ABSTRACT:
The pandemic has exacerbated problems linked to gender inequality. Likewise, as a consequence of the different measures of social isolation, violence against women has increased. Although home isolation is necessary to prevent the spread of COVID-19, many women put their lives at risk by being forced to stay with their perpetrators at home. The concern is deep because although it is still too early to obtain complete data, some reports already give an alarming increase in violence against women around the world of at least 25%. In this sense, Latin America has been one of the most affected regions.
2020 marks the 25th anniversary of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action. This year was expected to be transcendental for gender equality. Unfortunately, the spread of the pandemic has highlighted structural inequalities, placing several of the advances in gender equality over the past decade at risk (United Nations, 2020).
Women have been disproportionately affected by the pandemic. Pre-existing social, political, and economic inequalities have been accentuated due to the COVID-19 (United Nations, 2020). The immediate effects of the pandemic on gender inequality are present in multiple spheres, ranging from health and education to unpaid care work and gender-based violence (UNDP Regional Center for Latin America and the Caribbean, 2020).
Social distancing measures, stay-at-home restrictions, and other provisions that limit the free movement of people have contributed to the increase in gender-based violence. Although these measures are necessary to prevent the spread of COVID-19, some women are at risk of violence in their own homes. For instance, many women put their lives at risk when they have no alternative but to remain with their abuser, while others have been unable to access support services for survivors of gender-based violence. Also, crowded homes, substance abuse, limited access to services, among others affect these women negatively. (United Nations, 2020).
Violence against women has increased in several countries across the world. Although it is still early to obtain complete data, some reports have already shown an alarming increase in violence against women around the world of at least 25%. In some countries, reported cases of gender-based violence have doubled (United Nations, 2020).
Latin America has been one of the most affected areas. According to the United Nations, 12 women are killed every day in Latin America due to their gender. Furthermore, the region is home to 14 of the 25 countries with the highest rates of femicides in the world, even taking into account that the vast majority of murders are not prosecuted (United Nations, 2020).
Argentina is a country where the figures related to the number of femicides as a consequence of confinement are worrying. Almost half of the femicides registered since the beginning of the year occurred during the quarantine. Gender specialists have expressed concern about this situation, particularly in regard to how complex it is for women to ask for help if they are coexisting with their perpetrators (Magnano, 2020).
In emergency contexts, violence against women, particularly domestic violence, increases due to tensions and conflicts at home. An example is the case of Ecuador, whereof 65% of women who have experienced gender-based violence, 45% have been direct victims of their partners or ex-partners. (National Council for Gender Equality, 2020). Furthermore, the probability of suffering violence when the partner is at home or unemployed increases by 28% (Primicias, 2020). During this quarantine, femicides have increased; more than a dozen cases have already been registered. The violence has been so strong that even in the Galapagos, the first femicide was registered this year.
Newspapers, such as The Guardian, have published reports about how some governments are not taking violence against women seriously. This is harmful because it contributes to an increase in violence against women during the pandemic. An example is the case of Mexico, where it was approved a budget cut of 75% of the funds for the promotion of gender equality in the country (Globan Citizen, 2020).
The United States, too, is a country where reports of domestic violence and demands for emergency shelters have heightened during the pandemic (UN Women, 2020). The U.S. is experiencing a marked inequality in the percentage of infected people, hospitalizations, and deaths among minorities such as African American, Hispanic-American, and Native American populations. COVID-19 is not racist, but the structural, social-racism creates conditions that put women who belong to minorities at greater risk (Marcelin, 2020).
CONCLUSION:
Psychologists, activists, and police agree that compulsory confinement causes more stress for couples and that complaints of gender-based violence have multiplied in various sectors of cities, including rural and urban areas(United Nations, 2020). This reality is overwhelming and troubling. Structural inequalities, the imbalance of powers, and certain social norms cause women, girls, and adolescents to face additional risks compared to the rest of the population (UNDP Latin America and Caribbean Regional Center, 2020). Governments must focus their response to this crisis by prioritizing support for women, implementing measures that have proven to be effective, and integrating prevention efforts and services to respond effectively to gender-based violence.
If any woman is being a victim of gender-based violence, remember that you are not alone. Raise your voice and do not be afraid! There are support networks where you can seek help and it is important that you know which your rights are. Only in this way, together, can we face the pandemic of gender-based violence.
BIBLIOGRAPHY:
- Centro Regional PNUD América Latina y Caribe. (2020). Boletín de Julio 2020.
- Consejo Nacional para la Igualdad de Género. (2020). Los riesgos a los que se enfrentan las mujeres durante la emergencia sanitaria por el Covid-19 en Ecuador. https://www.igualdadgenero.gob.ec/los-riesgos-a-los-que-se-enfrentan-las-mujeres-durante-la-emergencia-sanitaria-por-el-covid-19-en-ecuador/
- Global Citizen. (2020). Aumentan los feminicidios en México a medida que el gobierno niega los riesgos de violencia de género. https://www.globalcitizen.org/es/content/mexico-cuts-womens-institute-budget-femicide-rises/?utm_source=Iterable&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=LATM_July_31_2020_Content_Digest
- Magnano, C. (2020, March 30). Coronavirus en Argentina: el reclamo contra los femicidios sonó en forma de ruidazo desde los balcones – Clarín. https://www.clarin.com/sociedad/coronavirus-argentina-reclamo-femicidios-sono-forma-ruidazo-balcones_0_mo_ixIPNi.html
- Primicias. (2020). 6.819 llamadas ha recibido el ECU-911 por violencia de género. https://www.primicias.ec/noticias/sociedad/6819-llamadas-ecu911-violencia-genero/
- United Nations. (2020). The Impact of COVID-19 on Women. https://www.un.org/development/desa/dpad/
Ph.D. (c) Desirée Viteri Almeida is the Project Manager & Director of the Department of Multimedia, Creativity, and Social Media at Health Facts Now. She studied Diplomacy and International Relations at the International University of Ecuador and obtained the degree of Internationalist. Later, she studied Political Science and Government and obtained the title of Political Scientist and was the best graduate of her class. She also completed a Master in Political Analysis and Institutional Advisory at the University of Barcelona.
Currently, she is a Ph.D. Candidate in Law and Political Science, specifically in the area of Criminal Law and Criminal Sciences. Her work has focused on issues related to human rights (gender equality, education, peace, justice, migration, health, social disparities, among others). She has conducted different research activities about violence against women, female empowerment, the rights of women and girls, gender-based violence, among others.