Launch of awareness campaign against domestic violence – “Bang your fist on the table” – 23 November at Aula Magna, FMUL

«For your own defence, bang your fist on the table» is the motto of this campaign against domestic violence.

The campaign is the responsibility of the Commission for Gender Equality (CIG) and was launched on 23 November at the Aula Magna of the Faculty of Medicine of Lisbon.

It was attended by the Deputy Minister and Minister of Parliamentary Affairs, the Secretary of State for Parliamentary Affairs and Equality, the Secretary of State for Solidarity and Social Security, Marco António Costa, and by Fernando Leal da Costa, Secretary of State Assistant to the Minister of Health.

Teresa Morais, Secretary of State for Parliamentary Affairs and Equality, stated that the goal of the current campaign is to draw women’s attention to the negative consequences on children who watch violence on their mothers and to encourage them to make the decision to “break free from the violent relationships” in which they live. The focus is on children, since data for 2011 show that 42% of cases of violence were witnessed by minors.

The Secretary of State stressed that there are women who remain in abusive relationships because they are convinced it is better for their children that the family exists as it is, when, in fact, «children suffer due to the violence exerted on their mothers» and «will be affected by it for the rest of their lives».

« In some cases, the signs of their suffering are immediate and obvious, such as academic underperformance, nightmares and aggressiveness, but there are other signs that will last for the rest of their lives. Some children also learn about violent behaviour they will end up replicating on the people they live with», said Teresa Morais.

«It is very important that women realize that it is not good for their children if they remain in a violent relationship, and that their children are a further reason to consider in their decision to break free from situations of violence», she added.

At the launch of the campaign, Minister Miguel Relvas stated that «according to data provided by the Observatory of Murdered Women, 20 women were murdered in the first half of 2012. As of today, unfortunately over 30 women have been killed. Even if only one had been killed, the fight can never falter».

The campaign will be publicized in newspapers, magazines, television and radio channels, and social networks through Facebook.

Editorial Team
news@fm.ul.pt