Femicides in Latin America

Authors

Sedrick Ruiz Martinez, University of South Carolina UpstateFollow
Shannon Polchow, University of South Carolina UpstateFollow

Document Type

Article

Abstract

Femicide is the killing of a woman by a man solely on the account of her gender. It is the ultimate form of gender violence that includes sexual, mental, or physical suffering. It derives from a distorted sense of ownership, hatred, and entitlement from men. Femicides can stem from violent relationships; however, they can be targeted despite having no connection at all to their perpetrator. It has become an indisputable problem throughout Latin America without an end in sight. The purpose of this work is to introduce and identify the underlying factors that contribute to the occurrence of femicides within Latin America as well as to propose a solution. The solution consists of developing a gender violence preventative curriculum that will be used as a tool to decrease femicides. The methodology consists of analyzing official data reports, surveys, expert statements, and real-life testimonies in conjunction with current news and events such as protests and marches. The results demonstrated that femicides in Latin America are the product of a sexist culture. Additionally, the findings indicate that advocates and supporters no longer trust the government or their laws and demand change through social movements that promote awareness.

Recommended Citation

Ruiz Martinez, Sedrick and Polchow, Shannon (2020) "Femicides in Latin America," University of South Carolina Upstate Student Research Journal: Vol. 13, Article 3.
Available at: https://scholarcommons.sc.edu/uscusrj/vol13/iss1/3