November 25 is Orange the World Day, the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women. In Rotterdam, the colour orange will be the sign of a better future, in which all forms of violence against women will be banned.

On November 25, 1960, three women were murdered in the Dominican Republic who campaigned to protect women's rights. In 1999, the UN designated this day as the official international day for the elimination of violence against women. In 2021, 21 years later, women around the world are still victims of violence on a daily basis. Which is why it is still necessary to stand together against the injustice that too many women still have to endure.

Gender based violence can happen to any woman, femme and AFAB anywhere. Especially vulnerable are those who are also part of other communities: children, the elderly, the LGBTIQA+ community, mainly transgender, intersex and non-binary people, migrants, undocumented migrants, refugees, indigenous people, black people and people of colour, HIV positive people , people with disabilities and people in war.

We support each of these groups in their specific struggle against the forms of violence they are victims of as a group. BIJ1 supports all groups in their joint fight against the violence that stems from toxic masculinity. One in three women and girls will experience physical or sexual violence during their lifetime, usually by an intimate partner. 137 women are murdered every day by a relative. Less than 40 percent of women who experience violence seek help.

November 25th deserves the new name "The day we smash the patriarchy". Together we fight against: catcalling, verbal abuse, verbal assault, physical assault, physical assault and rape.

There is a lot of toxic male violence in Rotterdam. Meanwhile, there is insufficient help and protection available for the victims of male violence. Where was the help for Humeyra? Again and again she sought help from the police in vain. Not only did the Rotterdam police not help her, but after her death, racist Rotterdam officers shared in their app group: "One less Turkish person".

For many victims, it is still a step too far to report the crime or to seek help. They don't feel heard or taken seriously by the police as part of toxic masculinity and macho culture.

There is not enough support and shelter for women who are victims of gender-based violence and the specific problems of black women, women of color, women who are lesbian, bisexual, transgender, non-binary, intersex, migrant, refugee, or women and girls living with disabilities. (This also applies to femmes and AFABs.)

This must change. Rotterdam BIJ1 is committed to achieving:

  • Hotlines and shelter for victims of sexual violence and transgressive behaviour.
  • Attention to gender-based violence in schools and strengthening the possibilities to report it.
  • Actively starting a broad conversation about gender-based violence in the city.
  • Involving civil society organizations and experts by experience in the development of the trajectories.
  • An integrated approach to gender-based violence
  • Actively focus on increasing the willingness of victims of gender-based violence to report.

In addition, more money must be made available for the various women's shelters in our city and for local assistance for victims of gender-based violence.

It is time for a strong policy in which, in addition to protecting all women against violence, we also focus on combating and preventing toxic masculinity.