Abortion bans, physical and sexual violence at home or in schools, universities or workplaces, insults or worse if a woman rejects a man, or in extreme cases, femicide (the murder of women), mostly by (ex-)partners or family members. Violence against women and girls is evident in our society every day.
Every woman knows at least one of the incidents listed above from friends or because she has experienced it herself. This means that these are by no means isolated cases! Patriarchal violence against women goes hand in hand with capitalism. It is obvious that in the current crisis, price explosions are causing impoverishment. This forces women, most of whom work in precarious jobs, to save until they can no longer do so. In addition, financial problems cause stress, which partners take out on women and girls first, whether verbally or physically. Financial dependence on men in particular causes women to remain in violent relationships. Inflation, price increases and the underfunding of schools and social institutions also rob young people, especially young women, of many opportunities for the future. Women’s shelters and counselling centres for sexual violence can be vital for survival. In Germany, a woman is murdered every three days. That’s 10 women every month!
What’s more, this violence against women is supported by the capitalist state. Recent events bear witness to this, with new abortion laws in the USA, Poland and Hungary. Rapists and murderers are regularly acquitted in court.
These facts alone make us angry enough to stand up and take action against violence against women. As young socialists, we call on everyone to unite and fight organized violence against women! It is not up to women alone to overthrow the patriarchal and capitalist state. It is in the interest of all revolutionaries to eliminate the ruling and exploitative order and build a liberated society without patriarchy and capital. Let us take inspiration from women who have stood up: 10 years of women’s revolution in Rojava are an inspiration to all women in the Middle East. Women stayed to fight against misogynistic IS gangs and they are winning! Revolutionaries in Turkey, the organized, united women’s struggle in South America and also in Afghanistan, women are rising up against the fascist Taliban! The struggle for women’s liberation is international!
Our liberation cannot be achieved alone – either all or none!