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United Nations commission reports on violence against women in Latin America

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A new report out today says up to 40% of women throughout Latin America have been victims of physical violence. The rate of emotional abuse is even higher, says the U.N.’s Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (CEPAL).

Sexual attack, trafficking of women and discrimination against indigenous and migrant women are some of the forms of violence. It is often exacerbated by economic crisis or political conflict.

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‘Trafficked, sold, exploited for sexual reasons; excluded from employment and school because they are pregnant; discriminated or attacked for not hewing to masculine criteria.... Violence against women does not distinguish among social class, origin, generation, color of skin nor creed,’ said Laura Carrera, Mexico’s national commissioner for the prevention of violence against women. She spoke in Mexico City at the opening of a seminar on the issue, part of U.N.-sponsored activities worldwide meant to shine light on the problem.

The CEPAL report says ‘a close relationship exists between inequality, discrimination and violence against women.

‘Further, violence against women gains strength from and is promoted by the persistence of the balance of power that takes [from women] possibilities to exercise economic, political and physical autonomy.’

The 65-page study also contains an interesting discussion of legal and political definitions of the word ‘femicide’ -- woman-murder.

The complete report, in Spanish, is available at: http://www.eclac.cl/mujer/noticias/noticias/2/37892/Niunamas2009.pdf

-- Tracy Wilkinson

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