First of all, we have to assert that both men and women are equal. We say no to any form of violence against women and to any form of violence against any human being. Perhaps this misconception about the inequality between men and women can be traced to a wrong interpretation of the Genesis story, where womankind received punishment after
“the sin of eating first the forbidden fruit”: “You will feel attracted to your husband, but he will have dominion over you” (Gen 3, 16).

However in modern times, with the recognition of the equality between men and women, the outside jobs of women and the support from men in caring for their own children, a certain maturity has come out in the relationship between the sexes. Nonetheless, through today’s information about what was previously taboo, we are continually and sadly made aware of stalkers, where the maltreatment of many women, includes some women’s faces being scarred with acid, and many others suffering domestic violence and rape, to the point that many women even lose their lives. The relationship between man and woman, which should lead to their complementarity, mutual help, and in their journey of life together, is subject to many pathologies and can lead to violence inflicted on women.

One trigger oftentimes is jealousy, a sign of insecurity. Perhaps some men are unprepared for an independent woman, one who has a rewarding job. They feel they can no longer control their wives; they cannot replace domination with responsible support of their partner. They are unable to give trust, and therefore freedom, to their partner in a true love relationship. If this is lacking, in the face of difficulties, the role of man as the master is reprised.

Nevertheless, women today who have grown up in a relationship of equality, don’t accept these roles and become alienated. And here domestic violence rears its ugly head, from that wounded pride that cannot withstand abandonment. Of course it must be said, that women too can become possessive and not respectful of the freedom of their partner, except that these cases rarely degenerate into physical violence. A way to prevent this lies in education. Perhaps, if cities were to hold formation courses for couples about to marry, as the Church does (although perhaps not enough courses are offered), one could avoid some of these tragedies.

Women have always had to struggle to reach that niche that belongs to them in society, on a par with men. Giant strides have already been made today compared to the past, yet in many countries women are still viewed as objects of man’s ownership. In 2015, 128 women were killed in Italy, while 35% of women worldwide suffered violence. In Guatemala, two women are murdered, on the average, each day. In India, 8,093 cases of dowry-related deaths were reported in 2007; an unknown number of murders of women and young girls were falsely labeled ‘suicides’ or ‘accidents’. In Australia, Canada, Israel, South Africa and the United States, between 40 and 70 percent of female murder victims were killed by their intimate partners.

In the State of Chihuahua, Mexico, 66 percent of murders of women were committed by husbands, boyfriends or other family members (see more figures on page 6).
The data make us shiver: how is this possible? The answer must lie in the education that society offers men and women while they are growing up. Various theories try to explain why violence against women happens. One is based on the fact that since childhood, women have been educated to passivity and domination by men. Another idea is that of vulnerability: even as children, women are taught to see themselves as the weaker sex, unlike men. Thus, they do not react to domestic violence. Then yet another theory is that man has been used to overtake women for social and economic positions, and this can lead to such a situation at home between the couple, or to his “exploding” in the event that his partner overtakes him. We often discuss why women do not react, instead however, we should be reflecting on why men behave the way they do. Today in 2018, it is no longer conceivable to consider women as inferior and as victims.
Marina Gui, Marco D ‘Ercole and Jose Aranas