International Tribunal on Crimes against Women
Encyclopedia
The International Tribunal on Crimes against Women was a people's tribunal which took place on March 4-8, 1976 in Brussels
. The event was created with the intention to "make public the full range of crimes , both violently brutal and subtly discriminatory , committed against women of all cultures."
and Nicole Van Den Ven, the main organizers of the tribunal,, were inspired by Bertrand Russell
's International War Crimes Tribunal, a people's tribunal on crimes committed in the Vietnam War
.
, political prisoner
s, crimes against lesbians, spousal abuse, prostitution
, pornography
and femicide
.
Numerous testimonies were provided in writing by women who were unable to attend the tribunal.
Attendee Frances Doughty noted that the Tribunal confirmed for her that "the oppression of women in general and of lesbians in particular is truly worldwide"
Lesbian poet Pat Parker
was among the contributors of testimony, speaking about her eldest sister, who was murdered by her husband.
The first Take Back the Night
march took place as a candlelight procession in association with the Tribunal.
Brussels
Brussels , officially the Brussels Region or Brussels-Capital Region , is the capital of Belgium and the de facto capital of the European Union...
. The event was created with the intention to "make public the full range of crimes , both violently brutal and subtly discriminatory , committed against women of all cultures."
History
Diana E. H. RussellDiana E. H. Russell
Diana E. H. Russell is a radical feminist writer and activist. Born and raised in Cape Town, South Africa, she moved to England in 1957, and then to the United States of America in 1961. For the past 25 years she has been engaged in research on sexual violence against women and girls...
and Nicole Van Den Ven, the main organizers of the tribunal,, were inspired by Bertrand Russell
Bertrand Russell
Bertrand Arthur William Russell, 3rd Earl Russell, OM, FRS was a British philosopher, logician, mathematician, historian, and social critic. At various points in his life he considered himself a liberal, a socialist, and a pacifist, but he also admitted that he had never been any of these things...
's International War Crimes Tribunal, a people's tribunal on crimes committed in the Vietnam War
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...
.
Content
The ITCW was attended by over 2000 women from 40 countries, and specific topics include medical and economic crimes, rapeRape
Rape is a type of sexual assault usually involving sexual intercourse, which is initiated by one or more persons against another person without that person's consent. The act may be carried out by physical force, coercion, abuse of authority or with a person who is incapable of valid consent. The...
, political prisoner
Political prisoner
According to the Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English, a political prisoner is ‘someone who is in prison because they have opposed or criticized the government of their own country’....
s, crimes against lesbians, spousal abuse, prostitution
Prostitution
Prostitution is the act or practice of providing sexual services to another person in return for payment. The person who receives payment for sexual services is called a prostitute and the person who receives such services is known by a multitude of terms, including a "john". Prostitution is one of...
, pornography
Pornography
Pornography or porn is the explicit portrayal of sexual subject matter for the purposes of sexual arousal and erotic satisfaction.Pornography may use any of a variety of media, ranging from books, magazines, postcards, photos, sculpture, drawing, painting, animation, sound recording, film, video,...
and femicide
Femicide
Femicide was first used in England in 1801 to signify "the killing of a woman." In 1848, this term was published in Wharton's Law Lexicon, suggesting that it had become a prosecutable offense. Another term used is feminicide.-First feminist definition:...
.
Numerous testimonies were provided in writing by women who were unable to attend the tribunal.
Attendee Frances Doughty noted that the Tribunal confirmed for her that "the oppression of women in general and of lesbians in particular is truly worldwide"
Lesbian poet Pat Parker
Pat Parker
Pat Parker was an African-American lesbian feminist poet.-Early life:Parker grew up working class poor in Third Ward, Houston, Texas, a mostly African-American part of the city...
was among the contributors of testimony, speaking about her eldest sister, who was murdered by her husband.
The first Take Back the Night
Take Back the Night
Take Back the Night is an internationally held march and rally intended as a protest and direct action against rape and other forms of sexual violence...
march took place as a candlelight procession in association with the Tribunal.