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Violence Against Children and Youth

Violence against women intersects with violence against children. Oftentimes, child maltreatment and partner violence co-occur within the same household (Bridging the Gaps). Outside of the household is not safe either; children can be bullied, face violence in school from teachers, or from employers if they work. Globally, over half of all children – around 1 billion – are affected by physical, sexual or psychological violence (United Nations). These numbers differ depending on location, but it remains a plague around the world. Many official reports actually underestimate the real magnitude of this problem as it is difficult to measure violence against children (UNICEF).

In the United States, the CDC reports that at least 1 in 7 children have experienced child abuse and/or neglect in the past year. In 2018, nearly 1,770 children died of abuse and neglect (CDC). For North America generally, 61% of children aged 0-17 were found to have experienced physical, sexual, or emotional abuse per year (PAHO). In a study done on youth violence, it was found that, “White youth had the lowest risk for severe violence and Puerto Rican youth had the highest risk compared to all other racial/ethnic subgroups” (Estrada-Martinez 2010). The same study mentioned that violence is the second leading cause of death among the Latinx population, falling between the risk of non-Latinx White and Black youth, but that it can be difficult to generalize results for all Latinx subgroups since it is a very diverse community.

The Pan American Health Organization and World Health Organization concluded a similar number for Latin America and the Caribbean (abbreviated as LAC), including Mexico, finding that an estimated 58% of children faced violence. These findings show that the majority of children in the Americas are facing abuse, and LAC are recognized as some of the most violent geographic areas globally for young people (Violence against children in LAC).

These high numbers are very similar to those reported in Ecuador. The National Council for Intergenerational Equality reported the following statistics (translated from Spanish): 33% of children and adolescents say that they have been hit by their parents; 47% of parents use physical punishment as a means of “education”; 4 out of every 10 children have suffered extreme maltreatment; Out of every 10 victims of sexual abuse, 6 are children. Fundación Azulado, a well-respected NGO, also states alarming statistics on Ecuador:

• Violence is one of the ten leading causes of death in children and adolescents.
• 39.9% of children between 6 and 17 years old have been physically abused by their parents as the first correctional option.
• 1 out of 4 girls and 1 out of 6 boys are sexually abused before they reach the age of 18
• In 93% of the cases, the abuser is a relative or someone close to the family.

Protecting children from this violence is crucial to their wellbeing and can have effects on their health and development for the rest of their lives. A report on violence against children found that, “Child abuse seems to be common in schools, work, and within the household indicating little respect for childhood, and no consideration for the fact that the effects of neglected or violated childhoods are often devastating and may show only in adulthood (UNICEF).” A Pediatrics journal concluded that there are even long lasting physical consequences, stating that, “Early experiences of violence may confer lasting damage at the basic levels of nervous, endocrine, and immune systems, and can even influence genetic alteration of DNA.” Additionally, a report on adverse childhood experiences (abbreviated as ACE) states, “Individuals who reported six or more ACE had an average life expectancy two decades shorter than those who reported none.” Violence against children does not only affect them in the most formative years of their life, it can continue to cause harm and damage during their entire lives.

The Pa’Arriba Foundation aims to contribute to the INSPIRE guidelines set by The Global Status Report on Preventing Violence Against Children 2020 to end violence against children. We are working on changing the deep social norms that lead to violence against all people, including children, in order to put a stop to violence from as early on as possible. We work within the community through dialogue circles, we create alliances with institutions to raise awareness on this issue and gain responsiveness, and we call attention to the normalization of toxic gender roles.

Author: Victoria Guevara

Last Updated: March 2021

Violence Against People in Transit

By Lesly Gissell Zhicay

The term “people in transit” serves as an umbrella term for  migrants and refugees who are temporarily moving from one place to another but who are not permanently defined by their conditions. We can further break down these terms with help from the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, who explains that refugees are people fleeing armed conflict or persecution while migrants are those who are in transit to another country in order to improve their livelihoods.

