Brazil: Government of Espirito Santo launches movement to stop violence against women

. . WOMEN’S EQUALITY . .

An article from Aqui Noticias (translated by CPNN)

The Government of the State, through the Secretaries of State of Public Security and Social Defense (Sesp) and Human Rights (Sedh), launched, on Tuesday morning, October 10, a movement to raise awareness of violence against woman. The action is intended to promote, together with the society of the state of Espírito Santo, a culture of peace and confrontation of violence.


Photo: Leonardo Duarte / Secom

An advertising campaign will be launched in the media to promote reflection, debate and the protection of women, with the objective of reducing the high levels of violence in the state of Espírito Santo. In addition to this initiative, educational videos on social networks will also be released in the coming months, inviting the most diverse sectors of society to discuss the theme.

In a speech, Governor Paulo Hartung asked that the Movement to Combat Violence against Women be joined by everyone in the society. “The problem is a challenge to the state and we invite everyone in Espírito Santo to join forces: government authorities, institutions, public sector, society and churches. Public institutions have a responsibility to make public policies and make evaluations, but the government cannot deal with a challenge like this by itself. This is not a license for omission, but it is a summons. This is the role of a leader in the face of a calamity such as the violence against women that we face in our State and in Brazil. We have the capacity to change the reality of Espírito Santo regarding these indicators that are a great embarrassment to us. Good government is one that dialogues with society and recognizes its limitations.”

(article continued in right column)

Question related to this article:

Protecting women and girls against violence, Is progress being made?

(article continued from left column)

To this end, the governor stressed that the theme should also be introduced in each family and that it is necessary to mobilize everyone in order to end the culture of machismo in Espírito Santo.

“A child who watches his father assaulting his mother learns the culture of violence. It is this behavior that we need to stop in order to strengthen the culture of peace. The challenge is to turn this action into a powerful mobilization to end machismo and change the culture of “ownership” that men have over women. If we manage to involve everyone in the society, I am sure that each one of us will deal better with his frustrations, losses and life challenges. It is necessary to change the way of thinking of some men in Espirito Santo, and ensure that women do not allow the perpetuation of violence. We have a “homework” for everyone: to remove from the scene the culture of violence and brutality and to promote a culture of peace,” concluded the governor.

According to Secretary André Garcia, the event aims to make this discussion part of the family environment, since the most diverse types of violence against women start within the home.

“It is a set of initiatives to change the current reality, which is worrying: feminicide is the final stage of domestic violence against women. The autonomy of women is repressed by violence when women are treated as objects. Since the government can not do everything, the society needs to help and reflect on how it can contribute to changing that reality,” said André Garcia.

The Secretary of State for Human Rights, Julio Pompeu, emphasizes that the moment has come to invite all the population of the state of Espírito Santo to speak up in the face of any kind of violence against women.

“As a society we can be much better than we are and for this we need to be all committed to change that situation, that we all embrace our movement and that we fight together to end violence against women,” said the Secretary of Human Rights,” Julio Pompeu.

In addition to authorities, representatives of social movements, engaged in the protection of women, were present at the event.

(Click here for the original version in Portuguese)