Comments on: Acting Against Femicide in Guatemala

By: Laura McNamara

Laura McNamara — Fri, 08 Jan 2010 18:49:19 +0000

Pues… no need to contact me if you dare. Contact Las Gravileas directly:

Website (http://lasgravileas.org/english)

Email (gravileas @ hotmail.com)

Project Manager: Dalila de Montoya

By: Laura McNamara

Laura McNamara — Fri, 08 Jan 2010 18:22:00 +0000

And change starts with discussion!

By: Erick

Erick — Fri, 08 Jan 2010 18:00:02 +0000

There are some very “interesting” point of views on this discussion. Some of them are a bit morbid though, but perhaps something gets lost in translation when trying to explain something in only a few words; a good discussion nonetheless.

By: Laura McNamara

Laura McNamara — Thu, 07 Jan 2010 22:53:37 +0000

What? David I do not see any logic by your statement: “I do consider the increasing number of women being KILLED as a SIGN OF DEMOCRATIZAION AND EQUALITY.”

How the heck do you get from

killing women = democratization and gender equality?????

By: Laura McNamara

Laura McNamara — Thu, 07 Jan 2010 22:51:34 +0000

Rachel!! Awesome!! Abrazote!!! I spoke with them personally and visited their project on several occasions. I would put my name behind them and their organization 100 percent.

Muchas gracias!!

By: Laura McNamara

Laura McNamara — Thu, 07 Jan 2010 22:43:24 +0000

Sonia… I love your passion!!

As far as the Christian, Catholic, non-of-the-above debate. People will call themselves many things but will have morals and values that vary widely from the label they give themselves. My advice: don’t get too caught up in what they CALL themselves and get caught up in how they REPRESENT themselves through their ACTIONS and BEHAVIOR.

As far as getting worked up… use that!!

Reading a book by Dan Millman right now called Way of the Peaceful Warrior. In it, one of the characters advises another to use the excess of energy from anger and transform it into positive action. Use it Sonia!!

Again, love that fighting spirit!!

By: Laura McNamara

Laura McNamara — Thu, 07 Jan 2010 22:38:48 +0000

Deal Arturo! Mission: When I return, you and I go get personal testimony and photos of the reality of violence against women only because they are women.

By: Laura McNamara

Laura McNamara — Thu, 07 Jan 2010 22:35:48 +0000

Again… the 709 isn’t the complete total number of women who were killed. It’s the number killed BECAUSE THEY ARE WOMEN. There’s a difference. The remaining figure has more women in it. And how many men are killed SIMPLY BECAUSE THEY ARE MEN. The other murders are crime-related, drug-related, gang-related, circumstance-related. They are not motivited SOLELY BECAUSE THE VICTIM IS MALE.

So please don’t get confused by the point we are trying to make. Femicide means by definition WOMEN KILLED BECAUSE THEY ARE WOMEN. NOTHING MORE.

By: Laura McNamara

Laura McNamara — Thu, 07 Jan 2010 22:32:26 +0000

I second!

By: Laura McNamara

Laura McNamara — Thu, 07 Jan 2010 22:30:02 +0000

Wow Michelle. Powerful testimony. Thanks for sharing. It's personal accounts like these that help other connect and DARE to act. Again, thank you for sharing. I'm glad to hear Ana is doing well now and has her family to protect her. Sad to hear that you know more than one person affected by this. Speaking of positive stories: check out this Times article.

By: Laura McNamara

Laura McNamara — Thu, 07 Jan 2010 22:26:12 +0000

Thanks for the clarification on the ladino and Maya. And I believe you’re right on that point. But, my pictures are Mayan women.

By: david

david — Thu, 07 Jan 2010 17:27:02 +0000

Sonia, I appreciate your point of view, but I disagree on a few points. It doesn’t matter how people are murdered; it is all violently done. I don’t think anyone has been killed by kindness. Domestic violence is terrible and it permeates the whole of Guatemalan society. There is a toxic belief that one must beat their (indigena) woman to show her one’s love for her; better off women are sequestered by their husbands, etc. I do consider the increasing number of women killed as a sign of democratization and equality. Not a good one, but a sign nonetheless.

By: Rachel

Rachel — Thu, 07 Jan 2010 16:28:05 +0000

Thank you for sharing the information for the school. It is sometimes hard to weed through all of the charities to find the truly worthy ones. I have been looking for places to make my dollars count to be part of the solution in Guatemala. I will contact this school with a donation.

Thank you!
Rachel

By: Sonia

Sonia — Thu, 07 Jan 2010 15:04:44 +0000

David, the article says the 709 women murdered were “violentely murdered”. It would be interesting to find out what number of men were “violently murdered”, so you could do a comparison. Unfortunately, I can’t find that anywhere.

Rolando, it appears to me that you are trying to make a case that violence against women is less of a problem in indigenous community than in the ladino community. That may be true, but unless you have concrete facts to back up your assertions, you should avoid making such generalizations. Domestic abuse is everywhere, even in the remotest little aldeas.

In order to address the problem of violence in Guatemala, it seems to me there has to be complete shift in the way Guatemalans view violence. We must “enfrentar” violence in every aspect. Domestic abuse should NOT be tolerated. Ever. Violent fights between men should not be tolerated.

And lastly–and some Guatemalans may be uncomfortable with this: Linchamentos should NOT be tolerated, either. I understand that la policia civil no hace ni mierda. But, there are ways to publicly shame and humiliate criminals through vigilante justice without resorting to violence. I have had many arguments with my Guatemalan husband about this. I am not Christian and I think it’s wrong. How can he, as a Catholic who believes in the teachings of Jesus Christ, think that linchamentos are acceptable?

Ack, now I have got myself all worked up about this again. I just get so mad! Violence is bad, whether it is against women, animals, children, or even ladrones. It can only lead to more violence.

By: Arturo Godoy

Arturo Godoy — Thu, 07 Jan 2010 00:21:28 +0000

So, let me know more when you get back… My Nova (camera) and I are ready, and well, let’s hope to make a change, hoping to create strong points to get people to reflect on… Thank you Laura!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!