The study “Migrants in transit through Mexico to the US: Experiences with violence and related factors, 2009-2015” reports that the violence migrants face never stops but rather prevails throughout their journey. It begins in their home countries – where this is often a primary reason for fleeing – and continues in their journey to another country. Even once they have arrived at their destination, they live with the fear of deportation every day. Sadly, although most migrants are well aware of the violent conditions they will be subjected to at every stage, they still set out on their journey, seeking the lesser evil. The violence is neither unusual or unexpected, and because it has been both normalized and trivialized, it is largely underreported, to the extent that the same study found that only one out of ten individuals who suffered some form of violence reported the event to an authority or human rights organization.

Migrants often face a complete loss of human rights when in the presence of different authorities. The violence experienced includes physical, verbal or psychological abuse and the severity ranges from insults to injuries and even death. The study further reports that 20.37% of Mexican migrants to the US experienced some type of violence in at least one of the two countries. The study reports that at least 41% of migrants who were victims of violence in the US required medical assistance. These violations often go unresolved by authorities responsible for migration and human rights or municipal, state, and federal security, due primarily to the fact that most likely than not, these authorities are the ones committing the transgressions.

Refugees are often subjected to similar traumatic experiences. Refugee Health reports that before being forced to flee, refugees may experience imprisonment, torture, loss of property, malnutrition, physical assault, extreme fear, rape and loss of livelihood. While in transit, refugees are often separated from family members, robbed, forced to inflict pain or kill, witness torture or killing, and/or lose close family members or friends and endure extremely harsh environmental conditions. UNICEF also reports that children and women are particularly susceptible to violence in temporary reception centers, where families are often stranded for up to two years. A study on children refugees in Italy revealed that three-quarters of children reported being held against their will or forced to work without pay.

The problem continues right in the U.S.’ backyard, as seen by the devastating immigration policy that separated children from their parents at the Mexican border and has led to the loss of family ties for hundreds of children, with the current US administration committing to forming a task force to reunite them. The New York Times reports that nearly 3,000 migrant children were separated from their parents while the Trump’s administration zero tolerance policy was in force; hundreds of children are yet to be found.

In Ecuador, the UNHCR reports that almost 2,000 Venezuelan’s entered Ecuador per day in 2019. These 730,000 people represent a significant number of the 3.6 million Venezuelans who fled their country that year and approximately 1% of the world’s 79.5 million refugees in 2019. As the New York Times reports, Venezuelans are facing a humanitarian crisis that has led to significant shortages of food, water, electricity, and  medicine. And yet, life in Ecuador isn’t any easier, as many confront irregular status and are unable to obtain access to social services, including health, education, and housing. It has not been easy for them to find work and many have been forced to make their living as informal vendors on city streets.

These precarious conditions have many costs to the refugees. It is common for them to become victims of sexual and gender-based violence, discrimination and xenophobia. The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees describes sexual and gender-based violence during the refugee cycle as sexual attacks, coercion, extortion by person in authority, sexual abuse of separated children in foster care, domestic violce, sexual assualt when in transit facilities, sex for survival/forced prostitution and sexual explotation of persons seeking legal status in asylum country or access to assitance and resources. Going forward, Refugees International recommends that Ecuador stand by its constitution, which protects the rights of migrants and refugees. Anti-xenophobia campaigns that combat discrimination and anti-migrant rhetoric are crucial, as is the need to find ways to integrate the refugees into existing social fabric and communities.

Author: Lesly Zhicay

Last Updated: March 2021

Violence Against LGBTQIA+

Among populations vulnerable to facing violence are those in the LGBTQIA+  community. But, who makes up this community and why are they grouped together?

What is LGBTQIA+?

For starters, sex, sexuality and gender are all different and should be thought of as unrelated. According to the American Medical Association, “Sex refers to the biological differences between males and females. Gender refers to the continuum of complex psychosocial self-perceptions, attitudes, and expectations people have about members of both sexes.” In other words, sex is biological and gender is social, as something that we as humans have chosen to define in certain ways. On the other hand, sexuality or sexual orientation is how you experience sexual and romantic attraction (if you do) (Healthline). Gender Spectrum explains this well, stating, “Gender is personal (how we see ourselves), while sexual orientation is interpersonal (who we are physically, emotionally and/or romantically attracted to)”. Both concepts are included because they represent people who differ from what is considered the majority, namely heterosexual and cisgender (defined below).

