You are alone is part of an ancient silence. In Portugal, before the decriminalization of voluntary interruption of pregnancy (IVG), women aborted clandestinely, in improvised and unsafe spaces, using household objects in desperation for self-determination. It was the third leading cause of death among Portuguese women. But this installation is not only a memory; it is also a denunciation. Despite decriminalization, setbacks have emerged that jeopardize full access to IVG in Portugal, such as conscientious objection, the lack of responses in the most isolated territories, and even recent attempts to include in the law persecutory practices against pregnant women who decide to interrupt their pregnancies. Furthermore, it is important to remember that this is a women's right, still far from being achieved in many parts of the world.
More info: www.falafogo.pt/estas-sozinha
The project is part of the subtheme Unruly Forms – Experiments in the Poetic Wild.
Author
Inês Falafogo
Inês Falafogo is a poet who explores the possibilities of its written, spoken and visual aesthetics. She also creates soundscapes and installations. Her works, in which she reflects on themes such as time, freedom, and equality, have been published in anthologies and exhibited at national and international art festivals. She was a finalist in the Portuguese competition Cantar Abril, in the Declamar [Spoken Word] Abril category (2024), received an honorable mention in the Gender Equality Literary Prize (2024), and at the Lisbon Poetry Festival (2023, 2024, and 2025). She is the author of the book Casulo para criar asas and founder of the collective Mulheres Fazem Revoluções (Women Make Revolutions). She has a master degree in Communication and Journalism, a postgraduate degree in Digital Marketing, and a PhD in Feminist Studies to be finished.
