On Sunday, December 3, activists of the Feminist Workshop, a Lviv-based non-profit group, took to the streets of the city to draw attention to the problem of violence against women. Their posters featured sayings from Ukrainian folklore that referred to the acceptability of violence and the devaluation of women. Activists called for the violence against women to remain only in legend, as reported on the group’s social media.
“Despite the snow, frost, and air raids, we are ready to discuss what is important to us! And we encourage our supporters to do the same. Combating violence against women is always timely,” the statement reads.
According to the activists, there is a myth that in the Ukrainian tradition, women were given only a sacred, special place as guardians and mothers. However, the truth is different. Historically, the situation of women in Ukraine has been very dire.
Violence against women was so normalized that it was even reflected in proverbs and folk songs, quotes from which were used by the participants in the campaign on posters for the action “Let violence against women remain only in folklore.”
“We thank everyone who joined the action by drawing posters, being present, or reposting. We are doing important things together, and our activism matters. Follow the announcements. We are preparing many interesting events for you as part of the 16 Days Against Gender-Based Violence,” the Feminist Workshop added.
On November 25, the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, Ukraine launched the annual international campaign “16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence”. Each year, the campaign has a new theme. In 2023, it is “Invest in the Prevention of Gender-Based Violence.” The domestic theme in Ukraine is “Women and Girls in Time of War.”
According to UNDP, about two million people in Ukraine suffer from physical domestic violence. In more than 80% of cases, it is violence against women by men. Every year, 600 Ukrainian women die from domestic violence.