Page 1 of 2 12 LastLast
Results 1 to 10 of 13

Thread Information

Users Browsing this Thread

There are currently 1 users browsing this thread. (0 members and 1 guests)

  1. #1
    Senior Member carolinamtnwoman's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2007
    Location
    Asheville, Carolina del Norte
    Posts
    4,396

    Attitudes and tolerance of violence against women

    In some cultures (political correctness), attitudes and tolerance of violence against women is quite different than it is in the U.S. Please see below:

    From: LibertadLatina.org

    http://www.libertadlatina.org/Crisis_La ... chismo.htm

    LibertadLatina.org is a non-profit project that works to end the sexual exploitation of all women and children in the Americas. We focus on building effective defenses against the many forms of criminal impunity that threaten the lives of Indigenous & Latina women & children wherever they may be.

    LibertadLatina.org is the largest source of human rights advocacy information available (with over 500 factual documents) on the Internet in regard to Latina and indigenous women and children’s exploitation issues. We continue to expand that important mission day-by-day and year-by-year.

    Listen, Learn, Live! 1999 World AIDS Campaign
    AIDS Information Exchange Newsletter
    July, 1999

    Excerpt from: http://www.cafod.org.uk/aids_news_July99.htm

    Machismo (the risk-taking and often predatory behaviours with which young men are expected to prove their masculinity) typifies the role models that are particularly dominant in countries of Latin America and the Caribbean. Machismo puts lives in danger not least the lives of the young men themselves. Young men are expected to demonstrate their virility with early and frequent sex, and multiple partners.

    Macho attitudes can help to sow the seeds of violence. While the prime victims of male violence are other men, these acts rarely amplify the HIV risk directly (exceptions include cases of rape in all-male settings such as detention centers). However, women who are targets of male violence (often at the hands of their husband/partner) are put at risk of HIV...

    ...Machista [macho-ist] values influence legislation on rape. In 14 Latin American countries a man may legally rape his wife or fiancée and in some countries including Argentina and Chile-a rapist need only propose marriage to escape prosecution.

    Legacy of Mesoamerica, The: History and Culture of a Native American Civilization by Robert M. Carmack(Editor), et al. University of Albany Paperback (August 9, 1995)

    Today, in this same part of the world, machismo - "the ideology that places a high value on virility as a result of ‘conquering’ a large number of women - is widespread in the region," writes Rosenbaum. "Machismo shapes the region’s patriarchal system in specific ways, placing women under the control of men who may eventually abandon them."

    Machismo (A Definition) Creatividad Feminista (Feminist Creativity) - Spain

    Machismo...(macho-ism) is a collection of laws, norms, attitudes and characteristics of men whose finality, explicitly or implicitly, has been and is, is to produce, maintain and perpetuate the enslavement and submission of women on all levels: sexual, procreation, and in relation to work and love. The word machismo is used fundamentally in the scope of colloquial and popular life. The term most appropriate (above all at the ideological level) to express this concept is sexism, given that the first term (machismo) is used to characterize those acts, physical or verbal, by means of which are manifested in vulgar form the underlying sexism that exists in the social structure. On the psychological level, the difference between sexism and machismo is that 'sexism' is conscious and machismo is unconscious; that is to say, the believer in machismo acts like one without being capable of being able to explain or recognize the internal reasoning behind his actions, given that the machista (macho-ist) is limited to only imitating and putting into practice the crude behaviors of sexism of the culture to which he belongs by nationality and social condition. For that reason a macho-ist can feel comfortable being proud and conceited in regard to his being "very male" (muy macho).

    Nevertheless if a man's personality does not have at its foundation misoginism (hatred/fear of women, very closely bound to sexism), he can try to self-defeat many aspects of macho-ist behavior.

    The woman shares in machismo to the extent that she is not conscious of the power structures which machismo regulates in the relationship between the sexes, and to the extent to which she imitates those behaviors and/or contributes to men continuing to practice macho-ist behaviors.

