Female Statues In Germany Fade Due To Frequent Touching

The action is part of a campaign called “Unsilence the violence”.

In order to show how sexual harassment leaves a mark, a women’s rights organisation in Germany is drawing attention to bronze statues of nude women, with breasts that are visibly lighter after years of being touched. The group has put up large white placards behind three bronze statues of nude women with the slogan ‘Sexual Harassment Leaves A Mark’. These statues highlight the frequency of sexual harassment women face on a day-to-day basis. This action is part of a campaign called “Unsilence the violence”, launched by the women’s rights organization Terre des Femmes, DW reported.

According to the group, two out of three women experience sexual harassment at some point in their lives, and these statues highlight that tale. The placards were placed behind Juliet Capulet statue in Munich’s Marienplatz, the “Youth” statue in Bremen’s Hoetgerhof and in front of the “Frau Rhein” statue that is part of the Neptune fountain in central Berlin. Based on the pictures of the status, the breasts of the bronze nude women have become lighter, which gives a clear indication of where they are frequently touched. 

“Sexual harassment is a problem that is far too often trivialized or ignored,” Sina Tonk of Terre des Femmes said in a press release. “We must work together to ensure that the voices of victims are heard and that perpetrators are held accountable,” she added. 

As per the group, the photos of the installations clearly show that the naked women’s breasts have a much brighter shine than the rest of the statue, a result of “where they are most often touched”.

Also Read | She Once Broke Her Wrists. At 58, She Made Plank World Record

The three statues “visibly show the decades of assaults by passersby,” Terre des Femmes said. The act leaves its mark – “just as it does for those affected by sexualized violence,” the organisation added. 

As per the press note, passers-by at these statues could scan the QR code on the placards to hear short recordings to let the statues speak against the assault. However, the spokesperson of the group stated that these posters had been removed due to permit issues. 

Notably, Terre des Femmes has been campaigning against human rights violations against girls and women, against gender-specific discrimination and for women’s rights for over 40 years.