SAY NO TO VIOLENCE

The International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women is celebrated every year on Nov 25. And this year, to raise public awareness regarding the plight of domestic violence and sexual harassment facing women, the Women and Men Progressive Movement Foundation has launched a new campaign titled #PickYourFight. Under the theme of “Home Is Not A Boxing Ring”, the campaign is designed to use Muay Thai as part of its core message. Seeking to communicate with men via one of their favourite sports, #PickYourFight is saying that violence can only exist in a boxing ring that is governed by rules, and that violence must therefore never spill into the home. The campaign involves a two-minute video clip entitled “Home Is Not A Boxing Ring”. The short clip features a muay Thai competition presented along with a message urging men to stop using violence against women at home because the boxing ring should be the only place where violence takes place. The video encourages the public to write the message “Home Is Not A Boxing Ring” on a piece of paper or banner and post it on social media with the hashtag #PickYourFight so that the message is sent across to the wider audience. Since 1981, according to figures from the Women and Men Progressive Movement Foundation, the world has seriously campaigned for an end to violence against women. The good news is that the number of countries enforcing laws against domestic violence has increased to 127, from just seven about 25 years ago. Still, it is important to note that many times laws alone cannot prevent violence against women. The Women and Men Progressive Movement Foundation monitored domesticviolence cases in 2016 via 13 newspapers in Thailand. The study has found 466 news reports on domestic violence. Of them, 71.8% are crimes committed by husbands against wives. According to the report, “patriarchal attitudes” have turned the “home” into a “boxing ring”. So through this viral campaign, women are urged to speak up and call for help from society as well as authorities if faced with domestic violence or sexual assault.