By Kassandra Jiménez
December 22 2019, 07.40
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Latin American women came together this month to perform the feminist anthem ‘A Rapist In Your Way’ at London’s Tower Bridge.
Paula Soto, one of the organisers said: “The tune is very catchy, the words are clear and the feminist content, the feminist theory behind it is very strong.
“The ideas are violence against women. Rape is not a moral issue, is not a personal issue, or a psychological issue.
“It’s not a sick man – it’s a system that oppresses women, and violence and rape are part of this system of oppression.
“And it is encouraged and upheld by state institutions: the judges, the police, the president.”
The protest song went viral after the original performance by Chilean collective Las Tesis for the Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women on November 25.
In the following days the anthem, called ‘El Violador En Tu Camino’ in Spanish, was performed by small and large groups of women all around the world, including Germany, France, Spain and the UK.
According the Femicide Census report by Women Aid, 139 women in the UK were killed by men in 2017.
Miss Soto added: “I think British feminists at the moment are so busy with the General Election, fighting local elections, that they are not paying attention to us.
“But we actually are planning to work with them after the General Election and do an English version.”
Almost 200 people attended this event, many of them wearing blindfolds as they sang.
Sol Perez, an architect from London, took part in the performance while her partner James Cowie, observed the event.
She said: “He came to support me. I think that it is important that men are today around this.”
“It’s only women performing but men are in a supporting role.
“It shows that there are men that support what we are aiming for and it is important to push for gender equality. For men and for women.”
Mr. Cowie said: “I thought it was very powerful. It was a very good backdrop, and a good location to a very visual protest. I think it went really well”
The performance has captured the attention of people all around the world but has also been met with mockery.
Players from an under-17 team football club in Mexico ridiculed the feminist performance.
Miss Soto said of this: “Well, if you mock this, if you are offended by this performance, either you are a rapist or you agree with rape.
“Do you? Do you really? Look at yourselves.”
