Silvana Maubrigades
Violence is a difficult concept to tackle in a simple and linear way. Violence exists all over the world and every region is vulnerable to violence.
If we assume that poverty produces violence, then we can say that the historical inequalities of the region have produced violent environments among its population. As Latin American history is filled with struggle, first for its independence, then for its consolidation and then for political strategies to carry out national projects, we can assume that violence has been a strong component throughout such struggles, even in efforts to solve inequality issues in the region.
Limiting the question to the present, the region’s current scenario of economic, social and political changes has been the one that presents the lowest levels of violence in historical terms, although violence is still present in two types of manifestations that must be considered. Repression carried out by some economic and / or political sectors against the most vulnerable (as seen in some parts of Mexico) and interpersonal, or intra-family violence, which has become an issue in recent years. While this issue has always existed, women-led social mobilisations have brought to light issues relating to domestic violence, which many believed were culturally accepted. There is a long road ahead for Latin American women, which undoubtedly goes hand in hand with their greater participation in the labor market, their economic independence, the precariousness of the job opportunities offered to them, new family arrangements, and the role that Latin American societies assign to women, which has reached no consensus yet.
