Two Hundred

Around 200 people gathered in Luxembourg City on Saturday afternoon to call for radical changes to the country's approach to protecting children from violence. The demonstration was organised by Amnesty International, Innocence en Danger, and La Voie des survivants. The teddy bears came. 200 people came. The people brought the teddy bears. The teddy bears are what the children have. The people are what the children should have.[1]

The organisers argue that victims and their families are often not believed when reporting suspicions of abuse. The legal process in Luxembourg is far too slow to protect children adequately. The belief is the first barrier. The process is the second. The child is alone at the first barrier. The child is alone at the second. The child is alone while the system decides whether to believe. The child is alone while the system decides how long to take.[1]

They cited official figures indicating that, on average, one complaint of child rape is filed each week in the Grand Duchy. One per week. 52 per year. 52 children per year. 52 complaints per year. The complaint is filed. The complaint is what the system receives. The child is what the system should protect. The receiving and the protecting are different things. The system receives. The system does not always protect. The 200 people gathered because the system receives and does not always protect.[1]

Yesterday, the protest was announced. Today, the protest happened. 200 people came. The open letter to the Prime Minister was sent a month ago. The response has not been sent. The 200 people are the response the Prime Minister did not send. The 200 people are what happens when the silence goes on long enough. The 200 people are what happens when the system is too slow. The 200 people are the speed the system lacks. The 200 people came with teddy bears. The teddy bears are what the children have. The 200 people are what the children should have. The question is what comes after the 200. The question is what comes after the teddy bears. The question is what comes after the silence.[1]