Prime Minister Orpo: “Every girl and woman has the right to feel safe”

Prime Minister Petteri Orpo spoke at an annual seminar organised by the Committee for Combating Violence against Women and Domestic Violence to mark the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women on Monday 25 November. In his speech, the Prime Minister highlighted the role of men in condemning violence against women.

“Violence against women is still shamefully commonplace in Finland. It is important that men also call attention to it and condemn it,” said Prime Minister Petteri Orpo.

“In the instances of domestic violence and intimate partner violence reported to the authorities last year, 74 per cent of adult victims were women, while 75 per cent of suspected perpetrators were men. All in all, of 6,800 women were victims of violence. Every such incident is one too many,” Orpo said.

Prime Minister Orpo stressed the importance of non-violent male role models and the need to ensure that boys grow up to be men with a healthy self-esteem and an egalitarian worldview. He pointed out the worrying studies from several countries showing that the values of men and women are diverging from one another. Orpo noted that trends fuelling hostility towards women should be taken seriously.

“We also need to be more open as a society if we are to put an end to violence against women. I would like to thank those women who have spoken out publicly about the violence they have experienced and its consequences. Hopefully, this will also encourage those suffering in silence to come forward and get the help and support they need,” said Prime Minister Orpo.

Inquiries:
Kirsi Hölttä, Special Adviser to the Prime Minister, Prime Minister’s Office, tel. +358 295 160 554, [email protected]