Interview with patron and state parliament president Gabriele Andretta
On November 25th, International Day to Combat Discrimination and Violence against Women and Girls, striking buildings around the world will shine in orange. Also in Hanover. For the first time this year, the state parliament will be illuminated in orange, the patron of Orange Day 2021 is the state parliament president Gabriele Andretta. In the interview she says why this day is so important.
In a remarkable verdict from Saxony-Anhalt, a judge recently came to the conclusion that a boxer who broke his ex-girlfriend’s jaw should have done the punch differently, more carefully. What do you think about this?
I am appalled by this judgment; it is a blow to all women who have been victims of violence. People in need need a lot of courage to defend themselves, to file a complaint and to go through a lawsuit against the violent perpetrator, most of the time it is their own partner. Women rarely report their tormentors out of shame, powerlessness or fear of not being taken seriously. This is why this judgment is so fatal because it discourages women from fighting back.
Is that why Orange Day is so important to you?
Yes, because the subject of violence in all forms against women and girls must be brought up in public and taboo must be removed. To this end, the campaign wants to find “Orange the World”, violence against women should be made visible and women should be encouraged to break their silence. The color orange symbolizes light and warmth. Women who are harassed, threatened, raped and beaten should know that we are by their side, we will not leave them alone. Showing solidarity is more urgent than ever. The latest police statistics confirm all of our fears that domestic violence against women has increased during the pandemic. Here in Lower Saxony, too: 21,509 cases of domestic violence were registered in 2020, an increase of more than 1,300 knowledge compared to 2019. And we, this is only the tip of the iceberg. According to a dark field study, only ten percent of these cases are shown.
Women’s organizations like Soroptimist organize Orange Day, you are the patron, the interview is conducted by a woman. Is it time for Orange Day to be a men’s business?
Violence against women is not only an issue for women, but for society as a whole. It is a good sign that many men show their colors on Orange Day. We need broad awareness for this issue in society, especially for the fact that violence against women has many faces. In addition to sexual and physical violence against women, women are increasingly the victims of hate attacks and threats on social media.
This hate speech is often sexually underpinned …
Yes, women are insulted sexistically, harassed with rape fantasies and even open to death threats. These men want to intimidate women with hate postings. This often affects successful women who are in public – such as Annalena Baerbock or Greta Thunberg. The women are supposed to be silenced with targeted hate attacks. Studies show that women in particular react to hostility on the Internet by withdrawing, and are less likely to speak up. This is fatal for a dying democracy, because everyone should be able to express their opinion publicly without fear. Our democracy lives from this.
On the one hand there is the MeToo debate, on the other hand there are misogynist hate attacks on social media. Do you see a connection here?
Yes. Millions of women worldwide have made sexual assaults against them public under the hashtag “MeToo”. Sexual violence and abuse of power became much discussed topics, women were heard for the first time and hierarchical power structures were called into question. But every feminist movement, every achievement for women in the last few decades is inevitably followed by a counter-movement, a so-called backlash. This also includes the greater one of hatred against women on the Internet. Women should be silent, “natural” hierarchies should not be broken. It is therefore not surprising that studies based on attacks on women on the Internet can predominantly be assigned to the right-wing spectrum. In view of the growing attacks on women on the Internet, the question must be asked whether the previous legal regulations are sufficient to protect women.
Orange Day in Hanover
When public buildings such as the Begin Tower, the State Parliament and the New Town Hall are illuminated in orange on the evening of November 25th, when an orange convoy with mostly electric cars drives through the city from Schützenplatz, then it’s not just about a warming light and hope in the dark November time. Every year from November 25th to December 10th, UN Women, an organ of the United Nations, sends out a signal against violence against women and girls with its “Orange the World” campaign.
The Hanoverian clubs of Soroptimist International (SI) and Zonta International (ZI) jointly held the Orange Day 2021 in Hanover. 27 buildings (last year there were only 17) will light up, including the Regionshaus, the Enercity power plant in Linden, the Marktkirche, the Ministry of Social Affairs and Economics, the Nord / LB and the State Chancellery, the VWN Tower and the Theater am Ägi. At the initiative of the 96 players (led by Henrik Weydandt) it was made possible to illuminate the 96 stadium. The Kröpcke clock will also be filled with information cubes until December 10th.
Because even with us, the need is great. In Germany, a woman is killed by her partner or ex-partner every third day. According to UN Women, every woman around the world is subject to physical, psychological and / or third party sexual violence in the course of her life. Women rarely report deeds out of shame, fear of retribution, or fear of not being taken seriously. On Orange Day, which has been organized annually by human rights organizations since 1981, they should be encouraged to change that.
If you want to take part in the Orange Way: The participants will meet at the Gildenor on Schützenplatz at 5.30 p.m., and they will set off from 6 p.m. Orange light sources in or on the vehicles would be helpful.
The nationwide helpline against women offers confidential and free help and support around the clock on 08000/116016.
Are you enough?
No, obviously not. And that is an untenable situation. So far, affected women have to file a criminal complaint in order to be investigated. It should be checked whether it should be possible for the law enforcement authorities to intervene without filing a criminal complaint. In addition, perpetrators who move anonymously on the Internet should be better able to be identified.
How emancipated is our society actually?
We are still miles away from uniform gender equality. This is shown by a look at our parliaments, in which women are still underrepresented. A man is also still paid better than a woman in many professions: his hourly wage is on average 21 percent higher. As a rule, his pension will therefore be significantly higher. He continues to contribute significantly less to family and household chores. When the state parliament shines in orange on November 25th, it is also intended to set an example for equality for women in all areas and the strengthening of women’s rights.
From Petra Rückerl