Sweden is set to hold a ‘man-free’ music festival next summer, in the wake of recent rapes and sexual assaults at events.
Earlier this week, it was announced that Swedish festival Bråvalla had been cancelled for 2018, following reports of four rapes and 23 sexual assaults on-site this weekend.
“Certain men … apparently cannot behave,” said organisers. “It’s a shame. We have therefore decided to cancel Bråvalla 2018.”
Now, Swedish comedian Emma Knyckare has announced that she’ll be organising a festival only for women next year in its place.
“What do you think about putting together a really cool festival where only non-men are welcome?” she tweeted, adding that it would take place “until all men learn how to behave”.
“Since it seems to be OK to discriminate against women all the time, maybe it’s OK to shut out men for three days?” she told Aftonbladet. “I would not exactly call it an abuse not to come to the festival.”
Last year five rapes and 12 cases of sexual assault were reported at Bråvalla. Acts including Mumford and Sons called the event “hideous” and condemned the festival.
“We’re appalled to hear what happened at the Bravalla Festival last weekend,” they said. “Festivals are a celebration of music and people, a place to let go and feel safe doing so. We’re gutted by these hideous reports. We won’t play at this festival again until we’ve had assurances from the police and organisers that they’re doing something to combat what appears to be a disgustingly high rate of reported sexual violence.”
Meanwhile, Zara Larsson tweeted “Damn you people who shamelessly rape a girl in public. Damn you guys who make a girl feel unsafe when they go to a festival. I hate guys. Hate hate hate.”
“How am I supposed to take it seriously when you say ‘not all men’, ‘I’m a nice guy, I don’t rape’? Where does all the ‘nice guys’ go when girls are raped? Are you too busy telling women how nice you are?”