Hundreds of Men Rally in Bern to Protest Violence Against Women

OPA WIRE, Nov 14 (OPA) — Hundreds of men led a demonstration in Bern on Saturday, demanding that men assume greater responsibility in combating violence against women. The rally, organized by the group Maenner, took place outside the Swiss parliament amid rising concerns over misogynistic content circulating among teenage boys and young men online.

Co-organizer Christoph Gosteli, a 42-year-old social worker, addressed the crowd during the demonstration. "We men are part of the problem—the problem being violence against women and queer people," Gosteli said, adding that participants wanted to be part of the solution rather than the problem.

The protest follows a study released in June by the University of Zurich and mencare, an umbrella organization for Swiss men's and fathers' groups. The survey revealed that half of male respondents aged 18 to 24 worried that traditional masculinity is marginalized, holding restrictive and dominance-based views.

Swiss Justice Minister Beat Jans addressed the issue at a November conference, citing government statistics indicating that four-fifths of violent crimes and 99% of rapes are committed by men. Authorities continue to press for systemic debates in schools regarding violent ideals of masculinity.