I find the power of words fascinating. Not only can they be mightier than the sword, but they can bring down governments, uplift populations, denigrate or venerate entire peoples.

The rape and torture of children

In the last week, the word "abuse" has held centre stage in the media. In Saturday's Toronto Star, for example, two pages were papered with stories, each with "abuse" in the headline, subhead or in the lede.

Back when second-wave feminism was a new and exciting movement, we used the word "patriarchy" unabashedly, not at all self-conscious about naming the structures that were deliberately designed and kept in place always to the advantage of one segment of society. "It's a man's world" was no joke and it was the premise we had all grown up with.

It came with another word: entitlement. Entitlement was so deeply embedded that to even suggest -- never mind demand -- changes that would bring those outside the advantaged group some measure of equality was met with fearful hostility.

It was as if some people gaining a few rights meant that others had to lose some -- as if there were only so many rights to go around.