BY LORETO MARSAL, STAFF REPORTER
Last year, a severe pandemic hit the entire world, causing the deaths of millions of people around the globe. This virus provoked each and everyone of us to change our lifestyle, making us stay in our houses quarantined for a couple of months. This was supposed to result in the improvement of the situation. But…how could everything end in people being fiercely damaged by this “solution”?
Gender inequality is and has always been one of the awfullest ways of violence ever. The fact that one gender feels better and superior than the other, as well as homophobia or misogyny, gives me chills. Every year approximately 770 million women are attacked by their partners or ex-partners.
Before the pandemic, between 40% and 60% of the women confessed having been harassed on the streets, and the 35% sufferend from physical or sexual violence from their partners or someone other than them. One of three women suffered this.
And this is the tiniest part, because the majority of women suffering from gender violence won’t call for help due to the fear they have or the pressure they are under.
Which leads to a huge amount of women and girls that live in a hole of depression and loneliness, causing deep wounds that are really difficult to heal, and even suicide.
When Covid-19 appeared and “settled down”, all the people suffering were obligated to stay in their houses, trapped with their aggressors, with no way out. The cases raised, and in many countries, calls to domestic violence hotlines increased.
Quarantine, for its part, creates the ideal conditions for the elements of gender violence to be emerged: it isolates women even more, increases control by formal closure at home, facilitates impunity by increasing barriers so that women can get out of violence and creates a context that facilitates the use of any of its forms at the slightest stimulation.
The situation, aggravated by the enclosure, caused thousands of women around the world to be hit, raped or maltreated. As well as children of all ages. And the worst part is that parents, commonly fathers and husbands, are responsible for it. They would blame the alcohol, drugs or outbursts of rage in order to excuse themselves, which would later become attacks without alibis.
Those who still live in the caverns will say that if a woman suffers, and if she is “so strong”, she should just say it and get divorced. But that’s not that easy. When you have someone saying how weak, stupid and worthless you are 24/7, you end up believing it.
They hold on, but in horrible conditions. They tend to have mental illnesses, and fear is their companion. That’s why campaigns and protests should be done more regularly, to show them that there’s people outside who uphold them, and to encourage them to call for help, to raise their voices.
However, a big part of the society, instead of defending the victims, creates apologies to the assailants when a woman is raped. They blame their clothing, the alcohol… They stand up for a criminal.
As someone really clever said: << “He was drunk” are the words we use to explain and excuse the bad things he does. “She was drunk” are the words we justify as the reason why the bad things happen to her. >>
Something must be done. We cannot let people assault women, LGBT+ community or, in the least of the cases but still there, men. We all need to show support and acceptance so that no one is afraid to ask for help, or to rebel against their aggressor. Together, we are stronger.
