Every day, there's a case of violence against women in Mexico, Spain, Argentina or somewhere else in the world.
Whether we talk about sexual harassment, physical or emotional abuse, torture, rape, human trafficking, or one of the most terrible crimes, murder, thousands of women are still victims of violence.
Regardless of geography or cultural traits, virtually all cases of violence against women are caused by patriarch patterns which, despite the efforts of States and Institutions, still persist in our modern societies.
Like Ph.D. in Law Leticia Bonifaz states in these pages, “the problem relies on people still believing a woman is an object subject to ownership they can touch, obtain, invade, damage, abuse, harass. It even seems there's a “right” to submit, control, overpower, and replace their will.”
Naturally, such right doesn't exist. What does is, unfortunately, the mistaken belief on the superiority of the male gender, taught at home but encouraged and sustained by the social environment by multiple sexist dynamics which are either ignored or intentionally overlooked.
Talking about gender inequality should be something of our dark past, mentioned only not to forget how harmful can it be to fall blindly into that belief and to avoid its reintroduction. Sadly, this is not the case. We're talking about gender inequality in the 21st century. It is a phenomenon which, despite laws, agreements, and conventions, is still taking place.
For instance, at the Belem do Pará Convention in 1994, it was established that women had the right to have their physical, mental, and social integrity respected, and the right to be valued and not taught based on social and cultural practices preaching inferiority complexes and subordination.
Given the severity of this issue, like Bonifaz states, we must focus on changing our social patterns through education – formal and informal – all throughout childhood and adolescence. We could have a gradual modification in social models and ideologies this way. The other road is, evidently, through the Law and its strict compliance.
It's vital to avoid normalizing violent conducts and raise awareness in women of their own vulnerability and their rights, so they can start from there their own empowerment.
To achieve an egalitarian world is a task in which we all have to contribute; knowing the scale of the problem is just the first step. There are thousands of lives at risk.
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