Swedish 'man-free' music festival organised in response to rising number of sex assaults reaches its funding goal
- Swedish comedian Emma Knyckare proposed festival on Twitter in July
- Idea has since gained support and she pledged to make it a reality next summer
- The Statement Festival has raised £47,000 on Kickstarter in three months
- Comes after dozens of claims of sexual assault and rape at festivals in Sweden
Sweden is set to hold its first 'man-free' music festival next year after the project reached its funding goal of £47,000.
The idea for the Statement Festival was born earlier this year, after several major music events in Sweden were marred with allegations of rape and sexual assault.
Comedian Emma Knyckare proposed an event for 'non-men' on Twitter in July, and three months later the project has raised over 500,000 kronor (£46,840), pledged by more than 3,000 people.
Girl boss: Swedish comedian Emma Knyckare's proposed 'non-man' festival is set to go ahead next year as its crowdfunding campaign raised £47,000 in just three months
'At music festivals, everyone should feel safe. This sounds obvious, right? Still, year after year the music festivals around the world have shown us the opposite,' it states on the Kickstarter page.
'Statement Festival wants to change this and in the summer of 2018, we will arrange the world’s most awesome music festival - without cis-men.
'Help us to create a safe space for the people who want to attend a festival without feeling scared for their personal safety.'
The Statement Festival is due to be held in the summer 2018 for 10,000 people - cis women, trans women and non-binary are all welcome.
Some 22 people are currently working on organising the music festival, Ms Knyckare writes on the Kickstarter page.
Ms Knyckare's tweet reads: 'What do you think about putting together a really cool festival where only non-men are welcome, that we'll run until ALL men have learned how to behave themselves?'
The organisers of Bravalla Festival in Norrkoping, Sweden, have confirmed that next year's event will not go ahead after one report of rape and 11 of sexual assault this year
Bravalla (pictured) was just one of three festivals, including Peace and Love Festival and Party in the Park, to be marred by allegations of rape and sexual assault
The £47,000 raised will be used to cover costs, such as renting space for the association running the festival, paying artists, and security.
The idea for the Statement Festival came after dozens of women at Bråvalla Festival, Peace & Love Festival, and Party in the Park - three major music festivals in Sweden - reported being sexually assaulted.
Organisers of Bråvalla Festival have confirmed that next year's event will not go ahead after one woman claimed she was raped during a performance by pop singer Håkan Hellström.
Award-winning British band Mumford and Sons, who headlined at Bråvalla this year, vowed not to return until police could guarantee the safety of attendees.
Eleven cases of sexual assault were also reported during the four-day event.
Party in the Park was the first to be hit with the allegations after 35 girls between the ages of 12 and 17 reported being sexually assaulted.
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