Violence Against Women In Nicaragua

Nicaragua is a country plagued by several important issues, such as poverty and the lack of sanitation and clean drinking water. However, discrimination against women has become increasingly prevalent in nations of Latin America and has manifested in outright violence against women. In Nicaragua, “femicides,” or the homicides of women at the hands of men, and violence against women are becoming increasingly significant issue as a result of the pervasive culture of “machismo”; the Integral Law Against Violence Against Women, passed in 2012, criminalized violence against women, but has recently been mediated after facing opposition from several groups.

Machismo, a deeply ingrained cultural belief of male superiority over women, is a potential

cause of the violence that women experience. The idea of machismo can include men having the role of sole breadwinner of the household and women being considered as propertyto manage (Garcia). This places women in a position of financial dependence on their husbands and allows men to make decisions that affect the household with little to nocontribution from their wives or mothers. Furthermore, trends indicate the influence of machismo in Nicaraguan society and crime. For example, 40 percent of crimes reported by a government-funded commission are violent acts towards women, but only two percent of the crimes list women as the victims (Aleman), suggesting that men are not held responsible for the violence that they inflicton women and, more disturbingly, that violence is an adequate measure to “punish” women for provoking a man’s temper. Machismo has also resulted in rigid gender roles for both men and women. Women are expected to raise children and perform household duties, while men are the sole providers for the family(Aleman).These roles can be unsatisfactory for both parties and can cause undue pressure to perform tasks that do not suit one’s temperament or ambitions. In addition, gender roles restrict equality because genders are relegated to certain responsibilities that leave one gender subservient and both confined to lifestyles that may limit their full potential and their ability to live independently.
The Integral Law against Violence against Women, or Law 779, was passed in 2012 and severely penalized crimes against women, while also preventing discrimination in factories and other workplaces on the grounds of pregnancy, physical appearance, and other factors.

Law 779 was opposed by conservative, religious and men’s groups that argued that the law discriminated against men and caused families to break up (Konczal). There was no budget allotted for the implementation of the law (“Rapporteur for Women's Rights Visits Nicaragua”), limiting the enforcement of the law and putting the government of Nicaragua’s dedication to resolving gender violence in

question.
In October 2013, Nicaraguan legislators voted in favor of proposed changes that would allow mediation for crimes with penalties of less than five years.

With these changes implemented, crimes that have penalties of less than five years include domestic violence when the injuries are “light,” psychological violence, sexual harassment, and assault at home or in the workplace (Moloney). These lenient, insufficient penalties indicate a lack of seriousness on the part of the Nicaraguan government to end the prevalence of violence against women. Furthermore, they also indicate that gender violence is not viewed as a crime worthy of a large prison sentences. In addition, after groups that opposed the law lobbied the government, the Nicaraguan government changed its strict stance on the prohibition of mediation. The changes force women to confront their abusers and leave them in a vulnerable position of having to resolve issues that stem from a deep-seated cultural belief (Schechter). In the United States and Europe, mediation is not used when there has been a history of violence in the home (Moloney), indicating that the possibility of continue abuse is still likely and victims are still in

danger.
In conclusion, Nicaragua’s strictly patriarchal society has proven to be dangerous for women and children that grow up in such an oppressive environment. The Integral Law Against Violence Against Women was Nicaragua’s first attempt to resolve the issue of gender violence, but the reforms that the government has made to the law weaken its position and suggest that Nicaragua will have long strides to make in order to ensure equality between the genders. The culture of machismo strongly influences Nicaraguan society and has caused strict gender roles to form. Nicaragua will need more time and a stronger position on gender violence in order to bring about change for women.