Violence against Women Protested in Gori

Lado Bichashvili, Shida Kartli

Marina Tabukashvili, founder of the foundation Taso, which works on the women’s rights, arrived in Gori to protest violence against women; during the demonstration she observed the reaction of passers-by and saw that nobody joined the demonstration from the street – they just continued their way.

Marina Tabukashvili, founder of the Taso Foundation: “I arrived in Gori because I had very bad experience here, when we could not save victim of the domestic violence in Karaleti village and she committed suicide. It was very tragic day for me and I mourned over that woman as if she was my close relative. So, today I did not go to the demonstration in front of the parliament building in Tbilisi but arrived here in Gori to join local society during the demonstration; they are my close people, leaders of nongovernmental organizations and members of self-assistance group but ordinary citizens of Gori did not join us. The number one problem for me is that people put up with similar negative facts and prefer to live peacefully in similar negative environment instead struggling for the improvement of the situation. It refers to us when our neighbors are harassed, beaten and killed; it is our personal problem.”

Kepkhishvili Larisa: “16-day campaign about gender equality is very important. Women are killed in Georgia and nothing can be more urgent now. The more women are informed the fewer victims we will have.”

Gori civil society representatives also went to the street to protest violence against women together with the residents of other cities of Georgia. However, number of ordinary citizens was very low in Gori; mostly NGO representatives, active citizens and several members of local government participated in the demonstration.

Nino Tsetsvadze, head of Gori City Hall Administration: “Today I am here as ordinary citizen and not public servant. This problem must be eventually and consecutively resolved and finally people must realize that violence against second person is inadmissible. Violence is inadmissible against both women and men.”

Giorgi Metonidze, pupil of the 12th grade at school, who was one of the organizers of the demonstration, called on the local population to join the November 25 demonstration on local TV. In comparison to the scope of the problem, he also thinks that few people joined the demonstration.

Giorgi Metonidze: “Some people gathered and joined us though we expected more. People live with stereotypes and they refrain from participating in similar demonstrations. The campaign has not finished; it was just start and will last 16 days.”

The demonstration, which was organized by the Women’s Movement in 20 cities and towns of Georgia, finished with the signing of the petition to the Parliament Chairman, Prime-Minister and Chairman of the Supreme Court of Georgia.

In the petition, NGOs request more engagement in the problem-eradication process and cooperation with state institutions.  “For the prevention of domestic violence, multi-disciplinary groups must be established with the participation of social workers, psychologists, district police inspectors and other specialists, who will work with problematic families; psycho-social rehabilitation services must be developed for victims and violators; public servants, including police officers, representatives of the prosecutor’s office and court, must be trained about gender equality and eradication of discrimination against women; detailed action plan must be developed,” the petition reads.

The demonstration finished in one hour; the campaign against violence against women continues. Feminists and gender specialists will continue discussions during round tables within the next week.