    "No, to machismo! No, to domestic violence!"
    Honduras This Week Online By W. E. GUTMAN

    In Latin America concepts of masculinity are encapsulated in the word "machismo." At its most extreme, writes the London-based Panos Institute, an organization dedicated to stimulating debate on global environment and development issues, machismo maintains a man's superiority and dominance over women, granting him the right to do as he pleases within and outside the family home and the authority to restrict the freedom of his wife, sisters and daughters. Machos subscribe to the saying: "Women are like shotguns; they should be kept loaded [pregnant] and indoors."

    If machismo translates into strength, machista attitudes are no more than the armor men wear to hide their weakness and complex of inferiority.

    According to Michael Kimmel, a specialist in gender relations, "most men feel ...impotent. Even though they know that the definition of masculinity is 'to be in power, to be the captain of my fate and master of my soul,' they feel trapped in old, suffocating roles, unable to make the changes they want in their lives."

    This sense of impotence, exacerbated by unemployment, poverty, ethnic disorientation, and heightened by alcoholism and depression, frequently leads to violence, perpetuating a pattern in which men who were beaten as boys by fathers and who saw their fathers beat their wives react to challenges to their authority in the only way they know.

    Additionally, the opposition of the Catholic Church to the liberalization of women's roles continues to place serious obstacles in the path of efforts to reduce the effects of machismo. In a country where 90 percent of the population is Roman Catholic, the Church wields enormous power and influence both on the government and the people. Playing the nationalist card, it claims that campaigns promoting women's rights reflect subversive political interests.

    News for Women
    Mexico City
    June 7, 2006

    Human Rights Group: There Is No Doubt That Police Sexual Assaults Against Women In Atenco Were A Form Of Torture

    According to Felicitas Treue, a psychotherapist working with the non-profit group Collective Against Torture And Impunity, there is no doubt that the sexual assaults faced by 23 women at the hands of policemen during a police operation in early May 2006 were a form of toture.

    As a participant in the round table session “The women of Atenco,â€

  2. #2
    Senior Member Captainron's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2007
    Posts
    8,279
    Great article. I love it when exposes' like this are written from within the culture.
    "Men of low degree are vanity, Men of high degree are a lie. " David
    Join our efforts to Secure America's Borders and End Illegal Immigration by Joining ALIPAC's E-Mail Alerts network (CLICK HERE)

  3. #3
    Senior Member carolinamtnwoman's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2007
    Location
    Asheville, Carolina del Norte
    Posts
    4,396
    Quote Originally Posted by Captainron
    Great article. I love it when exposes' like this are written from within the culture.
    Exactly!

  4. #4
    AE
    AE is offline

    Join Date
    Jan 1970
    Location
    3507+ ALIPAC Super Hero since 07/2005
    Posts
    2,311
    These are from Latino sources I presume? If so this is good to see that the way of life is being challenged as wrong.
    “In the beginning of a change, the Patriot is a scarce man, Brave, Hated, and Scorned. When his cause succeeds however,the timid join him, For then it costs nothing to be a Patriot.â€

  5. #5
    Senior Member carolinamtnwoman's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2007
    Location
    Asheville, Carolina del Norte
    Posts
    4,396
    Quote Originally Posted by AE
    These are from Latino sources I presume? If so this is good to see that the way of life is being challenged as wrong.
    Yes.

  6. #6
    CoolHead's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 1970
    Posts
    69
    It would be interesting to compare the prevalence of this sort of attitude among the people of the "country-side/rural parts" of Latin-America versus among the more liberal, educated city population. I'd venture to go as far as to predict that this is fairly common among conservative minded peoples and not so much among liberals as is common in many cultures. Take America for instance, rural Conservatives tend to retain old traditions and often backwards traditions, while progressive minded people tend to move away from these old ways of thinking and adopt new ideals. The violent form "Machismo" seems to be more of a problem among the "pueblo/town" people who are for the most part uneducated and follow the traditions of their ancestors. Machismo may exist in some form among the city people, but it is not so much about hitting your wives or having multiple partners. It's mostly the idea that women are supposed to take care of the children while the husband makes the dough which is something that still sort of exists in our culture till this day. But nonetheless, you travel to latin american cities and you see working married women which is surely a good sign. Basically, machismo is becoming an old concept and is on the decline, at least in the ever growing cities of Latin America.