The acronym LGBTQIA+ includes many groups, and as the University of Illinois states, these are, “Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Pansexual, Transgender, Genderqueer, Queer, Intersexed, Agender, Asexual, and Ally community.” One might notice that not all of these words have a letter in the acronym, and that is because groups have been identified and added to the community over time. The plus sign at the end includes others that may not fit any of these labels but still identify as something other than heterosexual and cisgender. This is a lot of vocabulary, so let’s break it down further.

Cisgender means that one feels comfortable with the gender they were assigned at birth based on their biological sex and the social expectations associated with that gender expression (University of Illinois). Someone who is cisgender may not stop to question their gender if it doesn’t seem to conflict with what they have always known and been told about themselves. However, there are also many conditions in which reproductive anatomy doesn’t fit the typical definitions of male or female, and this is what is known as intersex (Intersex Society of North America). Being intersexed is largely seen as a natural variant among biological sex in humans, but societally we have categorized it separately from male or female. For someone who is transgender, they realize that the sex they were assigned at birth does not match their gender, and are known to be a gender variant person (University of Illinois). This term, as well as many other terms, should be thought of as existing on a spectrum rather than fitting into precise ideas. Gender Spectrum states that, “The relationship between a person’s gender and their body goes beyond one’s reproductive functions, and research in neurology, endocrinology, and cellular biology even points to a broader biological basis for an individual’s experience of gender”. There are people who are gender nonconforming, nonbinary, gender fluid, and two-spirit as just some examples. These are a few of the labels used to help explain concepts of gender, but everyone has an individual experience and way to think of themself.

The other part of this community describes sexual orientation, which is how to describe the people you are attracted to, usually in the terms of that person’s gender. The definitions, as found on Healthline, are as follows:

• Lesbian is a woman or female-identified person who experiences sexual, romantic, or emotional attraction to people of the same or a similar gender
• Gay is a term that describes individuals who experience sexual, romantic, or emotional attraction to people of the same or a similar gender and is used more often by men, but may also be used by women
• Bisexual describes those who experience attraction to people of more than one gender
• Pansexual refers to people who may feel attraction to any person, regardless of that person’s gender, sex, or sexuality
• Queer acknowledges that sexuality is a spectrum as opposed to a collection of independent and mutually exclusive categories, so it can apply to anyone that is not exclusively heterosexual
• Asexual includes individuals who don’t experience sexual attraction to others of any gender.

There are other terms for sexualities as well and this is a narrow list. For a more detailed explanation of LGBTQIA+ terminology, see this Healthline article.

How are those in the LGBTQIA+ community affected by violence?

Often, when we think of violence – particularly gender-based violence (GBV) – our focus lies on violence against (cisgender) women. And although this is clearly an important issue with long-held structural social elements, problems with violence affect numerous vulnerable populations, including the LGBTQIA+ community. Individuals in these groups are often harassed, may have fewer civil rights (such as the right to marry), and can be killed over just existing as they are.

Statistics bear witness to this disproportionate situation. In the United States, for example, “The lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer community is estimated to comprise 4.5 percent of the U.S. population, yet according to the FBI’s newly released report, they comprise 18.5 percent of hate crime victims” (NBC). In Latin America and the Caribbean, according to Reuters, “Four LGBT+ people are murdered every day […]. At least 1,300 LGBT+ people have been murdered in the region in the past five years, with Colombia, Mexico and Honduras accounting for nearly 90 percent of all deaths. Data showed the majority of victims were young gay men aged 18 to 25, who were most likely to be murdered in their homes, followed by transgender women killed in the street.” Additionally, in a report on Brazil it was found that, “Brazil registers between 300 and 350 homophobic killings a year. Yet it is believed that there are likely an additional 500 slayings a year in which the victim’s sexuality is, erroneously, never reported as being a motive for their murder. The underreporting is often due to disinterest — and even outright hostility — among the police. Sometimes, though, bereaved relatives also choose to avoid reporting a murder as homophobic out of shame.”

