Men of the TU Delft, come make your voices heard on the problem of femicide and violence against women. Feel overwhelmed or powerless? Well, don’t! There’s things you can do, and we’re asking you to do them. Yes – even if that means being emotionally vulnerable.
This Thursday, there’s a currents events lunch happening at 12:45 – 13:30 in the Library’s Orange Room. And we want you there.
A Current Event?
Putting the call to action for the men aside – it makes sense that a Studium Generale at a Dutch university would organise a discussion on femicide. It is our job to invite you to reflect on current events. But is femicide even a current event? In the Netherlands, a woman is murdered every eight days. You could argue that it is not the murders that took place this summer that make it a current event, but the protests that followed.
In my view, to call violence against women a “current event” actually misrepresents the nature of the problem. It is a part of the fabric of our society. In this article, I want to lay some groundwork for the conversation this Thursday. What is the problem, exactly? Why is it so hard to address? And above all: why do I think this conversation happening on Thursday is going to be so important?
Before we get into it, let’s have a look at some definitions.
- Femicide: murder of women.
- Gender-based violence: violence directed against a person because of that person’s gender or violence that affects persons of a particular gender disproportionately.
- Sexual violence: any sexual act, attempt to obtain a sexual act, or other act directed against a person’s sexuality using coercion.
Not Just Stranger Danger
Sexual violence is incredibly common. Nearly three-quarters (73%) of all Dutch women have been sexually harassed at some point in their lives. For only 19% of female victims of sexual violence, the perpetrator is unknown. We know that this isn’t just about “stranger danger” or staying safe at night. Similarly, in 56% of cases of femicide, the perpetrator is the woman’s (ex-)partner. I would go as far to say that the threat of (sexual) violence is embedded in the female experience.
Protests and Politicians
The protests and the varying responses from our politicians show the complex interplay between violence against women, questions of (Dutch) identity, women’s rights to safety and freedom, and harmful cultural conceptions of masculinity. Just look at the wide spread of solutions being championed. GroenLinks politician Mariëlle Vavier called for men to take responsibility and hold each other accountable for harmful behaviour. On the other side of the political spectrum, there are calls to increase police surveillance and curb immigration. The conversation is happening online and on our streets, ranging from marches and riots to Facebook Groups.
I’m laying this out so that we can realise how complex and pervasive the problem is. The politicisation of the issue brings attention, yes, but it also muddies the waters when it comes to causes and potential solutions. I’ll give an example. It struck me that the influence of substance abuse on intimate violence has not been a substantial part of the public discussion – except perhaps to victim blame. In 31 percent of instances of sexual violence against women, alcohol or drugs were involved. This may be cynical of me, but I can’t help thinking that with elections coming up, asking men to practice moderation is not a sexy campaign slogan. Nor is investing in addiction care – unfortunately.
So, uh, Why Am I Asking TU Men to Come Have This Conversation?
Our colleagues at the University of Utrecht came at this topic from the angle of how women can adapt and claim more space. After talking to their moderator, one of their programme makers wondered why they were focusing on women. Well, in Delft, we want to focus on men.
TU Delft has a gender ratio of 68% male to 32% female. Our students go out, form friendship groups, and shape who they are through new experiences and relationships. What better place to talk about male culture and behaviour? And no, we’re not planning to put all the weight of this terrible problem on your shoulders. We invited Hessel from Emancipator to talk with you about what it is like to navigate the world as a man, as a student, and in all the different roles you occupy as you go through life. Do you see opportunities to create a positive impact? Are there ways you can support others, and receive support? It’s going to be an exploration. With sandwiches. We hope to see you there.