  7. #7
    Senior Member crazybird's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2006
    Location
    Joliet, Il
    Posts
    10,175
    Here we go AGAIN........seems as far back as I can remember this, drunk driving and racism has been the major fights. Right when we start to see some headway....they import legally and illegally from nations where it's all a new concept.
    Join our efforts to Secure America's Borders and End Illegal Immigration by Joining ALIPAC's E-Mail Alerts network (CLICK HERE)

  8. #8

    Join Date
    Jan 1970
    Posts
    659
    This reminds me of a question once posed, meant to examine the reasoning of moral relativism.

    You are the English governor of a province in India. There is an age-old tradition of the Hindu culture in your community that dictates when the man of the house dies, his wife is to be thrown onto his funeral pyre to join him in the afterlife. Very few of the wives participate willingly in the event.

    As the governor of this province, what do you do? Do you impose your cultural beliefs on another? Or do you let the practice continue?

    The example is drawn from historical fact. Thankfully, England was unencumbered by multiculturalism at the time, and that is why we no longer hear about sati.
    "We have decided man doesn't need a backbone any more; to have one is old-fashioned. Someday we're going to slip it back on." - William Faulkner

  9. #9
    AE
    AE is offline

    Join Date
    Jan 1970
    Location
    3507+ ALIPAC Super Hero since 07/2005
    Posts
    2,311
    apropos, I heard about this. Boy what a horrible thing and glad England had the common sense to stop this it had to have been horrible. what would have happened to the children?

    I just cannot understand these kind of practises that totally demean the value of women and sometimes the value of life along with the first.
    “In the beginning of a change, the Patriot is a scarce man, Brave, Hated, and Scorned. When his cause succeeds however,the timid join him, For then it costs nothing to be a Patriot.â€

  10. #10
    Senior Member carolinamtnwoman's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2007
    Location
    Asheville, Carolina del Norte
    Posts
    4,396
    apropos/AE,

    This might interest you:

    Sati is described as a Hindu custom in India in which the widow was burnt to ashes on her dead husband's pyre. Basically the custom of Sati was believed to be a voluntary Hindu act in which the woman voluntary decides to end her life with her husband after his death. But there were many incidences in which the women were forced to commit Sati, sometimes even dragged against her wish to the lighted pyre.

    Though Sati is considered a Hindu custom, the women, known as Sati in Hindu religious literature, did not commit suicide on their dead husband's pyre. The first woman known as Sati was the consort of Lord Shiva. She burnt herself in fire as protest against her father who did not give her consort Shiva the respect she thought he deserved, while burning herself she prayed to reborn again as the new consort of Shiva, which she became and her name in the new incarnation was Parvati.

    Other famous woman in Hindu literature titled Sati was Savitri. When Savitri's husband Satyavan died, the Lord of death, Yama arrived to take his soul. Savitri begged Yama to restore Satyavan and take her life instead, which he could not do. So Savitri followed Lord Yama a long way. After a long way in which Yama noticed that Savitri was losing strength but was still following him and her dead husband, Yama offered Savitri a boon, anything other than her husband's life. Savitri asked to have children from Satyavan. In order to give Savitri her boon, Lord Yama had no choice but to restore Satyavan to life and so Savitri gained her husband back.

