An extraordinary protest by our Chilean sisters– now also picked up in Brazil and in countries around the world!
And a translation posted on Monthly Review online:
Patriarchy is a judge
That judges us for being born
And our punishment
Is the violence you see
It is femicide
It is impunity for my killer
It is disappearances
It is rape
And the blame wasn’t mine
Or where I was
Or how I dressed
The rapist is you
They are the cops
The judges
The state
The president
The oppressive state is a macho rapist
The rapist is you
‘Sleep well innocent little girl, without worrying about bandits; your sweet dreams and smile will be watched over by the policemen who love you’.
The rapist is you
The context of the lyrics are explained further here in a post from the Radical History Review by Margaret Power. The protest started in Santiago to commemorate the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women. Power remarks,”In just a few short weeks, the powerful lyrics, catchy tune, and dramatic moves that comprise the hymn have become a global symbol of women’s anger and their repudiation of the misogynist violence and gendered discrimination that permeate the world. However, the performances do more than denounce male violence; the choreographed movements, chorus-like singing, and collective spirit also embody and promote women’s solidarity. They tell women they are not alone and alert the perpetrators to beware – they will not escape the fury of women’s justified outrage.”
