Action "Women in Black" held in Yerevan

On December 3, in Yerevan, in Charles Aznavour Square, an action "Women in Black" was held, organized by the non-governmental women's organization "Society Against Violence". The action was about 30 persons strong; all the women were dressed in black.

The rally was held within the campaign "16-Day-Long Actions Against Gender Violence".

The participants of the action carried posters reading: "Do not be silent – confess on violence on you!", "Our strength lies in absence of violence!", "I want to live without fear!" and "Stop Violence Against Women!"

Stands were installed on the asphalt with the following messages: "I'm 15 years old, and I live in the village; after graduating from high school I want to come to Yerevan and enter the college, but my father forbids, because he doesn't want me to leave the village"; "At the age of 16 I was forced into marriage; and now I live in my husband's house in the status of a slave, because I have to endure all the insults and beatings by my husband"; "I am a woman entrepreneur, but I didn't escape violence – I was beaten by a man in a public place".

Anna Nikogosyan, Chair of the Organization "Society Against Violence", told the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent that the messages on posters were based real stories and made by the women, who found themselves in difficult situations.