Faced with an alarming wave of gender-based violence that has left at least 42 women murdered in Nicaragua and another 10 abroad in the first 7 months of this year alone, human rights organizations and feminist activists denounce that government measures to curb gender crimes are insufficient or non-existent and therefore call on society to join in the demand that “the barbarity be stopped.”
In a statement sent to the media, the advocacy organizations demand respect for women’s right to live free from violence, and warn that Nicaraguan women are experiencing a serious situation of “insecurity, impunity, lack of specialized attention for different crimes of sexist violence, which seriously endangers the lives of “girls, adolescents and women of all ages.”
They also mention that, according to statistics managed by the Catholic Observatory for the Right to Decide, in the first seven months of this year alone at least 42 women were victims of femicide within Nicaragua and another 10 were murdered abroad.
Related news: Femicides, exiles and imprisonment mark International Women’s Day in Nicaragua
“Each crime has been committed with cruelty and viciousness by sexist men who believe they own the lives and bodies of women,” the activists denounce.
Statistics from the Observatory of Catholics for the Right to Decide indicate that “the murdered women are mostly young: 18 were between the ages of 18 and 35, another 10 between 36 and 59, and another 10 women aged 60 or older.”
State measures are insufficient
Likewise, advocacy organizations point out that, although the State of Nicaragua has announced measures to “address violence against women,” these measures have not had any effect, especially in rural areas where conditions for access to justice are still very precarious.
“Unfortunately, some femicides are rendered invisible by being classified as suicides, which is yet another example of the lack of respect for women’s lives,” the statement said.
In this regard, activists and advocacy organizations urge society to “join in the denunciation to stop this barbarity.”
They ask the population not only to express outrage at the escalation of gender-based violence but to act in the face of “a tragedy that leaves families devastated, orphaned sons and daughters who have often witnessed these crimes, creating serious trauma in their lives.”
Kidnappings and disappearances of minors increase without authorities taking action
Another phenomenon that feminists and defenders are raising the alarm about is the constant kidnapping and disappearance of girls and adolescents.
“In the media and on social networks, more and more families are reporting missing or kidnapped girls and adolescents who, given the lack of response from institutions, are seeking the support of the population,” they claim, adding that some families have reported that police officers do not respond to complaints or respond with disdain towards the lives of missing minors, which demonstrates a lack of professionalism in these state agencies.
Related news: Murillo’s booklet against femicide failed, feminists say
Given the lack of attention to cases of gender-based violence, activists and defenders demand that protocols be activated in each complaint to guarantee the safety of the complainants and protect them from violence. “We demand respect for the life and dignity of the complainants!” they state.
For this reason, they also demand that “to change this reality, prevention, punishment and reparation of these crimes are necessary, as established by Law 779. Campaigns and programs are needed to alert girls, the community and families so that they can identify the risks in time.”
They demand “actions, not promises”
Amid the escalation of gender-based violence, advocacy organizations and activists are calling for comprehensive plans that involve all institutions and different sectors of society.
They also ask that the population be properly informed of the “route to justice” and that protection and security be provided to women of all ages.
Finally, they demand that “the barriers that make access to justice difficult be removed,” and that the damages to the victims and their families be compensated, as mandated by law. That the complaint be dealt with promptly and aggressively, to prevent the deaths of women, and that “public policies be implemented in accordance with national and international legislation that support the right of women to live free from violence.”
