The ignored and real threat of femicide in Latin America.

It isn't hard to imagine a woman facing assault, a woman facing harassment, or a woman being denied her rights. Recent events have proven how even in the most "first class" countries a woman can be reduced to her reproductive organs and appearance. However, a new threat to women "femicidio" has them facing death just by existing. A fear too real which in Latin America specifically has been nicknamed "a pandemic".

Patriarchy rules Latin America. That is the truth of it, no matter what "progressive" politicians say. The lack of proper education in some countries (as they stand 2.5 years behind on schooling - below average in OECD), and a culture based on sexism, religion and traditional Spanish laws have resulted in a continent that remains toxic and ignorant towards the treatment of minorities and marginalised groups.

Women very normally are objectified and attacked for their appearance as well as killed and the justice system does little (if anything) to protect them. When laws are made against female assault in Latino America they are so vague and seen as "gender neutral" that most countries like Nicaragua, Costa Rica, and El Salvador have yet to state that "femicide" exists. This has then made perpetrators get away with a low sentence or further endanger victims.

Even if countries make specific laws to protect women these are rarely enforced. Mexico, after having 46% of cases and hundreds of protests in the last decade, had to form its own law to protect women specifically, however the recent 327 cases of women "disappearing" from January to April 2022 has revealed its real efficiency. Either be police directly doing the assault, juries just ignoring it or ruling it as regular assault, or the lack of word of mouth about the policy: women still risk their lives by simply going out during daylight.

At its core femicide is a reality grown from cultural, historical, and social customs which will only be resolved from constant education and activism from the general public. It represents how even the bare rights of humans who are normally thought to be have to still be won over and protected.