Protesters in the Armenian capital during the Electric Yerevan protests of 2015. (c) Kirill Kallinikov / visual RIAN. All rights reserved.It is an ordinary evening in Yerevan, the capital of Armenia. A man is in a taxi on Baghramyan Avenue, going down to the city centre. Suddenly, the street is blocked by protesters. Among the activists, a woman stands with a megaphone, reeling off the group’s demands. “They don’t have anything to do, that’s why they protest,” says the driver. “Look at her, I’m sure she hasn’t got a family or a kid.” The passenger smiles back: “Well, she does have children, not one, but three. And even a husband – me.”
This short story from the life of Zaruhi Hovhannisyan, a feminist activist, reflects the uneasy public perceptions about civic protests in Armenia — and female activism in particular. “It is very hard to be a female activist in Armenia. In a society where it is expected that women should stay at home and take care of the household, it is unusual to see a woman who gets out of her shackles, occupies a street and fights for a certain cause,” Zaruhi tells me .
In Armenia, public space is considered “dangerous for women”. Armenia’s police even has an official statement on “female security” that advises women on what to do to avoid harassment on the streets. “While walking alone late, ask somebody to accompany you,” “Try not to wear clothes that would seduce maniacs,” “Try not to overload your hands with bags” – these are a few helpful hints from the police that seemingly justify violence against women on the basis of their appearance and behaviour, instead of ensuring that public spaces are safe for everyone.
