Observatory on Murdered Women

This campaign raises awareness of the dangers caused by not speaking about domestic violence. Most forms of violence against women, such as intimate partner violence, marital rape, and economic violence are constrained to the private spheres of home and family. The dichotomy of public-private life and the idea that the law should not interfere with private concerns, represented one of main challenges to the protection of women’s rights for decades. In Portugal there is an old saying, “entre marido e mulher, ninguém mete a colher” that means that nobody has the right to interfere in a marriage. One of the main pillars of Portuguese society is the traditional view of what constitutes as ‘family’. Old-fashioned gender stereotypes that limit women’s place to family life increase their exposure to extreme violence in ‘romantic relationships’ and ultimately, femicide.