Reclaiming the night: a march to end violence against women

‘I was 6 years old. I was held against my will.’

‘I pushed him off me with all the energy I had, but he pinned me onto the soil and raped me.’

‘I felt astounded, and most of all ashamed of my own body.’ 

‘I froze. I couldn't move.’ 

‘But when I told my mum, she told me it's your fault for not reacting.’ 

‘My dad to this day (some 10+ years), still does not believe me.’

‘I don't trust anyone on the streets these days to be honest.’

‘When I'm alone walking to get home or meet my friend I have to keep my keys in my hand and perfume spray close just in case.’

‘I will never stop speaking up and calling out these men who think women's bodies are their property.’

‘That tiny little exchange showed me that this bullshit isn't acceptable and we have to fight back.’

The above words don’t come from the voice of one woman but that of many who have had the courage to share their experiences to mark International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women.

While their stories are different, they share a common thread: the violence perpetrated against them is symptomatic of a patriarchal society which fosters a sense of entitlement over women’s bodies and shows impunity to those who violate them.

The WHO estimates that about 1 in 3 women worldwide have experienced either physical and/or sexual intimate partner violence or non-partner sexual violence in their lifetime.

And yet when women do come forward with their stories they are often silenced, told they are exaggerating, that they were asking for it, that it was their fault.

Or worse, they are ignored, lost in the cracks of a system that does not take women seriously, like Bernice Cassar who should be alive today.

Bernice had taken all the steps society told her to take to ensure the safety of herself and her children. And yet the system failed her and her family, leading to the third femicide this year.

On Friday 2nd December, Moviment Graffitti, along with over 20 NGOs, are calling on the public to march against the various forms of violence women face daily and to support their mothers, sisters and daughters to Reclaim the Night.

Women and people from the LGBTQI+ community can feel safe and empowered to be themselves in this space.

This march will be an act of resistance against the societal norms in which this violence is rooted and legitimised. We will be demanding that women have the right to move safely, no matter the time, the place and what we are wearing.

We will be uniting to send a clear message: it is not ok that women fear being harassed, harmed or violated in the dark, or anywhere else for that matter.

The march will also remember those who have perished as a result of this violence, and will provide a safe space for those who wish to share their experiences of violence perpetrated against them.

We will start at the LOVE Monument in St. Julian’s at 18:30, and end in Ġnien Indipendenza in honour of our sister Paulina Dembska, who was raped and brutally murdered in the gardens just under a year ago.

As part of the event, there will be performances by women and a storytelling session, with personal experiences read out on the night.

We are inviting women who wish to share their stories involving violence to use this form (https://bit.ly/3THdgcE) with the option of making their entries anonymous.

Kristina Abela is an activist with Moviment Graffitti

The following NGOs endorse this event: Women’s Rights Foundation, Young Progressive Beings (YPB), Integra Foundation, MGRM, Migrant Women Association, Women for Women, Dar Merħba Bik, Malta Association of Women in Business, aditus Foundation, SOAR / Jean Antide Foundation, FIDEM Charity Foundation, Fondazzjoni Sebħ, Doctors for Choice, YMCA Malta, IVY - Interrupting Violence towards Youth, Malta Women's Lobby, Allied Rainbow Communities (ARC), Malta Girl Guides, Żminijietna - Voice of the Left, Empower, Men Against Violence, Dar Hosea, Malta Medical Students’ Association and Dance Beyond Borders