Challenging victim-blaming: Exhibition on sexual violence awareness
Clothing cannot be held responsible for acts of sexual violence. To raise awareness and highlight societal stereotypes surrounding this issue, 11 outfits worn by victims in our country were recreated and presented in an exhibition.
Among them is Ana-Maria’s clothing—a 19-year-old pregnant woman from Orhei who was raped and killed in a case that deeply shocked the nation. Ana-Maria's clothing was displayed to emphasize the severity of femicide (killing of women specifically).
“We intentionally included this case because it deeply shocked public opinion. The Women’s Law Center provided legal and psychological assistance, and the case is currently in court,” stated Angela Zaporojan-Pîrgari, Executive Director of the Women’s Law Center.
The exhibition was hosted at the Faculty of Law at the State University. Students expressed hope that authorities would take action to reduce cases of violence:
“This is a harmful phenomenon that the justice system and society as a whole have been striving to combat for years.”
“When I first saw this exhibition, it sent shivers down my spine because I realized that behind these clothes lie terrible and painful stories.”
“I find this topic to be very relevant, especially for law students, as we are future specialists who must work within the legal framework to establish a system where women feel safe and free in society.”
According to the organizers, some of these cases were supported by the Women’s Law Center.
“Our goal is to raise public awareness, particularly among law students and those already working or planning to work in this system, about the issue of sexual violence, the status of victims, and their right not to be blamed,” declared Angela Zaporojan-Pîrgari.
In recent years, the Ministry of Justice has revised legislation to increase penalties and deter this form of violence.
“New criminal offenses were introduced to sanction specific behaviors. Recently, the Ministry of Justice committed to transposing a European Union directive aimed at preventing and combating child sexual abuse and exploitation,” stated Stanislav Copețchi, State Secretary at the Ministry of Justice.
According to 2023 statistics, 21 women died as a result of violence. Over 5,200 calls were made to the hotline, and authorities issued 5,700 emergency restraining orders.
Translation by Iurie Tataru
