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Sweden to hold women-only festival in response to attacks at Bråvalla

By Andy Malt | Published on Thursday 6 July 2017

Swedish comedian Emma Knyckare has announced plans to hold a women-only music festival next year. The plan was made after the 2018 edition of Sweden’s Bråvalla festival was cancelled, following numerous reports of rape and sexual assault at its 2016 and 2017 editions.

The idea started with a tweet, in which Knyckare wrote: “What do you think about putting together a really cool festival where only non-men are welcome until ALL men have learned how to behave?”

The suggestion quickly gained traction, with hundreds of people expressing an interest in getting involved “with everything from public relations to the cleaning lady”, she told DN. Several artists have already agreed to perform too, including Linnea Henriksson, Julia Frej and Cleo Missaoui, she added.

Explaining her thinking behind the project, she said: “Who are the abusers? Well, men. So what if you put together a festival where they may not come? That was how I was thinking. I think it’s sick that half the population has to walk around and feel insecure. So next year, there will be an option: A rock festival where women can feel completely safe”.

Asked about fears that the event would be discriminatory, she added: “I hadn’t thought of that. But since it seems to be okay to discriminate against women all the time, maybe it’s okay to shut men out for three days. I would not exactly call it an abuse not to come to the festival. Also, [Swedish comedian] Magnus Betnér expressed an interest to clean up afterwards. So it won’t be completely man-free”.

The location and dates for the festival are yet to be announced.