Jewish women demand end to violence against women at ‘One Billion Rising’ event

The Women in Jewish Leadership (WJL) and Jewish Women’s Aid took centre stage at Friday’s ‘One Billion Rising’ event in Trafalgar Square in support of the worldwide movement that demands an end to violence against women. The two organisations, together with the Jewish Feminist Alliance, the Movement for Reform Judaism and LEAD, led a cross-communal group that called for justice for women everywhere and danced in celebration with Shadow Home Secretary Yvette Cooper MP. Addressing the hundreds in the crowd, alongside Yvette Cooper MP and Bianca Jagger, Laura Marks, co-chair of the WJL and Senior Vice-President of the Board of Deputies of British Jews, said that until there were more women leaders, issues of violence and sexual exploitation could never be top of the agenda: 

“Today, our tiny group of Jewish women stand in solidarity with a huge group of women all over the world who suffer oppression and violence. This is an issue that affects women in all communities, of all faiths and of all ages. The Women in Jewish Leadership is extremely proud to join with Jewish Women’s Aid and with all the women here in support of One Billion Rising. We are working hard to increase the number of women in senior leadership roles because we know that until we achieve this, issues of violence against women will not receive the attention they desperately deserve. That is why we are here today: to show support with women everywhere, to acknowledge that Jewish women are no different when it comes to suffering from violence, and to push for cultural, economic and social change that will benefit women on a global scale.”

Shadow Home Secretary Yvette Cooper MP said: “1 in 4 women will be a victim of domestic violence in their lifetime. It is a blight on every community. That is why it’s so important that women and men from all over the country and all over the world, from every faith and every community, are standing together as part of the One Billion Rising Campaign to demand an end to such violence. I am delighted to join Jewish Women's Aid, the Board of Deputies and Women in Jewish Leadership in Trafalgar Square today to demand action to stop more women becoming victims of violence.” 

One Billion Rising is a global campaign to end violence against women. It was set up by Eve Ensler, who wrote the Vagina Monologues. The Valentine’s Day event in Trafalgar Square featured dancing and artistic performances from a range of celebrities and activists.