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Lithuania: 16 Days of Activism Against Gender Violence
Wednesday, November 28, 2012 1:35 PM
November 25 is a day when many countries around the world begin campaigns to raise awareness about ending violence against women. This year, Lithuanian non-profit organizations, together with the Embassy of The United States started the “16 Days of Activism Against Gender Violence” campaign with the slogan, “Men say NO to violence against women.”
According to an analysis ordered by the government of Lithuania as part of its implementation of a national strategy to fight violence against women, 15% of married women are continuously abused by their spouses. Sixty per cent of them never seek help. Only half of abused women consider physical violence as a crime.
The campaign began with posters of four famous Lithuanian men wearing t-shirts with messages saying that violence is a weak man’s weapon. The world’s strongest man, Zydrunas Savickas wore a t-shirt saying “I beat records not women.” A famous Lithuanian actor, a soccer player and a cook wore t-shirts with similar messages.
In addition to other events, a public reading of Aiste Ptakauske’s documentary drama, “Ethnic Kitchen,” will be held in Vilnius on December 8. This drama tells the real life stories of seven very different women who immigrated to Lithuania from different countries and for different reasons. Other events will include discussions and trainings related to the Lithuanian Law on Protection Against Domestic Violence which was adopted in 2011.
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