In Ecuador, according to a Reutuer’s article, “There were 16 murders or violent deaths involving LGBT+ people in 2019, and most of the victims were transgender women. Rodriguez, the first trans woman elected to Ecuador’s National Assembly, said the legalization last year of same-sex marriage in the conservative, mainly Catholic country may have had ‘a negative impact.’” According to Ecuador’s National Institute of Statistics and Census (translated from Spanish), “Of the total LGBTI population interviewed, 70.9% reported that they lived some experience of discrimination in their family environment, of which 72.1% suffered some type of control experience, 74.1% experienced some type of imposition, 65.9% suffered rejection and 61.4% violence.” A study on the incidence of physical violence in the LGBT+ population in Ecuador found that, “50% of survey respondents (members of LGBT+ community) have been assaulted, focusing on transsexuals with a low education level being the most affected.”

The Pa’Arriba Foundation seeks to lessen the violence this group faces by facilitating communication between groups of different people, increasing understanding and compassion for one another, and offering resources to those facing violence. One does not need to agree with another’s lifestyle in order to respect them.

If you’d like to read more about our work and mission, click here. If you want to share your own experiences with us or read about others’ experiences, please click here. All are welcome!

For more information on violence against the LGBTQIA+ community in the US, Latin America, and Ecuador please visit…

Understanding GenderGender Spectrum

LGBT+ murders at ‘alarming’ levels in Latin America – study

LGBTI |

Incidencia de la violencia física en la población LGBT en Ecuador

LGBTQIA+ Resources for United States (youth/ educators/ parents): LGBTQ Youth Resources | Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Health

¿Cómo se piensa lo “queer” en América Latina? Presentación del Dossier

Author: Victoria Guevara

Last Updated: March 2021

Violence and Economic Effects on Teenage Pregnancy

Adolescent pregnancy is a significant issue in Ecuador and globally; it is very likely a result of sexual violence, it can lead to infant and maternal health complications including death, and it also has significant economic and social costs. At least 10 million unintended pregnancies occur each year among adolescent girls aged 15–19 years in the developing world (WHO). Generally, adolescent pregnancies are more likely to occur in marginalized communities. This is commonly driven by poverty and lack of education and employment opportunities (WHO), but also by sexual violence towards underaged girls. Data reported by UNICEF states that those most often responsible for sexual violence are in the family, educational institutions, and close quarters. Violence does not stop there, as girls who become pregnant before the age of 18 years are also more likely to experience violence within a marriage or partnership (WHO).

The rates of teenage pregnancy vary globally but are high in Latin American and Caribbean countries. These countries have a teenage maternity rate of greater than 12%, most often made up of adolescents with lower incomes and with a lower level of education (ECLA). In 2010, it was found that teenage maternity rates among women aged 15-19 were 12.5% in Latin America, and 16.9% in Ecuador (ECLA). In addition to the devastating immediate human cost of these pregnancies, the lasting effects of opportunities lost due to an adolescent pregnancy perpetuate the harm done.

Among the main consequences is that girls drop out of school and change their life plans. Although efforts are underway in some places to enable them to return to school after child birth, this may well jeopardize girls’ future education and employment opportunities (WHO). If they cannot go back to complete their education or gain experience working, they are also likely to struggle as they’ll have less capacities, abilities, and opportunities to enter the labor market (UNICEF). The difference is significant, with an income gap of 23% between those who were mothers in adulthood and those who were mothers in adolescence (El Comercio).

The economic costs add up and affect the country as a whole, both from losses of women being out of the labor market and from the costs of healthcare and treatment for the teenage pregnancies. According to a study by UNICEF, in 2017, the income-related opportunity cost of teenage pregnancy and early motherhood was $132 million. As for the costs of healthcare, if added to the productive loss due to adolescent maternal deaths, it is a loss of $82.5 million in a year. For the same year, the estimated economic loss due to the sum of the effects on productivity was $186.8 million. The study concluded that the economic and social cost of omitting sexual health and reproductive health services reached $472.9 million, the equivalent of 0.45% of the annual GDP in Ecuador.

