50% of women in Argentina are victims of gender abuse

Nearly 50% of women in Argentina have either experienced or are currently experiencing gender based violence according to a recent study conducted by the government.

The survey, which polled female respondents in 12 provinces throughout the country, found that 45% of those who are or were in a relationship reported experiencing some form of gender based violence in the home. The most frequently cited example was psychological violence (42 percent), followed by physical violence (23 percent), economic violence, patrimonial violence, and sexual violence (18 percent).

Surprisingly, 77 percent of respondents stated that they did not file a criminal complaint as a result of the incident.

The Spotlight Initiative, a collaborative project between the European Union and the United Nations, was utilised in conjunction with the study, which was conducted by Argentina’s Ministry of Women, Gender, and Diversity. It examined the four basic forms of violence against women: physical, psychological, sexual, economic, and patrimonial violence. The study was conducted during the COVID-19 epidemic. A present or former spouse in a heterosexual relationship asked participants if they had gone through such events recently or at some point in their lives.

47 percent of individuals who had experienced physical abuse from prior partners claimed that the incidents had taken place in front of their kids.

Seventy-four percent of the women surveyed who reported having suffered sexual abuse claimed that the incident occurred before they became 18 years old. The study also indicated the effects such incidents have on health and wellbeing: the most often cited emotions were melancholy, agony, and fear.

The study’s most concerning findings included the fact that 10% of those who had been mistreated by a current partner and nearly 30% of those who had been violently treated by an ex-partner claimed they had no desire to continue living.

When it comes to support, the statistics show that 41.5 percent of those who were the victims of violence by a current or past partner looked to their personal networks for assistance and solace. The report stressed that while 60% of individuals who experienced physical abuse sought assistance or counselling, the troubling statistic that 40% of those surveyed were dealing with their circumstances alone and without support stands out.

Its authors claim that it is the “first survey of its kind” conducted in Argentina. As such, it offers a baseline for evaluating gender-based violence and the issues that are related to it. Experts anticipate that subsequent iterations of the poll will enable evaluation of the state’s performance and response to gender violence.

This survey “is a qualitative advance and allows us to lay the foundations for understanding the problem,” said Women, Gender & Diversity Minister Elizabeth Gómez Alcorta.

According to her, the responses will help the authorities determine “the presence of risk factors, the filing [or not filing] of a complaint and the reasons behind this decision, the accessibility and quality of the state response, as well as the reasons why the institutional circuit was not followed, the existence of informal support networks at the family and community level, and their support or lack thereof when faced with a situation of gender based violence.”

In 25 urban districts in the provinces of Buenos Aires, Chaco, Chubut, Entre Ros, Jujuy, Neuquén, Misiones, Salta, San Luis, Santa Fe, Santiago del Estero, and Tucumán, experts questioned 12,152 women between the ages of 18 and 65.

The highest rates of gender based violence were found in the provinces of Salta and Jujuy, while the lowest rates were found in Santa Fe.