Dismantling rape culture through musical harmony

Rape can leave a devastating impact that spans decades, even generations. It destroys bodies and minds and puts peace in jeopardy. When left unpunished or trivialized, it can create a pervasive culture where sexual violence is normalized, women and girls are undervalued, and entire communities and nations are left fractured. Many still fail to name or challenge the rape culture that surrounds us. Through words, actions and inactions; discriminatory laws or leniency towards perpetrators; through the media that is consumed, jokes laughed at, and attitudes that go unquestioned, become part of a culture that allows rape to continue.

Women in countries like Chile, Mexico, Spain, Sudan, Turkey, Colombia and France, all joined together in solidarity to sing in protest against violence against their communities. “Patriarchy is a judge that judges us for being born. And our punishment is the violence that you see. It’s femicide. Impunity for my murderer. It’s disappearance. It’s rape. They kill us. They rape us. They rob us. They exploit us. My body’s not to be touched. With clothes, without clothes, my body’s not to be touched. She reported him and she was killed. We’re not all here. The murdered women are missing. Why is it that they silence my people? On your knees, patriarchy!”

Although in recent years, the voices of activists and survivors through movements such as #MeToo, #TimesUp, #Niunamenos, #NotOneMore, #BalanceTonPorc, have reached an upsurge that cannot be silenced or ignored, violence against women and girls continues in every country. One in three women are impacted by this violence; 15 million adolescent girls worldwide have experienced forced sex according to UN Women. Across the world and in different contexts, women and girls universally experience rape, sexual violence, and abuse. From university campuses to armed conflicts, their voices and stories have reached a climax that can no longer be ignored or silenced.

Brut.