Very interesting non-violent activism....... by Ajantha - Thursday, 30 August 2012, 01:07 AM

Do you think that the Togo women will make it happen? Are they using non-violence?

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-19389625

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/08/27/togo-sex-strike-against-president-faure-gnassingbe_n_1832575.html?utm_hp_ref=world

http://www.cbc.ca/news/world/story/2012/08/26/togo-sex-strike.html

I think that they they are not using violence, I don't see this as structural violence... They would probably have influence... would that be enough?

This is fantastic! Lets hope the number of domestic assaults don't increase during this week.

I see this is a form of non-violent protest. It seems as though the women have reached the end of their tether, and given their lack of power, this might be an effective way for them to pressure the men in Togo into taking some action.

I agree that this may be a form of non-violent activism. However, it seems to me like a way of provoking to get attention, and I would imagine such activism could lead to violent measures by force in some scenarios. Just like “Pussy Riot” and “F#%#* for forest”. Despite being a powerful way of getting attention, I’d say there is a risk of getting the wrong kind of attention, and that it’s important to have a plan behind it.

I agree with Emil, that they are trying to get more attention, but sometimes many of the people that are looking at them could be saying "they are crazy or funny or what?", that means that sometimes they are not being taken seriously by the society. This also reminds me two cases of protests, first one against bull fighting around the world, where the people put red paint in their bodies to look like bleeding, and the result was to get many people scared, and second was the case in france against gender violence, where women got naked and they received the wrong kind of attention, principally from men that took a lot of photos and anything was solved.

I think this was an amazing idea. They really know how to use their soft power to have a little bit of political leverage. And I have to disagree with Andres and Emil, these women are using sex as a political tool very effectively. They dont just undress to get unnecessary attention (like the french activists Andres was mentioning), and they do it in a much classier way than what the Russians do during the pussy riot (which I watch with great disgust).

Can we define what they do as "prostitution". If you want to have sex with me, pay me (by changing the regime), if not, sorry no more sex!

If so, is prostitution legal in Togo?

Stop having sex to remind President Gnassingbe' that he needs to step down after his family has ruled the country since 1963?

I like the idea and prospect of forcing men through the lack of the most essential pleasure installed in our bodies, the orgasmic idea of coupling difference. I agree with Gibran in regards to their ability to use soft power to have political average against the 'hard' powers of real politik. I also think their demonstration is structurally different from their European/Russian counterparts ie. Pussy Riot or the French Women;

They are not going around demanding an utopian idea of liberty, like getting naked in front of thousands and/or dancing against the idiosyncratic relation the Russian Orthodox Church holds against women and their role in society at large. For as long as I agree with these kind of protest I think they are aimed more at awakening society form its apathy and presumtptions through the use of disruptive theatre (pussy riot) or theatrical grandiosity (French/naked), they say , hey look at me , if I can do it, then you can, let us all do it to remind us how ephemeral is this life.(just my interpretation obviously)

The women in Togo are fighting within their own houses and I highly respect that, given the fact that no one, especially their husbands seriously listen to their demands and political role. Given the fact that they are women and do not hold great political power, they cunningly sort to find allies in their closer enemies, husbands, creating lobbies of resistance through the restraint of sex and also the concession of it.

Nonetheless, as the centrifugal forces move from the outside to households, like a woman interviewed has stated, who is going to make sure this happens, who will watch over the diligence of women in avoiding sex.? And also, given their role in society and their relationship to men, for how long do you think a woman can restrain his man from enjoying conjugal life for? \

Indeed, they proposed diminishing the time of protest from a week down to two days. Certainly more realistic, however insufficient to remind or force the President to step down.

They are a long way from achieving their goal, nonetheless the first step has been made.

F.