 2020.