Men’s violence goes on all the time – Dalabygden

During the first months of the year, nine men have murdered nine women. The men had or had had a relationship with the woman they murdered. In recent weeks, as a result of several murders in a short period of time, men’s violence against women has received attention in the media and among politicians. Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson has called for men’s violence against women to be treated with the same force as gang crime.

For those of us who work daily to stop men’s violence against women, the pattern is familiar. It happens that the issue gets attention for a period of a few weeks. Promises are made and everyone seems to agree – men’s violence against women is a huge social problem and stronger measures are needed to stop the violence.

Yet men continue to murder women. Yet women are forced to continue living in hiding from their abuser. Nevertheless, women and children are forced to have contact and association with a violent man, just because he is the father of the child. Yet society is failing, despite promises to end the violence. Hand on heart – don’t politicians or the media make pilgrimages to the places where the murders of women took place?

Men’s violence against women goes on all the time, year round. For the Center women, it is obvious: the work must be prioritized higher in several instances, measures must be financed and put in place faster. It is completely unacceptable that a survey or investigation takes several years – the abused women cannot wait. It is about life and death.

This is a reminder that the violence does not stop because the headlines in the media or the ministers’ press conferences become fewer. On the contrary. We must never look away. If the government is serious about its promise, we expect to see clear priorities in the autumn budget.