Author: Victoria Guevara

Last Updated: March 2021

Violence Against Men

Domestic violence can occur in many forms including emotional, sexual, physical abuse, stalking and threats of abuse in heterosexual or same-sex relationships. The National Coalition Against Domestic Violence reports that 1 in 4 men have been physically abused by an intimate partner and 1 in 10 men in the United States has experienced rape, physical violence, and/or stalking by an intimate partner. It is important that we recognize that men can be sexually victimized by women, including being forced to have sex against their will.

The article “In Latin America, Gender-Based Violence Against Men is Little Talked About” discusses the varying forms of violence men can experience. This includes humiliation, family and social isolation, economic abuse, unfounded jealousy, emotional indifference and even divorce settlements that can be psychological violence for men when they experience difficulty in maintaining emotional ties to their children. However, the Council of Hemispheric Affairs reports that in the view of rigid machismo placed on Latino males, almost no male victims report cases of domestic violence in Latin America. Machismo places a strong expectation on men to exert their dominance and plays a popular role in Latin American culture. The CHA further explains that severe poverty rates and lack of employment options can emasculate Latino men and lead them to use their wives as scapegoats in an attempt to shift their frustration and inner feelings of unworthiness.

Traditional gender stereotypes lead us to believe that a man’s strength and size should mean that they are able to defend themselves. These stereotypes make it difficult for many to believe that a man can experience intimate partner violence. These stereotypes also have serious ramifications as police officers, health care professionals and third sector support services are less likely to ask men about all forms of abuse that can be experienced, and men are also less likely to disclose this information for fear of disbelief, embarrassment, or distress. Moreover, research has also shown that male victims fail to report their victimization because they believe others can not help them resolve internal conflicts. Therefore, they are less likely to seek assistance and support. It is important that we continue to educate ourselves on intimate partner violence that can occur to either party or parties.

Author: Lesly Zhicay

Last Updated: March 2021

Inclusive language; debates, pronouns, x, e, @

If you’ve seen words such as Latinx and Latine in place of Latino or Latina, or noticed someone swapping out mankind with humankind, then you’ve witnessed examples of inclusive language. Inclusive language, according to the dictionary, is “language that avoids the use of certain expressions or words that might be considered to exclude particular groups of people.” Since language is constantly changing, as is culture, inclusive language strives to stay up-to-date and respectful of all people. An issue arises, though, when communities and individuals don’t agree on one best alternative, and it can become confusing to others trying to learn what’s really “best” in addressing different people.

Inclusive language is helpful in making people feel more welcome and seen, especially underrepresented or underprivileged groups such as racial and ethnic minorities, members of the LGBTQ+ community, or people with disabilities (Rider University). It’s even been found to help reduce gender-based discrimination against women and other gender minorities by reducing gender stereotyping. Some state that because language is very powerful, it is necessary to use the correct language to stop the spread of prejudice, discrimination, and violence against marginalized groups and individuals. An example of this would be to remove and condemn any racial slur from one’s vocabulary, as that is very negatively charged and can be replaced with the proper and respectful terminology for someone. However, language and culture may change rapidly, and it might not be clear what is and is not appropriate. In cases where one may be unsure of what to say, it is best to ask. As an article by Rider University states, “preferences vary between individuals, and when trying to be respectful, it’s best to not make assumptions.”

Some argue that changing a language in this way is not natural, and is actually disrespectful and erasing culture. This is seen with Latinx or Latin@, as it can be difficult to know how to pronounce this (“luh-TEE-neks” and “Latino, Latina, or Latinow”). This may even be seen as “Anglicizing the Spanish language”, and the word was rejected in 2018 by the Real Academia Española, the official source on the Spanish language. Latinx is a term that is being used more commonly among Hispanic-Americans, but not all Latinos see themselves reflected in Latinx, and for some it can feel like a distraction from other, more-pressing problems within the community. Danyeli Rodriguez Del Orbe finds the term Latinx frustrating because it has centered the idea of Latinidad on white Latinx people. She states, “There is a need to really question and interrogate what that term means, and how it has erased Indigenous and Black people from the conversation,” she said, “While at the same time understanding that right now—based on how the U.S. has used this term to distribute resources to ‘prioritize our communities’—that it is a term that is also needed politically, until those systems of, let’s say, resources or of representation start changing.”

