'The Rapist Is You' Protestors Chant Outside Weinstein Trial

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'The Rapist Is You' Protestors Chant Outside Weinstein Trial
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During the jury selection process for Harvey Weinstein’s trial in New York on Friday, protestors stood outside the courthouse chanting and performing a dance that originated in Santiago, Chile as a statement against rape culture, victim blaming, and patriarchy as a whole.

The song and dance, created by feminist theater collective Las Tesis, was first performed on International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, outside the supreme court building in Santiago, Chile in November of 2019. The performance catalyzed protests in several European countries, before eventually making its way the the courthouse where Weinstein’s trial would be held.

According to Las Tesis the song, titled “Un Violador en Tu Camino,” which translates to “A Rapist in Your Path” is meant “to show rape not just as a crime against an individual woman, but the expression of a larger social issue.” It was performed in both Spanish and English on Friday.

The lyrics and their translation, as well as instructions for the dance, are below.

[Keep arms loose at your side, march in place to the beat for the first eight verses]
El patriarcado es un juez,
Que nos juzga por nacer
Y nuestro castigo
Es la violencia que no ves.

El patriarcado es un juez,
Que nos juzga por nacer
Y nuestro castigo
Es la violencia que ya ves.

Es feminicidio
[Place hands behind the head, squat up and down]
Impunidad para el asesino
[Repeat movement above]
Es la desaparición
[Repeat movement above]
Es la violación
[Repeat movement above]

[Run in place, but without lifting feet from the ground; move forearms up and down in sync with the feet]
Y la culpa no era mía, ni dónde estaba, ni cómo vestía
Y la culpa no era mía, ni dónde estaba, ni cómo vestía
Y la culpa no era mía, ni dónde estaba, ni cómo vestía
Y la culpa no era mía, ni dónde estaba , ni cómo vestía

El violador eras tú
[Extend right arm straight out in front of you, pointing]
El violador eres tú
[Repeat movement above]

Son los pacos
[Point left]
Los jueces
[Point right]
El estado
[Raise arms, pointing in circle around the head]
El presidente
[Cross forearms above the head]

[Move forearms up and down rhythmically, fist closed]
El estado opresor es un macho violador
El estado opresor es un macho violador

El violador eras tú
[Extend left arm straight out in front of you, pointing]
El violador eres tú
[Repeat movement above]

[Cup hands around mouth to amplify shouting]
Duerme tranquila niña inocente,
sin preocuparte del bandolero,
que por tus sueños dulce
y sonriente vela tu amante carabinero.

El violador eres tú
[Extend right arm straight our in front of you, pointing]
El violador eres tú
[repeat movement above]
El violador eres tú
[repeat movement above]
El violador eres tú
[repeat movement above]

The patriarchy is a judge
that judges us for being born
and our punishment
is the violence you don’t see.

The patriarchy is a judge
that judges us for being born
and our punishment
is the violence that have seen.

It’s femicide.
Impunity for the killer.
It’s disappearance.
It’s rape.

And the fault wasn’t mine, not where I was, not how I dressed
And the fault wasn’t mine, not where I was, not how I dressed
And the fault wasn’t mine, not where I was, not how I dressed
And the fault wasn’t mine, not where I was, not how I dressed

The rapist is you.
The rapist is you.

It’s the cops,
The judges,
The state,
The president.

The oppressive state is a rapist.
The oppressive state is a rapist.

The rapist is you
The rapist is you

“Sleep calmly, innocent girl
Without worrying about the bandit,
Over your dreams smiling and sweet,
watches your loving cop.”

The rapist is you
The rapist is you
The rapist is you
The rapist is you

 
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