Bernburg. Working together to combat violence against women – the Salzlandkreis district, the town of Bernburg (Saale) and the women’s and children’s shelter run by the Rückenwind association in Bernburg are sending a public message of solidarity by installing an orange-coloured park bench on Karlsplatz in the district town.
At the unveiling of the ‘Bench against Domestic Violence’ in Bernburg on Wednesday morning, 25 November at 10.00 am in the green space area of Karlsplatz in Bernburg (Saale), members of the public are warmly invited to attend, as announced by the Salzlandkreis Equal Opportunities Officer on behalf of the partners involved in the project.
The date was deliberately chosen by the organisers: 25 November, the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, also known as Orange Day. The United Nations chose the striking colour orange, which symbolises a future free from violence against women and girls worldwide. And the specially designed bench in a public space symbolises the void a woman leaves in society when she falls victim to domestic violence or femicide.
In Bernburg’s green town centre, the orange bench is set to serve permanently as a visible symbol of remembrance, reflection and information. A plaque bearing emergency numbers is permanently affixed to it, and a QR code provides access to information on rapid and reliable support services for victims of domestic violence. “In this way, the ‘Bench Against Domestic Violence’ raises awareness of the issue and shows those affected that they are not alone,” summarises Astrid Müller, the Salzlandkreis Equal Opportunities Officer.
This project was made possible by the local Partnership for Democracy in the Salzlandkreis district of Bernburg (Saale)/Staßfurt and funded through the federal programme “Demokratie leben!”. The organisers invite everyone to join them in sending a strong message against violence, in support of moral courage and in solidarity with those affected.