Violence against women has long been a problem in Latin America. Domestic violence gets even worst during the lockdown amid the stay-at-home orders.

The global pandemic did not only bring economic and health issues but it also it has opened another pandemic in Latin America, domestic violence against women. This has long been a problem that gets worst during the coronavirus pandemic.

Why is Latin America the Deadliest Place for a Woman Amid the Pandemic?
(Photo : Unsplash/Juan Manuel Núñez Méndez)

The Conversation claimed that gender-based violence in Latin America has spiked since the pandemic began. They even described this phenomenon as a 'pandemic within the pandemic' because of the swelling cases of domestic violence. 

Domestic violence and killings skyrocket

The Ministry of Women in Peru reported that 1,200 women disappeared from March 11 to June 30. Meanwhile, 143 women across 12 states in Brazil were murdered from March to April. Based on the data they have, there is an increase of 22 percent covering the same period when compared to the number of cases last year. 

Rape, murder, and domestic violence against women are also swelling in Mexico. It can be remembered in the precious report of Latin Post that the murder rate in Mexico increased in March. However, they were not yet able to establish as to how many of these murder cases were related to the cartels. 

On the other hand, there was a significant decrease in domestic violence against women in Guatemala. Authorities suspected that women are too afraid to report their partners who abused them. They also suspected that they were not able to call the police because of the threats they have from their partners. 

Lynn Marie Stephen claimed that the domestic violence against women in Latin America cannot be attributed to "machismo" or gender inequality. In fact, more women in the region are now more given a chance to go to school and countess women are holding different positions. 

Long history of violence against women

Violence against women in Latin America has a long history

An example of this is in Guatemala where 600 to 700 women were killed every year. This happened because of the country's 36-year civil war, a time when mass rape was carried out. The war ended in 1996 but claimed the lives of 200,000 Guatemalans. 

Stephen found out that mass rape has been used as a weapon of war in Guatemala. She also added that the Guatemalan government targeted indigenous women. In fact, based on the data she obtained, around 90 percent of over 100,000 women raped during the war were Indigenous Mayans.  

In Stephen's years of study in the country, she has heard different testimonies that demonstrate soldiers showing little humanity. Soldiers knew that Mayan women could be abused, raped, and killed. Stephen said that it was the legacy of Spanish colonialism. 

This is not only a problem in one country in Latin America, but this is experienced in other countries of other regions too. It cannot be denied that domestic violence against women has increased amid the pandemic. This is a serious concern that should be addressed. 

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