There has also been a common debate on the usage of “womxn” or “womyn” in place of “women”, with many now thinking that the actual more inclusive option is just saying “women”. The original idea behind using an alternative term came about in the 1970’s, “to avoid perceived sexism in the standard spelling, which contains the word ‘man’”. However, the alternative term is now being used by some to include trans women, which is rather exclusionary, as making a distinction means not viewing trans women as women. This is a way that inclusive language can go wrong, since the original concept of a word has been taken to mean something else. It leaves many confused on what they should use and not knowing the meanings or history behind these words.

Currently, there is no consensus on the perfect way to use inclusive language, if it is used. The Pa’arriba Foundation will continue to learn and listen to different perspectives. We hope to strike a balance between including people and communities that are often underrepresented, while not alienating those who are unfamiliar or uncomfortable with the change in language.

Check out our list of sources for more information on the perspectives referenced in this article.

Sources:

• 70 Inclusive Language Principles That Will Make You A More Successful Recruiter (Part 1)
• Inclusive Language Guide: Definition & Examples
• Can Gender-Fair Language Reduce Gender Stereotyping and Discrimination?
• Guidelines on gender-neutral language  (Available in Spanish)
• ‘Latinx’: An offense to the Spanish language or a nod to inclusion?
• For Some Black People, The Term ‘Latinx’ Is Another Form of Erasure
• Latina, Latino, Latinx vs. Hispanic: What the words mean
• Womxn Wikipedia Article
• Womyn vs Womxn vs Woman: What’s the Difference?

Author: Victoria Guevara

Last Updated: March 2021

TCI

Systemic Integrative Community Therapy (Terapia Comunitaria Integrativa Sistémica or TCI) was born in 1987 under a cashew tree in the favelas of Brazil as a homegrown solution to mounting and intractable individual and community problems. Dr. Adalberto Barreto, a psychiatrist, anthropologist and theologian, working together with his brother Aiton Barreto, created a health promotion and prevention methodology that has now helped millions of people create strong community networks, improve physical and mental health, rebuild their cultural identity, and perhaps most importantly, discover that they hold the key to improving their own lives. Since 2006, the methodology forms part of Brazil’s public health system as an official “Complementary and Integrative Practice” and the government has subsidized training for tens of thousands of practitioners to expand coverage nationally. Today, the methodology is used in over 27 countries in various languages.

TCI dialog circles offer a group space but they are not group therapy…rather they are a practice in which the group helps itself…and so they can be used anywhere that human beings are present. Gender, race, socioeconomic level, education are not relevant because this is a space where people get together to share their life experiences in a horizontal, non-hierarchical setting. Traditional community knowledge joins forces with scientific theory, allowing individuals to learn from each other, building greater self-esteem and resilience in the process. It is a true democratic experience, where each person learns to listen actively, without judgement, and discover something new about others and themselves.

Pearls of Light

Born of the Conversando con la Veci(ndad) healing circles program, the Pearls of Light gather key life wisdom from participants in the circles and present this newfound knowledge in bite-sized formats, leveraging the powerful learnings even for people who choose not to join a circle.

A quick and easy way to open your heart and mind to new ways of seeing the world.

The Pearls of Light have been published for over 2 years on our social networks and now serve as inspiration for numerous communications campaigns.
“FROM CATERPILLAR TO BUTTERFLY: AWAKENING TO TRANSFORMATION”

A HEALTHY CONVERSATION ABOUT GENDER-BASED VIOLENCE

An innovative proprietary workshop based on music, art and dialogue that addresses the issue of gender-based violence from a fresh, playful and welcoming perspective, allowing the expression of feelings that sometimes cannot be conveyed with mere words. The participants surrender to their inner child, breaking down barriers and stereotypes and for a few moments become empathetic artists who can truly feel the suffering of others. Through their own artistic expression, the participants achieve a better understanding of the cultural structures and paradigms that generate violence on a day-to-day basis and then join together for a group discussion of the way in which these attitudes and behaviors undermine the relationships of the entire society and how they, with their actions and words, can be part of the change.