By Maria Luiz Figueroa Ramon | Project Leader
When a woman experiences violence, it affects her in various ways—physically, mentally, psychologically, and within her community. Stigmatization and revictimization often worsen her situation.
Such is the case of Doña Virgilia, who is being dispossessed of her land by her son, as we mentioned in the previous report. Her process is still ongoing and has been very complex. We have had to intervene with the National Agrarian Attorney’s Office to expedite her case. It was necessary to escalate to this level because her community failed to recognize her rights, as the local authorities (the ejido commissioner) lack a gender and rights-based perspective. It is rare for a woman to be acknowledged as having the right to land. Additionally, at the regional level, those responsible for administering justice have limited themselves, claiming they don't know how to intervene.
Doña Virgilia has been exposed to the communities and has had to recount her story at every step, to each person who has approached her to offer help, which has led to her revictimization. This reflects the lack of competence and sensitivity among those administering justice. She says she now feels emotionally and physically exhausted, as her age, disability, health issues (high blood pressure), and economic hardship have all combined to make her say, “Enough, I don’t want to continue anymore!” This is an example of how violence brings women into focus, confronting them with their own struggles. When they cannot find a solution to their problems, they often return to the cycle of violence, putting their own lives and the lives of their children at risk.
At the care center, we strive to provide comprehensive support, including listening, emotional and psychological support, translation, legal guidance, and follow-up on their cases. During this reporting period, we have served 78 women with a total of 1,069 services.
Your donation is vital to continue supporting more women, girls, and adolescents who are experiencing violence.
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