    These two women along with other women in Hindu mythology who were exceptionally devoted to their husbands symbolized the truthful Indian wife who would do everything for their husband and they were named Sati. The meaning of the word sati is righteous. But as written earlier the women named Sati, in Hindu religious literature, did not commit suicide on their dead husband's pyre. Therefore the custom of burning the widow on her dead husband's pyre probably did not evolve from religious background but from social background.

    There are different theories about the origins of Sati. One theory says that Sati was introduced to prevent wives from poisoning their wealthy husbands and marry their real lovers. Other theory says that Sati began with a jealous queen who heard that dead kings were welcomed in heaven by hundreds of beautiful women, called Apsaras. And therefore when her husband died, she demanded to be burnt on her dead husband's pyre and so to arrive with him to heaven and this way to prevent the Apsaras from consorting with her husband. There are also other theories about the origins of Sati.

    Even though Sati is considered an Indian custom or a Hindu custom it was not practiced all over India by all Hindus but only among certain communities of India. On the other hand, sacrificing the widow in her dead husband's funeral or pyre was not unique only to India. In many ancient communities it was an acceptable feature. This custom was prevalent among Egyptians, Greek, Goths, Scythians and others. Among these communities it was a custom to bury the dead king with his mistresses or wives, servants and other things so that they could continue to serve him in the next world.

    Another theory claims that Sati was probably brought to India by the Scythians invaders of India. When these Scythians arrived in India, they adopted the Indian system of funeral, which was cremating the dead. And so instead of burying their kings and his servers they started cremating their dead with his surviving lovers. The Scythians were warrior tribes and they were given a status of warrior castes in Hindu religious hierarchy. Many of the Rajput clans are believed to originate from the Scythians. Later on other castes who claimed warrior status or higher also adopted this custom.

    This custom was more dominant among the warrior communities in north India, especially in Rajasthan and also among the higher castes in Bengal in east India. Among the Rajputs of Rajasthan, who gave lot of importance to valor and self sacrifice, wives and concubines of the nobles even committed suicide, when they came to know that their beloved died in battlefield. In other parts of India it was comparatively low. And among the majority of Indian communities it did not exist at all.

    A few rulers of India tried to ban this custom. The Mughals tried to ban it. The British, due to the efforts of Hindu reformers like Raja Ram Mohan Roy outlawed this custom in 1829.

    There aren't exact figures about the number of Sati incidences. In general, before this custom was outlawed in 1829, there were a few hundred officially recorded incidences each year. Even after the custom was outlawed, this custom did not vanish completely. It took few decades before this custom almost vanished. But still there are rare incidences in which the widow demands to voluntary commit Sati. In 1987 an eighteen years old widow committed Sati in a village of Rajasthan with the blessing of her family members. In this incidence the villagers took part in the ceremony, praising and supporting the widow for her act. In October 1999 a woman hysterically jumped on her husband's pyre surprising everyone. But this incidence was declared suicide and not Sati, because this woman was not compelled, forced or praised to commit this act.

    In different communities of India, Sati was performed for different reasons and different manners. In communities where the man was married to one wife, the wife put an end to her life on the pyre. But even in these communities not all widows committed Sati. Those women who committed Sati were highly honored and their families were given lot of respect. It was believed that the woman who committed Sati blessed her family for seven generations after her. Temples or other religious shrines were built to honor the Sati.

    In communities were the ruler was married to more than one wife; in some cases only one wife was allowed to commit Sati. This wife was normally the preferred wife of the husband. This was some kind of honor for the chosen wife and some kind of disgrace for the other wives. In other communities some or all of the wives and mistresses were immolated with the husband. And in some cases even male servants were immolated with the kings. This kind of Sati in which the wives and servants were treated as the ruler's property intensifies the theory that Sati was introduced to India by the Scythian invaders of India.

    In some very rare incidences mothers committed Sati on their son's pyre and in even more rare cases husbands committed Sati on their wives pyres.

    Death by Fire: Sati, Dowry Death, and Female Infanticide in Modern India

    Sati - Widow Burning in India

Page 1 of 2 12 LastLast

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •