Gender violence

• Surveys carried out by the Network of Women Peace Builders revealed that women from vulnerable sectors are the most affected

The Network of Women Peace Builders, under the sponsorship of the Institute of Press and Society of Venezuela (IPYS Venezuela), presented its 2024 report called The high price of inequalitywhich revealed alarming findings about the situation of women in Venezuela.

The third edition of the organization’s annual report focused on the differentiated effects suffered by women from the lowest socioeconomic strata, who face the greatest challenges in the midst of the complex humanitarian emergency and crises that the country is going through.

“Women from lower income groups have greater barriers to accessing sexual and reproductive health. Each aspect that affects women in Venezuela differently increases even more when we talk about women with fewer economic resources and in precarious situations,” the report states.

Socioeconomic gaps related to gender violence

The network specified that gender violence in Venezuela “is a problem that persists despite the existence of legal frameworks and the tireless work of dozens of organizations and activists.”

“It is these same civil and women’s organizations that have denounced state inaction and the lack of reliable official data that makes it difficult to truly understand the magnitude of the problem,” he added.

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According to data from the survey carried out by the women’s network, two out of every five women, that is, 40% of Venezuelan women, have been victims of some type of gender violence. Furthermore, they determined that 71% of them have suffered psychological violence and 42% physical violence.

They emphasized that again it is women from the most vulnerable sectors who are most affected: 46% reported having experienced gender violence, compared to 36% of those in higher socioeconomic levels.

“This persistent gap since 2023 shows a reality where gender violence is not only frequent, but also discriminates,” he highlighted.

The surveys also revealed that sexual and institutional violence continue to be present and both are framed “in a context of lack of police protection, revictimization in judicial processes and discrimination in the provision of public services.”

In this sense, they determined that women from intermediate and low socioeconomic levels are more likely to have suffered physical violence (48%), which could imply that their economic situation makes them more vulnerable to situations of dependency. This hinders their ability to leave abusive relationships or report their abusers.

Additionally, the report mentions that these women lack support networks and resources to seek help.

Women surveyed

The organization conducted surveys of 1,281 women of different ages and economic realities, from 17 states, as well as collecting testimonies and reports.

“The report exposes the profound gender inequalities and the need for effective public policies that guarantee access to their health, education and protection,” stated the Network of Women Peace Builders.

Sexual and reproductive health of Venezuelan women

Another aspect that was addressed in the report is the serious situation in terms of sexual and reproductive health. The survey showed that 40% of menstruating women report not using contraceptive methods, a figure that the women’s network considers alarming because it shows the latent risk of unintentional pregnancies.

“This situation contributes to the perpetuation of cycles of poverty and inequality, which disproportionately affects women from the lowest strata,” she highlighted.

Regarding obstetric violence in Venezuela, the report stated that more than half of the women who have given birth, specifically 53%, reported having experienced some type of violence during childbirth.

However, the figure rises to 60% among women from the most disadvantaged sectors. “In these moments of extreme vulnerability, women are subjected to abuse, neglect and violations of their autonomy,” she added.

The report also maintains that 34% of women have had to miss work or educational activities due to issues related to menstruation, with pain being the main cause of these absences, followed by the lack of products for menstrual management and lack of access to clean water.

“This situation is particularly serious for women from the most disadvantaged sectors, who face greater obstacles to managing their menstruation in an adequate and dignified manner,” she highlighted.

Little political and community participation of women

The report addressed the political and community participation of Venezuelan women. The surveys found that although 94% of women consider political change necessary in Venezuela, those from low socioeconomic strata face greater barriers to their active participation.

Only 25% of these women are involved in political or community activities, compared to 35% of women from higher classes.

“Economic difficulties, lack of access to education and limited political representation are some of the obstacles that hinder their participation. Furthermore, 21% of low-income women expressed fear of retaliation for voting freely, reflecting an environment of coercion and vulnerability that directly affects their ability to influence democratic processes,” the report highlighted.

Recommendations

The Network of Women Peace Builders provided seven recommendations to improve the lives of Venezuelan women.

-Continue to implement awareness campaigns and support programs for victims of gender violence, and increase access to protection services and guarantee the effective implementation of sanctions against aggressors.

-Improve the recognition of gender violence with the expansion of civic education programs and awareness campaigns, focusing on low-income women.

-Guarantee the universalization of quality reproductive health services, with special attention to low-income women and increase monitoring of cases of obstetric violence.

-Implement programs for the free distribution of menstrual hygiene products, especially in areas most affected by poverty and the humanitarian crisis.

-Invest in improving educational quality and equitable access to education, with a focus on the school retention of girls in low strata.

-Improve women’s political participation with the implementation of civic education programs that empower women and strengthen their confidence in the electoral system.

-Implement co-responsibility policies, such as equal parental leave and accessible childcare, to alleviate the burden of unpaid work that falls disproportionately on women.

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