A movement this past Sunday brought dozens of people to march, thanking Gerardo Cruz for his actions and speaking out against street harassment.
The Gracias Gerardo march started at the National Theater at 10:30am, and continued to Plaza la Democracia. During the march people yelled out their opinions about this kind of violence. Such calls included “Not a passionate crime, it was the patriarchal state,” and “skirts, or pants, respect me bastard!”
During the movement, many people raised their voices for the rights of all Costa Ricans — including Cynthia Castro from Global Shapers, Nuria Marín from ALAS, Tatiana Saprissa from Piropos o acoso? as well as Cruz’s mother.
Ariane Grados says:
[quote_center]“This is not a fight of women against men; it is a fight that has been made mainly by women but surrounded by many men, like the ones who came today. We all fight against street harassment, sexual abuse, violence and misogyny.”[/quote_center]
All of them told inspiring messages for people to talk about these violences. Also they explained how street harassment is not only against women, it includes racist, homophobic, xenophobic and for men’s too. The speakers remind the marchers that this year 32 woman died due to this issue.
External Support
in Washington, United States, ten people joined together with Gracias Gerardo San José. At four in the afternoon, a related march began in Liberia, Guanacaste.
Peace against violence
[quote_center]“The video made me angry and repulsed, but when I realized that the boy had been stabbed, I felt I had to do something.”[/quote_center]
Priscilla Arias created the movement on Facebook. She took the initiative because, as she says, this is an everyday reality for woman in Costa Rica. She also considers it important to unite the country to seek social health and education on gender issues.
During the march the Priscilla originally wanted to collect signatures to be officially delivered to deputies and the Executive Branch of Costa Rica on Monday morning, but now this will be a different process completed online.
This signatures will support the proposed law to penalize street harassers.
The march ended at the Legislative Assembly. As Priscilla Arias explains, this was a symbolic act and an inclusive march, it called for respect and to stop every kind of street harassment.
The Law Against Street Harassment
Yesterday in the evening, The Collective Alliance of Against Street Harassment in Costa Rica led a media conference at the Legislative Assembly to begin a project for a law against such violence.
They were supported by parliamentary women and deputies of different factions and of the president of the Assembly Rafael Ortiz Fabrega.