Femicide: The Greatest Human Rights Violation for Women in Honduras

From Honduras Weekly:

The femicide epidemic continues unabated in Honduras, with the discovery in the past week of the bodies of 12 women nationwide murdered by relatives or unknown assailants. According to Human Rights Commissioner Ramón Custodio, approximately 2,400 women have died violently in Honduras since 2002, including a total of 351 in 2010, compared to 407 in 2009 and 252 in 2008, based on data from the country's National Institute for Women (INAM). One femicide case is registered every 48 hours in Honduras. "One of the findings, up to now, is that 70 percent of the victims ranged in age from 15 to 40 years, although those most exposed to dying violently are women between 20 and 24," said Mr. Custodio. Of that figure, "83 percent were the victims of firearms, 14 percent of sharp instruments, while the rest died from suffocation, strangling and from other violent causes."

Mr. Custodio noted that femicide is "the greatest violation of human rights and the most serious crime of violence against women for the cruelty of the perpetrator in mutilating, dismembering or leaving marks on the body of the victim."

Femicide is defined as "the systematic killing of women for various reasons, usually cultural". While the word "femicide" is relatively new in Honduras, volence and sexual abuse of women in the country has a long history, made worse by the fact that many of these crimes go unsolved or unpunished due to biases dominated by the culture of "machismo" that severely diminish the rights and status of women.

NWFN STATEMENT: Solidarity with Honduran women in struggle

From Workers World:

The following statement was issued to the women of Honduras who are organizing against the illegal military coup and for the restoration of President Manuel Zelaya. The statement was signed by women activists and leaders from around the U.S.

The National Women’s Fightback Network stands in solidarity with all of our Honduran sisters who are in the resistance movement in opposition to the illegal Micheletti government.

We support all of the courageous women who are opposing the criminal military coup d’etat, with special recognition to all of you who are playing a prominent role in the leadership of the resistance movement.

Your strength, bravery and determination are an inspiration to women worldwide.

The National Women’s Fightback Network wholly backs all of those who are fighting for a new society in Honduras and a Constitution that puts people’s needs first, and who are demanding the reinstatement of the democratically elected government of President Manuel Zelaya.

We join with progressive forces around the world who are speaking out to deplore the coup government’s political repression, its illegal decrees against your democratic rights to organize, march and speak out, and all of its attempts to suppress the strong and resolute people’s movement.

The National Women’s Fightback Network is in solidarity with all of your demands for women’s rights, which have been put forward by Women in Resistance and other popular women’s organizations and activists.

We are with you in the fight for a true People’s Constitution which guarantees women’s social, political and economic rights; this includes guaranteed access to employment, land, territory, health, education and much more. It also insures women’s participation in the new Constitutional Assembly—an absolute necessity.

We know that women in struggle throughout the world are with you at this crucial time. You have our utmost solidarity and heartfelt sisterhood.

Feminists in Resistance

From One World net:

Hours after Honduras' ousted president returned to the country and sought refuge in a foreign embassy, the military-backed regime launched a brutal attack against supporters of the former leader. "Early this morning, military forces attacked those of us outside the Brazilian embassy.

There are no words to describe the brutality of the attack," reported a member of the group Feminists in Resistance. "They chased us, threw bombs, beat us, and now are hunting down everyone who took refuge in the surrounding area." The women say there are 65 members of their group "under siege," hiding in houses as military squads search the neighborhood. Their reports were sent by email during a brief period when electricity had been turned on. "We can hear the military movements outside, the cars, helicopters, bombs, shots, clashing of metal, stomping of boots, sirens -- and in a cruel joke on all Honduran citizens they are playing the national anthem at full volume over and over."

The women say they have little water and no food, and tear gas hangs in the air. Some have reportedly been detained and taken to Chochi Sosa stadium on the far eastern edge of the city.