Community to March for An End to Violence Against Women on Jan 30
HOLLYWOOD–Members of the United Human Rights Council on Thursday urged the Armenian Community of Los Angeles to join the organization on January 30 in rallying to end violence against women in Armenia.
Speaking on Horizon Armenian Television’s “Horizon 180” program with Manoug Seraydarian, UHRC members Sanan Shirinian and Nora Kayserian spoke about the upcoming march through Hollywood and their organization’s overall objectives with the demonstration.
The march, which is set to begin at Rose and Alex Pilibos Armenian School (1615 N. Alexandria Ave. Los Angeles) at 1:30pm, will be held in honor of 20-year old Zaruhi Petrosyan, who was brutally beaten to death in her Yerevan home by her husband and mother-in-law late last year. Zaruhi’s was killed despite repeated warnings to police that she was being abused and her life was in jeopardy.
According to Shirinian and Kayserian, the demonstrators will listen to speakers discussing the issue, sign petitions and march around Little Armenia carrying signs and reading testimonials from victims of domestic violence.
According to a statement on the UHRC website, the march is being organized “in solidarity with courageous activists in Armenia who are dedicated to pushing for positive change in Armenia on the human rights issue. They marchers will also demand that the Government of Armenia take immediate action to prevent and punish violence against women, which has become an endemic social problem throughout the republic.
“We will march so that victims of domestic violence, locally and abroad, know that there is hope,” Shirinian told Asbarez after the interview. “It is important for us and organizations in Armenia to work together on this issue, to send a more powerful message and make a bigger difference.”
For Kayserian, domestic violence isn’t a personal or familial issue, but a a societal problem and a human rights violation. “Therefore it is the government’s responsibility to intervene to protect the victims.”
This is a noble cause, and the efforts of this young group are very much appreciated yet may be misguided, do we really think having this event in Hollywood will have the desired effect on the authorities in the homeland? I rather have fundraising events to start funding and organizing free legal help and safe haven to victims of domestic violence in Armenia, I hate seeing our dirty laundry washed on foreign soil!