Spheres and expressions of violence against women and girls: Survey-based evidences

Abstract

This article evidences some of the multiple expressions of violence against mexican women. The lack of analyses using representative samples about violence against women hinders its visibilization and jeopardizes women’s right to live a life without violence. By using recent surveys, this article summarizes data about the prevalence of violence against women and children across the lifespan –childhood, adolescence, and adulthood– in family settings: forced marriage, selling of women, and violence perpetrated by women’s relatives. In school and work settings data about sexual harassment and bullying, as well as the prevalence of pregnancy screenings are presented. Regarding women’s experiences of institutional violence, their experiences upon seeking formal help for partner violence or rape in public institutions are examined. It is argued that social construction of gender inequalities supports these expressions of violence.  However, their analyses need to be studied as the result of the intersection of gender, race, class and sexuality systems.