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Quotes from the performing MEPs:

Franziska Brantner MEP (Germany):


"Violence against women is not a fair weather topic. In times of economic crisis, domestic violence rises across Europe. I am delighted that we succeeded in mobilising a cross-party group of women MEPs to go on stage for this call to end violence against women."
"Gewalt gegen Frauen ist kein Schönwetterthema. In wirtschaftlichen Krisen steigt die häusliche Gewalt - europaweit. Ich freue mich deswegen sehr, dass es uns gelungen ist, eine fraktionsübergreifende Runde von Abgeordneten als Darstellerinnen für den Aufruf für ein Ende der Gewalt gegen Frauen zu mobilisieren."

Isabelle Durant MEP (Belgium):


"Humour and tenderness are awesome political weapons to fight the violence done to women."
"L'humour et la tendresse sont des armes politiques redoutables pour démontrer l'absolue nécessité de lutter contre la violence faite aux femmes."

Marielle Gallo MEP (France):


"The better the status of women in society, the more it is creative!" - "The origins of creation lie in the vagina."
"Meilleur est le statut des femmes dans une société, plus elle est créative! " - "Les origines de la création se trouvent dans le vagin"

Ana Gomes MEP (Portugal):


"I celebrate the V-Day this year by participating in the parliamentary performance of the play "The Vagina Monologues", joining thousands of other global initiatives aimed at establishing an open debate without taboos about female sexuality and violence against women and girls. Profiting from the winds of courage blowing from the Arab revolutions, we have a unique opportunity to give voice to women in the fight against rape, incest, genital mutilation, trafficking and sexual slavery".
"Celebro o V-Day este ano participando na representação parlamentar da peça "Os Monólogos da Vagina", juntando-me, assim, a milhares de outras iniciativas a nível mundial que visam estabelecer um debate franco e sem tabus sobre a sexualidade feminina e a violência contra as mulheres e raparigas. Aproveitando os ventos de coragem que sopram das revoluções árabes, temos uma oportunidade única para dar voz às mulheres no combate à violação, incesto, mutilação genital, tráfico e escravidão sexual."

Kartika Tamara Liotard MEP (Netherlands):


"At least 45% of European women have been confronted with physical violence, and another 10% has been a victim of sexual violence. Yet the European Commission no longer sees the need to explicitly include the elimination of violence against women in its policy objectives, nor to allocate a specific budget to this "issue". I suggest that the Commission reflects upon the many vaginas that are going to be affected by that!"
"Zo'n 45% van alle vrouwen in Europa heeft al eens te maken gehad met fysiek geweld. 10% is zelfs wel eens slachtoffer geworden van seksuele intimidatie. Toch heeft de Europese Commissie onlangs besloten bestrijding van geweld tegen vrouwen niet langer als aandachtspunt te zien in haar beleid. Geld om dit probleem aan te pakken is geschrapt. De Commissie zou eens erover na moeten denken hoeveel vagina's de dupe worden van deze beslissing."

Ulrike Lunacek MEP (Austria):


"The Vagina Monologues lead to dialogues, notably to open dialogues, conversations and discussions about sexuality and the relationship to your own body. They do not conceal that for women, sex often goes hand in hand with violence and abuse, not only in wars but also in everyday relationships between men and women. Eve Ensler calls her play an anthropological examination, for me The Vagina Monologues are that, and much more: The Vagina Monologues offer a relentless view on the most intimate side of human life - and in spite of this, they also make us laugh. How do they do this? Just watch and listen!"
"Vagina Monologe führen zu Dialogen, nämlich offenen Dialogen und Gesprächen und Diskussionen über Sexualität und Beziehung zum eigenen Körper. Sie verschweigen nicht, dass Sex für Frauen oft mit Gewalt und Missbrauch einhergeht: In Kriegen sowieso, aber genauso in alltäglichen Begegnungen zwischen Männern und Frauen. Eve Ensler nennt ihr Stück "eine anthropologische Untersuchung" - für mich sind die Vagina-Monologe genau das und noch mehr: Vagina Monologe bieten einen schonungslosen Blick auf die intimsten Seiten des Lebens - und sie bringen uns trotzdem auch immer wieder zum Lachen. Wie sie das schaffen? Hören und sehen Sie sich das an!"

Sirpa Pietikäinen MEP (Finland):


"Women count for half of the world population and they have same rights over their bodies, their families, their societies and the world than men. This is not happening yet. These rights are violated every day. This we will change and the time for change is now. Prepare for the escalation as one billion women will rise."
"Naiset ovat puolet maailman väestöstä. Heillä on miehiä yhtäläiset oikeudet ruumiiseen, perheeseen, yhteiskuntaan ja maailmaan. Näitä oikeuksia loukataan kuitenkin joka päivä. Tähän me haluamme muutoksen ja me haluamme sen nyt. Miljoonat naiset rinnallamme me pystymme tekemään muutoksen."

Renate Weber MEP (Romania):


"Statistics are more than numbers. Close your eyes and think about three women you care about. And then listen - really listen! - to this: one in three women in the world has been beaten, forced into having sex or abused in another way. Most times by someone she knows - even her husband or another family member. Domestic violence, sexual harassment, rape, incest, trafficking of women and girls, genital mutilation - we should be able to put a stop to all these! And I am sure each of us can do more if we would only remember that statistics are more than numbers. It is our responsibility - men and women alike - to care and pay attention to the women around us!"
"Statisticile nu sunt simple cifre. Inchideti ochii si ganditi-va la trei femei care va sunt dragi. Si acum ascultati cu (mai multa!) atentie: una din trei femei din lume a fost batuta, fortata sa intretina relatii sexuale sau abuzata in alt mod. De cele mai multe ori de catre cineva cunoscut - chiar de sotul ei sau de alt membru al familiei.
Violenta domestica, hartuirea sexuala, violul, incestul, traficul de fete si femei, mutilarea genitala - ar trebui sa reusim sa punem capat tuturor acestora! Si sunt sigura ca ne-am putea implica mai mult, daca ne-am aminti ca statisticile nu sunt simple cifre. Este responsabilitatea noastra - barbati si femei deopotriva - sa ne pese si sa acordam atentie femeilor din jurul nostru!"

Cecillia Wikström MEP (Sweden):


"The Vagina Monologues is a sharp play and I am really excited to be in the cast. I think there will be many reactions in the Parliament, people will be both upset and moved but no one will be left untouched."
"Vaginamonolgerna är en skarp och fräck pjäs och det är en ära att få vara med på scen i parlamentet. Jag tror att det kommer bli starka reaktioner, folk kommer att bi både upprörda och rörda, men ingen kommer att lämnas oberörd."