‘Where You Gonna Run?’ Is a response to the prevalent fear of the wrath of women and how this fear stems from the consistent wrongs done to women across all sections of society. The song explores the idea that women have ample cause for revenge, given the majority of domestic abuse perpetrators are male.
The inspiration for the song comes from the global backlash against the #MeToo movement, which gave women a platform to come forward about sexual abuse and assault. Despite the movement’s success in providing a voice for women who have been historically silenced, there continues to be intense criticism of the movement. The song addresses this backlash and the cultural perceptions that perpetuate the abuse of women.
The song features the Witch as a symbol of power and agency for women, as she redirects harmful cultural perceptions towards an imagined male victim. The song highlights the injustice of these perceptions and seeks to prove that women have every right to seek revenge.
Further Resources:
Connor, L. (2021) ‘8 Victim-blaming statements women are sick of hearing’, The *Independent. 11 March. Available at: https://www.independent.co.uk/lifestyle/* women-domestic-abuse-sarah-everard-b1815825.html (Accessed 3rdSeptember 2021).
Lockyer, S. and Savigny, H. (2020) ‘Rape jokes aren’t funny: the mainstreaming of rape jokes in contemporary newspaper discourse’, Feminist Media Studies, 20(3), pp. 434–449. doi:10.1080/14680777.2019.1577285.