Curaçao turns orange against violence against women and girls

The pontoon bridge in Willemstad is lit up in orange, and not because of the World Cup. Curaçao is participating for the first time in ‘Orange the World’, the global campaign against violence against women and girls.

The initiators are Dutch Karin Bosman from  About Workplace Harassment and parliamentarian Ana-Maria Pauletta (Curaçaoan political party PAR). They approached companies and foundations to get involved.

“The campaign is currently very much focused on prevention and encouraging allies. So that people speak out if they witness violence against women,” says Bosman, who has been working on the island for years to prevent inappropriate behavior in the workplace.

Besides lectures and workshops, there will also be an online survey. “So that we gather more information on how we can better guarantee the safety of women in 2023.”

How big is the problem? There is no clear picture of how many women and girls on the island are victims. Organizations all have their own registration system. There are also many undocumented victims who cannot report.The Curaçao Ministry of Social Affairs, Labor and Welfare reports that 37 percent of women experience intimate partner violence. But that figure is from a 2015 study. During the lockdown in 2020, the police registered 190 cases. Aid workers at the time also raised the alarm with the government.

 

“Stichting Bos di Hubentut (translated: voice of youth) is launching a card with possible signs of violence. The States have debated the theme,” Pauletta continues. “In addition, quotes are shared on social media, which does victims a lot of good and creates awareness.”

The Curaçaoan parliamentarian continues: “Of course, we hope that in the coming days, a few people will gather enough courage to leave their abusive relationships. People are more aware of their own role.”

What is Orange the World? Orange the World starts on November 25, the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, and runs until December 10, International Human Rights Day. During these 16 days, various activities, from demonstrations to awareness-raising and fundraising, take place in over 100 countries. To commemorate the violence, buildings and other objects are lit up.

 

During the campaign period, Chanice Janssens, who works as a trauma coach and sexologist in the Netherlands, will also come to Curaçao. She will interview people about sexual violence against women and girls for a documentary.

“She wants to show that culture influences the healing process. A documentary of this kind has already premiered in the Netherlands,” says Bosman.

It concerns the documentary 'Belaagd' (Harrassed) in which women talk about their unsafe experiences; how they are approached on the street, what they experience during their studies, and what they encounter in the workplace. “Basically what they experience in every environment. Janssens will create a Curaçaoan version of this.” The interviews will take place over the next three months.

Attention also in Aruba The exhibition ‘She is Gone’ as part of Orange Aruba (photo: FCVR) Aruba has been participating in this campaign for longer, and this year too, various activities are taking place under the name ‘Orange Aruba’ . The prime minister calls for 'stopping violence together'. "One in three women in Aruba experiences violence, and that is concerning," says Evelyn Wever-Croes. "That is not only physical violence but also emotional and verbal. Moreover, not only women are victims, children too, the whole family suffers from it."

 

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