Letter to the Editor:
Target perpetrators, not the victims
The Rwanda Association of University Women (RAUW) is disappointed by
the remark of the Mayor of Musanze District on International Women’s
Day that “in most cases violations against women are of their own
making”. He cited prostitution and indecent dressing as some of
the acts that undermine women’s status.
It is inappropriate for one of the nation’s leaders to choose the
international day of celebrating women’s contributions to launch
a sexist attack against women. Sadly, other mayors have made similar remarks.
There would not be any prostitution in Rwanda if there were no demand
for it. Sweden has an excellent prostitution law in which buyers and sellers
of women are criminalized but prostituted people are not. Trafficking
in women and girls has fallen dramatically in Sweden since the law was
passed. Rwanda also needs a law that protects victims while targeting
the perpetrators.
The American Ambassador has also called for efforts to be made to arrest
and bring to justice male adults who visit prostitutes, especially child
prostitutes, The arrest of these adults who are encouraging prostitution
would send an important signal to the whole community.
Expatriate visitors frequently comment on the respectable and modest
way the great majority of Rwandese women dress. Blaming women for indecent
dressing fails to correctly diagnose the causes of violence against women
and girls.
The idea of women being solely responsible for prostitution and violence
reinforces attitudes that are detrimental to women, children and families.
Ideas about women being “God’s police” are unfair and
damaging for women.
International Women’s Day is not a time to focus on sexist ideas
of “moral duty”. It is a time to celebrate the women of Rwanda
and their contributions to our society, where they make up half the population.
It is a time to celebrate women’s achievements as homemakers, as
politicians, as human rights activists, as professionals, as lawyers,
as doctors, as restaurant workers, as housekeepers, as farmers, as athletes,
as businesspeople, as leaders, and yes, also as mothers and family members.
It is a time to celebrate men who support women, like our President Paul
Kagame and many other men who are loving husbands, fathers and sons.
It is a time to focus on the action that all of us can take to prevent,
eliminate and punish all forms of violence against women and girls.
Ambassador Joy Mukanyange
President, RAUW
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