Importance of the Fight against Femicide

In many parts of the planet, women continue to suffer all kinds of abuse. When these abuses turn into violent acts that lead to murder, it is a phenomenon known as femicide.

A battle in which we all win

Normally homicides are associated with economic interest, revenge and other motivations related to human passions. In the case of femicide, the victim is a woman and the main reason for the murder is hatred towards women.

The fight against femicide is not a battle of winners and losers. In reality it is a fight against intolerance, violence and injustice. It is a fight that not only affects women, but men can and should also participate.

The fight against femicide should not be limited to public awareness campaigns or expressions of condemnation when a woman is murdered. To eradicate ideas and feelings that lead to femicide, the youngest must be educated with criteria of full equality between men and women.

The origin of the phenomenon

This label is relatively recent, but the murders of women are not. To explain this phenomenon, it is necessary to resort to three different perspectives: the role of women in the

history, the role of women in today's society and the dominant macho mentality in some countries.

Since a patriarchal model was imposed thousands of years ago, women have remained in the shadow of men. For centuries the vast majority of women have dedicated themselves to caring for their children, their home and their husband.

Some cases of relevant women in some aspect are exceptions to the general rule. It is in the 19th century when the motion feminist begins to claim the right to vote for women and a general social change in relation to women's rights.

At present the role of women is different in the East and in the West

In the East, full equality between men and women has not yet been achieved and in the West there have been important advances but women are still subordinate to men in many areas.

A part of the population masculine has macho mental schemes. In this context, the typical male chauvinist does not accept that women hold positions of responsibility and believes that the feminine world has a lower status than the masculine world. The chauvinist feels uncomfortable with equality between the sexes and his discomfort can lead him in extreme cases to hatred and crime.

Images: Fotolia. pure adrenaline / nuvolanevicata