A demonstrator in Lausanne: 'Violence against one - violence against all!'
Keystone
More than 500 people have demonstrated across Switzerland after five young women were attacked in Geneva last week. The protests, organised by the Young Socialists Switzerland, took place on Sunday in Bern, Basel, Zurich and Lausanne.
On Wednesday, five women aged 22-33 were attacked in Geneva by a group of men outside a nightclub just after 5am. Two had to be taken to hospital with serious head injuries, one of whom is still in a coma. The following day, around 100 outraged citizens took to the streets of Geneva, followed by demonstrations in other Swiss cities.
“What happened in Geneva is just one piece of news that can be added to a long list of violent attacks against women,” said Géraldine Savary, a member of the Senate for the leftwing Social Democratic Party, in Lausanne.
“But we all know that this isn’t a one-off and that women are victims of sexism, misogyny and violence.”
In Bern and Zurich, the motto was “All for one”. In the Swiss capital, president of the Young Socialists Tamara Funiciello said violence against women was like a pyramid. “It begins with a sexist joke and harassment and ends with rape and honour killings,” she said.
More than 17,600 domestic offences were reported and registered by police in 2016 – a 13% increase over the two previous years. Nineteen people, mainly women, died as a result of domestic violence.
More
More
Domestic violence victims to receive better legal protection
This content was published on
Presenting the plans on Wednesday, Justice Minister Simonetta Sommaruga said the cabinet was seeking the use of electronic bracelets to monitor compliance with bans against approach or contact with a victim of domestic violence. However, the cabinet dropped proposals for live electronic monitoring following opposition from cantons for practical reasons. Instead the data can be…
Swiss price watchdog slams excessive prices for generic medicines
This content was published on
The cheapest generic medicines available in Switzerland are more than twice as expensive as in other countries, according to a study by the Swiss price watchdog.
Nature should not figure in net zero calculations: academic study
This content was published on
The natural removal of CO2 from the atmosphere by forests or oceans should not be included in the net-zero balance of climate protection measures, argue researchers.
This content was published on
None of the 15 major Swiss retail banks is meeting international climate and biodiversity targets, according to a ranking by WWF Switzerland.
This content was published on
Nestlé's new CEO Laurent Freixe, has presented plans for the future of the world's largest food company, after his first few weeks in office.
Swiss foreign minister calls on Moscow to end Ukraine war
This content was published on
It's high time Moscow ended its war against Ukraine, Swiss foreign minister Ignazio Cassis tells the UN Security Council.
This content was published on
The only alternative to the UN Palestinian agency’s work in Gaza is to allow Israel to run services there, Philippe Lazzarini, UNRWA Commissioner-General, told reporters in Geneva on Monday.
Study reveals food culture differences between Switzerland and neighbours
This content was published on
Three-quarters of Swiss people consider eating to be a pleasurable, social activity, a new survey reveals. Healthy eating, however, plays a much less important role, it found.
Domestic violence is ‘fairly widespread’ in Switzerland
This content was published on
One in seven victims were minors, and children were present in half of all police interventions. A total of 9,195 people were charged by the police. Last year, 36 people were killed during domestic violence incidents, including eight children of pre-school age. Men were responsible for three out of four incidents (78%), the office said.…
Justice minister calls for better support of crime victims
This content was published on
In the context of increasing reports of domestic violence, Simonetta Sommaruga called for improvements to a law aimed at assisting crime victims.
You can find an overview of ongoing debates with our journalists here . Please join us!
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.