During the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence,discover seven Equipop partner organizations committed to combating gender-based and sexual violence in West Africa. In 2019, Bénédicte Joan, a survivor of sexual assault, created the Stop au Chat Noir association to support young victims of sexual abuse and to encourage, promote, and assist any action aimed at ending gender-based and sexual violence. The association takes its name from the Ivorian expression "Faire chat noir" (to be a black cat), which refers to the way in which some men break into a young woman's bedroom to obtain sexual favors, sometimes by force. This expression actually hides a social phenomenon that is all too common today and highlights many issues related in particular to the treatment and place of women in Ivorian society. Many victims of this notorious chat noir find it difficult to put into words what has happened to them, or even to realize the seriousness of the acts. This is where the association steps in.
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Stop au Chat Noir brings together a team of six people (consultants and volunteers) and more than 100 members, who are mobilized in two areas: the prevention of sexual violence and the care of survivors, as well as providing them with psychological, psycho-educational, and therapeutic support to meet their needs and offer them a caring and safe environment.
"We raise awareness among young people through talks, which we call gbayements here. We also have discussion groups where we talk about very raw topics: we talk about sexuality without filters." Bénédicte Joan, president of Stop au Chat Noir
FOCUS ON "ON VA GBAYER": DELICATE BUT NECESSARY DISCUSSIONS! "On va gbayer féministes" is an awareness-raising and training program to combat gender-based violence, which began in 2022 in the areas of Sassandra, Soubré, and Yabayo. Its goal is to bring about the changes needed to achieve gender equality and empower girls in middle and high school through inclusive education, involving all stakeholders in the student community. How? By breaking the silence around sensitive but necessary topics! These discussions take the form of discussion groups, conferences, and live social media events with a single goal: to give survivors of sexual violence the opportunity to rebuild their lives. FOCUS ON THE CONSENT FESTIVAL In March 2022, the association organized the first feminist festival on gender-based violence in Côte d'Ivoire: the Consent Festival! This unique festival took place at Félix-Houphouët-Boigny University in Cocody to highlight the actions taken by Stop au Chat Noir, as well as all the organizations that campaign against sexist and sexual violence in Côte d'Ivoire. The first Festival of Consent was a valuable opportunity for advocacy, as all of Stop au Chat Noir's recommendations for better management of GBV in universities were presented.
Equipop's sisterly support With Equipop's support, the association was able to strengthen its internal organization by formalizing its financial procedures. This support also enabled Stop au Chat Noir to expand its awareness-raising and advocacy activities in the region, and contributed to the establishment of Villa Kotonga and the development of the mobile app. Giving a voice tovictims In the fight against gender-based and sexual violence, data is essential to understanding the scale of the phenomenon, analyzing the challenges encountered, and evaluating the impact of actions on the ground. Faced with these challenges, the organization developed the "Stop au Chat Noir" app to record cases of sexual assault and give a voice to women who have been victims of such assaults. The chat feature available on the app allows victims of sexual violence to break out of their isolation and break their silence. On the chat, they can speak anonymously. Stop au Chat Noir volunteers listen attentively and provide moral support. They also inform victims about local and national support systems and resources, and refer them to appropriate emergency services or specialized support platforms if necessary. Stop au Chat Noir wants to enrich the app with data on the context of GBV in Côte d'Ivoire in order to inform young people about their rights and give them the opportunity to put into words the violence they may have suffered. Helping them rebuild their lives Villa Kotonga is an emergency shelter set up by Stop au Chat Noir. It is a safe and secure refuge for survivors of GBV and their children, located in Bingerville. In order to be present at every stage of the survivors' recovery, the association wants to equip Villa Kotonga with a creative room for the ongoing training of survivors.
