Scandalous but unfortunately quite common
Still, the filing without follow-up to Isabel’s complaint is not surprising Women’s Life ASBL, a movement that fights once morest all forms of violence once morest women. For its Brussels regional president, Louise Metrich, “unfortunately, it is quite common in matters of harassment, rape, sexual violence, domestic violence“.
Louise Metrich judges “scandalous that the victim himself was not kept informed that his complaint was dismissed. It would be the least we might do to keep the victims informed of the progress of the proceedings. It is a failure. How can we now ensure that this type of complaint can be successful? Of course, more resources are needed, better training for magistrates, taking these complaints seriously, etc.“
The case of Isabel Morales Solis is not isolated. “We regularly talk regarding this kind of aggression in our discussion groups. Women face harassment, whether sexist but also often mixed with racist harassment such as that affecting veiled women. Often the two are combined.“
In any case, a survey conducted in 2017 by Feminine Life indicated that 98% of respondents say they have already experienced sexism (verbal and physical harassment) in public spaces including public transport…”These are not one-time phenomena. It is something recurring that occurs both in the evening and during the day. This creates a feeling of insecurity for women and of constantly having to be on their guard, in public spaces and in particular on transport. It means constantly having to put in place strategies to protect ourselves, wondering if we will reach your destination without being bothered. The fact that the facts are minimized, the weak support obtained at the time and followingwards, the fact that the complaint very often leads to nothing, that we are not kept informed of its progress: all this makes women impotent. It’s abnormal.“
Louis Metrich also recalls the existence, according to her, “of a patriarchal system“which creates an atmosphere”making men who behave in this way feel untouchable, entitled to do what they do, to assault and insult women“.
Since 2014, a law has sanctioned acts and behaviors of a sexist nature committed in the public space. “But this law remains inapplicable in practice. You can’t put an undercover police officer behind every potential attacker. This kind of behavior is therefore made possible.“
