girli Releases "Slap On The Wrist," a Rallying Cry Against Gendered Violence and Impunity

London-based alt-pop singer-songwriter girli released her new single "Slap On The Wrist"along with an accompanying music video on January 20, 2026. The track serves as a defiant statement against gendered injustice, focusing on the everyday safety concerns of women and the systemic failures that let abusers face minimal consequences.

Sonically, "Slap On The Wrist"blends explosive pop-rock elements with uplifting guitars and a chantable chorus, transforming frustration into a call for collective action. girli co-wrote the song with Maude Latour, Milly Toomey, and Aidan Hogg, who also handled production. In a statement, girli explained: "I wrote it about the fear women live with every day in a society where male violence is the norm and the legal system does so little to listen to and protect victims. It's about perpetrators of sexual assault getting away with a slap on the wrist while survivors have to deal with being blamed for their assailant's actions and the fear that follows: knowing that abusers most often face no repercussions.

She further emphasized the song's purpose for survivors, criticizing courts, police, abusers in power, and online misogyny: "This song is for survivors. F**k the courts that let 98% of rapists get off without a sentence, f**k the police who gaslight victims, f**k the abusers in power who scare their victims into not speaking out, f**k the incels online spreading violent misogynistic rhetoric. We deserve to feel safe. We deserve to be believed. and they deserve to get more than a slap on the wrist. The music video, directed by Sarah Dattani Tucker and co-directed by Elizah Hatch of Cheer Up Luv, opens with a title card noting that its scenes draw from real stories and locations of harassment and abuse experienced by women. It features a diverse cast of female and transgender actors, subtitling vignettes with participants'first names and ages to emphasize lived realities across identities. The video concludes with statistics on violence against women and resources from Rape Crisis England & Wales, including their 24/7 support line at 0808 500 2222.

This partnership with Cheer Up Luv, a UK-based advocacy group supporting women, underscores the video's commitment to highlighting universal experiences of harassment. As an openly LGBTQ+ artist, girli integrates her advocacy into her work, building on themes from her sophomore album "Matriarchy"and recent single "Better Undressed. Her music often addresses identity, mental health, and social change, now shifting toward raw, grounded expression. The release has been covered across music outlets, positioning it as a pivotal moment in girli's evolution toward more activist-driven pop.

For transgender people and women in the LGBTQ+ community, the track and video resonate by affirming shared vulnerabilities to violence and calling for systemic accountability. girli's inclusion of trans actors in the video promotes person-first visibility, aligning with broader community pushes for safety and belief in survivor narratives. The song's streaming links and video are available via girli's official channels, including YouTube and bfan. ink. This release marks girli's continued rise in the alternative scene, where her blend of pop accessibility and political edge fosters dedicated support among fans advocating for change.