Mass sexual assaults in Cologne and other European cities part III

[GeekLove]

link to part 2

Keeping this in the spotlight since the mainstream media isn't.

Is it possible that something positive can come of this, i.e., that women's rights around the entire world can be tackled? Historically, where men outnumber women in large groups it seems there is a risk of sexual violence. Take the link someone posted to Woodstock all those years ago, the appalling rape and murder of Jyoti Singh on the bus in Delhi in 2012, the attack on the journalist in Egypt. All are examples.

I find it extraordinary that men's behaviour has not changed since Roman times and before.

I am surprised that polentapie's remark to TwistedReach, on a thread supposedly caring about sexual violence towomen went unnoticed. This is the response TwistedReach recieved for saying she had been working with reugees in Calais.

'Better watch out for the hangover tomorrow, don't trip over your halo. May you offer your vagina to a few of them as recompense?'

SlaggyIsland good post. I feel the same. German authorities must reveal the truth and deal with the crime. Asaults on women must never again happen.

Apparently it's four hundred women now

It is striking Emily.

It is also striking how on a thread that is in part about integrating or not with other cultures, posters showing difference (of opinions) are being viewed with paranoid suspicion and told to go elsewhere.

Great post four.

I agree Olive. I have my email up about to post to my local MP, but I hesitate. I would really like to be able to ask for a concrete action. But I don't know what it is.

It's called satire Emily. Funny how a literary form of expression used to make a point is more shocking than the mass sexual assaults on women.

In Helsinki it was coordinated and planned, men came to helskini from other towns

What do you make of these transcripts of Gaddafi's phone calls? www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3388533/Colonel-Gaddafi-accused-Tony-Blair-supporting-Al-Qaeda-warned-jihadis-Libya-attack-Europe-series-phone-calls.html

Brilliant post four

"BungoWomble" I'm not sure I understand. Luna massively derailed the previous thread at times and Emiliy and twisted sound ever so similar. It hadn't occurred to me to report but i'll think about it.

In Helsinki if you read any of the reports it says 1000 men gathered outside the train station, mainly Iraqi assylum seekers, they were planning a similar attack, the police prevented it as they were warned....this isn't a coincidence

I am feeling a bit lost with this latest thread, as a lot that has been said on thread i and ii is either being repeated or ignored so I think i will back off for a bit.

Despicable

It's been grumbling in my head that it does seem, well, organised. Do you have links re. Helsinki?

That wasn't satire polenta, it showed your messed up views and how much you despise women that don't toe your percieved line. You couldn't engage with what Twisted said, something about her compassion stirred a lot of hate in you.

Exactly TwistedReach, howver much anyone dislikes another's posts, we have free speech and noone should be told to get off the thread unless they are being offensive. So far, you and I appear to be the only ones told to get off the thread.

Maria 543, I believe that is the best approach, rather than focusing on one group. We need outraged mainstream voices at all gang rapes. We need to examine victim blaming and condemn it, as rape survivors have been frequently blamed in the past, as the Cologne survivors have been recently. We need to rid our societiess and courts of questions surrounding what victims wear, or why they were out late and stand for our freedoms wherever they are challenged. Patriarchy and misogyny are prevalent in European cultures as well as others, so shifting attention to the behaviour of what is percieved as one culture is not helpful.

Quick google shows this is what we can ask for our MPs to do:

• A letter from your MP to the relevant department or official
• writing to the Minister involved
• making an appointment to see the Minister personally.
• put the Minister on the spot by asking an oral question at Question Time one afternoon.
• raise your problem in the half–hour Adjournment Debate, which is usually the last business of the day
• draw attention to the matter by what is called an Early Day Motion
• If your MP becomes aware that your problem is a common one then he or she may try to gain the opportunity to introduce a Private Member's Bill
• a petition to the House of Commons. Your petition can only be presented by an MP and must be arranged in a particular format. You can obtain advice on this by writing to the Clerk of Public Petitions, Journal Office, House of Commons, London SW1A 0AA.
• MPs are often contacted by constituents campaigning on behalf of a particular cause, perhaps representing an organised pressure group. It will be for your MP to decide whether to take any action. Anyone who is intending to organise a “mass lobby” to the House of Commons must contact the Serjeant at Arms Department (020-7219 3060) well in advance.

Are we campaigning for a cause, asking for a motion to be tabled, question raised etc?

Thoughts? Happy to help word letters/petitions etc.

What do we want to achieve?

Let's use this to highlight the dangers posed to women, the issues that have already been swept under the carpet and to get our rights, as European women, recognised by everyone who choses to make a home here.

2♀16

Oh so sometimes there is a place in this discussion to think about why these horrific events might have taken place and the complex contributing factors- in order to try to prevent them happening again?

Because four's post did include trying to think about some of these things.

Helsinki is mentioned in this Washington Post article. I don't know where the figure of 1000 men comes from, though - I'd want to see that from a reputable source.

www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/germany/12090750/German-law-should-be-toughened-to-ease-deportation-of-migrants-says-Angela-Merkel.html

According to this article:

“There are strict orders from the chiefs not to report offences by refugees,” the unnamed officer said. “We are only allowed to answer if journalists ask specifically about such incidents.”

And:

"But it has also emerged that even after the story hit the national media, guests on public service television were asked not to mention asylum-seekers in interviews about the Cologne assaults."

This article has led me to two thoughts:

1. As in so many political scandals, it is not the original crime so much as the cover-up that does the long term political damage. And this one is a doozy, the betrayal of German women by their own state. As the days go by and women realise how little their most basic bodily integrity and safety mattered in comparison to other political aims, it will be interesting to see the society wide convulsions.

1. German state media wouldn't tackle it. The BBC had best take heed. It gets a juicy licence fee and is very self regarding. Basically, I like the BBC, but if I think it is a misogynistic propaganda outlet, my mind will change as will my political support for their licence fee.

Following on from that, can they really afford to give a platform to people as offensive as James O'Brien?

Yes it's a march in Cologne Bungo.

It's really hard to find out who is organising the protests, and where these women's groups are having their discussions. So far I've only seen that one item on FB, but I shall research more today and hopefully find an open link.

It's not the responsibility of women in Europe to be at the sharp end of "understanding" this - understanding what, exactly? That a bunch of young men with horrific attitudes of misogyny towards women, planned a mass sexual attack against them?
I do think they probably behaved more badly than they would have had they still been in their home countries, with the constraints of family, the social structure and possibly harsher laws and punishments, but that is speculation on my part.
Some of them will come from horrific war-torn backgrounds. Others simply come from countries with high rates of poverty, a lack of education and the aforementioned attitudes to women.
Either way, I don't want these men in Europe. I just want them to fuck off.
In the bigger picture, I would like to support, in any way I can, women and children in these societies. The women of Europe have had an horrific taste of what life must be like for them.
It also emphasises to me how important our own fight for equality is - we're clearly not there yet if our rights could be so easily disregarded that the Cologne police attempted a cover-up.

No, it just went over your head dear. Toodle off now

DespicableBee the number will probably rise. I cannot see how one can get the scale of facts without demonstrating and without strong pressure on Politicians. I plan a letter to my London MP but have no wording yet.

I wonder of an epetition. Any ideas?

Olivepip, I think the very first thing to ask for is questions to be raised, for the issues around the very real migration crisis to be debated. Not swept under the carpet. Maybe ask for a Commons debate.

Might be worth highlighting this article again, which covers the potential impacts of large numbers of single men coming in to Europe. www.politico.eu/article/europes-man-problem/