Domestic violence against women comprises a wide range of acts – from verbal harassment or other forms of mental abuse to daily physical or sexual abuse. At the far end of the spectrum is femicide. In recent years, the term ‘femicide’ was enthusiastically embraced in Latin America as an efficient response to an alarming escalation of gender-based violence.
Femicide, accordingly, is a gender-based hate crime term, broadly defined as "the intentional killing of girls and/or women because of their sex. The term ‘Femicide’ viewed as "a crime against humanity" claims a structural system which is to heckle and prosecute. Up to date, most cases of femicide are committed by boyfriends, common-law husbands, and centered within the home where women have fewer entitlements or fewer resources than their partner. Subsequently, in some cases, other female family members may be crucified by the so-called murders behind the cozy home.
Given that there is a colossal figure for the victims of femicide in Latin America and the world. It is statistically estimated that 13.5% of deaths are gendered and 66,000 women are violently killed globally every year. In addition, according to a 2000 report by the UNFPA, intimate partner femicide affects 3 in 10 women over a lifetime and approximately 5,000 women are murdered annually in honor killings. The rates of femicide victims differ depending on the specific country. Typically, among 25 countries with the highest rates of femicide in the world, 14 are from Latin America, with number one being El Salvador. It is proven that the threat of violent death for a woman is in every corner of the world and Latin America is dealing with the omnipresence of femicide. Paradoxically, there is a heart -wrenching fact that the common foe of women now is their partners- who are romantically involved with them.
To get the full scope of the violence problem in Latin America, we must ferret out the reason why Latin American women are at risk of femicide, instead of evading the question about violence issues.
First of all, Latino men are inclined to lose their temper in intimate relationships. There is an undeniable fact that no one is 100% compatible with their partners and there are cultural, lifestyle differences between people. Therefore, It is impossible to eliminate all arguments in a typical romantic tie. When people misunderstand each other and jump to the wrong conclusion, not resolving the conflicts peacefully can lead to arguments and resentment. Typically, some hot-tempered men buckle under a fraught conflict and become unintentionally aggressive or even violent. Breakdown in love is attributed to the female, so accordingly, men instinctively take their frustration and anger on their partners with the aim of recouping a sense of power and entitlement in their tie. These non-rejoiners not only exacerbate men’s fraught relationship but also torment women who are victims of femicide in physical pain, post-traumatic stress, and even death.
Furthermore, it has been observed that there are biased judging standards in some trials investigating femicide cases. As often reported in the public eye, male perpetrators are seen as "being driven" to commit femicide due to a "breakdown in love attributed to the female ''. In defense trials, the defense of provocation is often used to reduce the time men serve in prison. Conversely, women are not often as successful with the use of this idea of provocation in their own murder trials, and judges are statistically less likely to accept claims of self-defense. This humiliating fact not only reflects the existence of gender-based intersections in lives but also emphasizes the disgraceful emotion of the general public forward femicide.
However, we can not distort the truth that Latin America’s government is taking an action to identify a path forward to prevent and end sexual harassment. The criminalization of femicide, along with various laws passed in specific countries, has aimed at stopping this problem. In addition, the United Nations has taken a role in stopping this with a commission that calls for action to be taken. There is a growing social awareness around this issue, too with #NiUnaMenos (Not One Woman Less) or #NiUnaMas (Not One More Woman). Lastly, Female friendly urban zones have been created as a concrete solution. These zones include female only transportation and government centers offering services specifically for women.
Femicide is the emblem of gender discrepancy in Latin America. The coalition of Latin America’s countries must understand the current situation and devise evidence-based policies to advance our understanding and promote collaboration to find solutions to these severe violence problems.