By Kaitlyn Degnan
Impunity Watch Reporter, South America
BUENOS AIRES, Argentina — Over 200,000 people took part in demonstrations outside of the National Congress in Buenos Aires on Wednesday 4 June to protest violence against women. Smaller protests also occurred in 80 other cities around the country. Demonstrations were also held in neighboring Chile and Uruguay.
Demonstrators carried banners and badges bearing the slogan, “Ni una menos”, which means, “not one less.” Others wore t-shirts in support of the movement.
The demonstrations were organized by journalists, writers and artists following the news of the murder of Chiara Páez, a pregnant 14 year old by her 16 year old boyfriend. He allegedly beat her to death after learning she was pregnant.
Chiara’s death is only the latest in a string of instances of violence against women. In April, a kindergarten teacher (who had separated from her husband and had a restraining order against him) was killed when her husband stormed into her classroom and slit her throat in front of a group of children.
Another woman was shot by her estranged partner a mere two days before the demonstrations. She remains in serious condition.
Femicide – the killing of a woman by a man where her gender plays a role in the crime – is a growing issue in Argentina. Over 250 femicides have occurred each year since 2010. Activists have reported that a woman is killed in Argentina every 31 hours – culminating in over 1,800 deaths since 2008.
Many are calling for a change in culture to curb the violence, including Argentinian lawmaker Gabriela Alegre: “The current situation shows that legislation and prison sentences are not enough. We have to confront the problem by changing the culture and educating people.”
That attitude was echoed by La Casa del Encuentro, an NGO which provides counseling for abused women in Argentina. Head Fabiana Tunez spoke of “a society that is sick with machista attitudes where the woman continues to be seen as a thing to be dominated.”
The problem isn’t restricted to Argentina. Statistics suggest that over five women are killed in instances of domestic violence per day in Mexico, and as many as 15 per day are killed in Brazil.
Although Argentina has taken some steps towards curbing the issue, activists urge that it hasn’t been enough. The National Congress passed legislation in 2009 to prevent violence against women, and in 2012 passed laws initiating harsher sentences for femicide. However, despite these efforts cases of violence against women have still increased.
For more information please see:
AFP – Brutal murders show violence women face in Latin America – 2 June 2015
BBC – Argentine marches condemns domestic violence – 4 June 2015
Buenos Aires Herald – #NiUnaMenos: a deafening cry sweeps country – 4 June 2015
PanAm Post – Mass Protests Call Out Argentina’s Femicide Problem – 4 June 2015
