Vasileia Sofroniou

“We want to be safe, not brave in the streets” is a slogan painted on the walls of Athens.  

Sometimes it appears torn apart from layers of paint; other times it is freshly repainted. Yet each time I see it, I feel it as a reminder of where I stand and where I am heading. It gives me strength, and at times, hope.

This artistic research focuses on people’s healing processes in relation to gender-based violence events in the public space. In addition, the project aims to develop practices that help affected people reclaim presence in public spaces. My main research question is: How can artistic practices contribute to healing processes of affected people in the context of gender-based violence in public spaces?

To reclaim public space, I believe it is essential to develop different knowledge systems and vocabularies that allow us to make sense of what we have experienced and how we have learned to navigate it. The methodology guiding this research includes mapping, storytelling and narration, and Participatory Action Research (PAR). My theoretical framework draws inspiration from feminist geographies, trauma and resilience practices, healing practices, decolonizing theories, and critical pedagogies.

I began this research in the Netherlands, where I organized and facilitated two workshops exploring the feeling of safety in public space and how art methods can support healing. The workshops took place in Utrecht in January and February 2026. Their titles were: “Masks of Anger & Reclaiming Space” with Danique Waarle, and “Safe(r) Bodies: A space for FLINTA+ to explore embodied practices of safety and agency in public spaces” with Clem Mondot and Kai Hazelwood.

In the second phase, I continued the research in Tangier, Morocco. There, I organized and facilitated one mapping workshop and one embroidery workshop, which took place at Dana’s Women’s House.

Across these two phases—shaped by distinct cultural and social contexts—I tried to understand how artistic practices can contribute to healing for people affected by gender-based violence in public spaces. I observed both similarities and differences in the outcomes of the workshops. I also created the booklet, “What Makes Us Women?”, aiming to connect these experiences and, through that connection, raise awareness of GBV in public spaces.

What can we learn from our own gestures—how we walk, and how we relate to public space itself?  
How do we develop agency and awareness of our own presence?  
What did our great-grandmothers and mothers pass on to us, and how did that knowledge reach us?
What stays with us?