Newark—Women from all over New Jersey gathered at Newark Penn Station today to perform “Un Violador En Tu Camino (A Rapist in Your Path)” outside Newark Penn Station, the first stop on the train ride known as the Walk to Washington, sponsored by the NJ Chamber of Commerce.  The event was captured on livestream and a full statement on the event follows  below:

“A Rapist in Your Path”

A Chorus of NJ Women Confront the NJ Chamber of Commerce’s Annual Walk to Washington 2020 with the International Women’s’ Anti-Misogyny Flash Mob

We are women, activists, advocates, voters, and others engaged in political and social change.

We are gathered here today to perform “Un Violador En Tu Camino (A Rapist in Your Path)” outside Newark Penn Station, the first stop on the train ride known as the Walk to Washington, sponsored by the NJ Chamber of Commerce.

We are joining together to keep shining the light on the abuses that have happened in NJ politics and as a reminder that only by speaking out can we heard!

We are here today on the shoulders of the courageous women who told their stories and demanded action from our politicians. We are here to tell those still afraid to speak out that we are many, that we are visible and that we will not be silent anymore.  We are here to demand our political leaders see beyond this political moment and take the lead in transforming the system of abuses up and down our political institutions.

The Chamber of Commerce’s train ride to Washington DC is only one symbolic gathering of what is wrong with NJ political culture. It is one example of many events at which men of power and privilege gather to exchange favors and gloat in their access to the levers of power. For far too long, women have attended events like this and had to endure the humiliation of harassment for the possibility to be considered worthy of access to the men in power.

The song and dance was created by the Chilean Art Collective, Lastesis, to highlight how gender-based violence against women is a systemic problem. Since first enacted in Chile, it has been performed all over the world by women committed to bringing awareness to the plight of women in society who are caught in a system of oppression that treats them as second class citizens.

The song and dance is a call to action to put a stop to gender harassment and violence against women. It provides an opportunity for women to join in solidarity to demonstrate the pervasive, collective experiences we all have endured with gender based violence and discrimination at the workplace.

It brings women together to make clear that we are not at fault when it comes to someone assaulting us.

The fault lies with men and the misogynistic cultural norms perpetuated by men in power and the institutions where they hold power; the legislature, the courts, the government offices and the executive suites.

The dance collective represents all women. By dancing together we acknowledge our common experience while simultaneously recognizing that women of different economic and social positions; poor women, black and brown women, immigrants and young women, experience gender based violence and discrimination more violently than others.

Any approach to ending gender violence must recognize that women of color have an additional hurdle to face; they must overcome gender and race exclusion simultaneously. As such we must include their voices and experiences when calling for solutions and reforms.

Finally, this song and dance is a universal demand for our political leaders and institutions in NJ to act swiftly to end gender based violence, harassment and discrimination against women in the political system and in all our workplaces.

TOGETHER, we demand action to end gender-based violence against us NOW.