In class the other night someone brought up the fact that in order to understand the implications of a situation we must become personal with it. To empathize we need to be able to relate to the people involved; walk a mile in their shoes. I have been touched on many levels by the stories of the missing and murdered women of Juarez. Watching the spoken word poetry by Amalia Ortiz just stirred it up even more. Surprise to sympathy, sadness to anger; I felt them all as I read about this.
The problems in Juarez go far beyond the killings and brutality against these women individually. They are treated as disposable commodities to be used and thrown away. Once used, they are easily replaced by another young girl that dreams of the “beautiful life” as Claudia did but will probably never know more than the long hours and hard life in the maquiladoras. These horrendous crimes are ignored by authorities for monetary gain, ignored by the government to keep down the bad press, ignored by the thousands of corporations housed there that employ these desperate women trying to make a living wage. Who isn’t turning a blind eye? Their mothers, sisters and children. Their daughters, sisters and mothers are told they deserved it, they brought it on themselves. I would like to explore the impact these disappearances, sexual assaults and brutal murders have on the survivors. Why is it continuing to happen and what will it take to get it to stop? Are there resources in place for the survivors? Are there places available to them for counseling and financial support? Do we have a moral obligation to step in and do something about the atrocities being committed on the other side of the border and if so, do we have the legal right to do so? We continue to support the corporations that are exploiting these women when we use their products. Are we perpetuating the violence by ignorance?
Other than the obvious emotional issues that surround these traumas, the economical impact on the family is devastating given that it is typically the women that are supporting their families in a large part of this culture. These women are raised in a society that devalues them simply because of their gender and while they may realize it they feel powerless to do anything about it. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights states “All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and in rights”. These women are denied the majority of the articles written in this declaration and once they are gone, what is left for their families?
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I am really looking forward to your final project. I do hope you are able to find/implement grassroots feminist projects, support groups, etc. This will be a great project to assign alongside the graphic notebook as a way to complicate the "single story." Thanks Jenni.
ReplyDeleteI think this is a really interesting idea for a final project. We always hear about the dangers and situations they are put through, but we never hear about the aftermath. I think you raise a really interesting point about whether or not we have the right to help these poor women. It can become quite difficult when borders are involved. When these women are abused and hurt, that may only take place over a period of time, but they have the rest of their life to dwell on what happened to them. So many issues must arise from working in such conditions. Overall, it would be very interesting to find out what happens and to see if there really is some way that we can help those who need it. And if there is some way to get involved and help these women, it would be great information to add in your piece. Your project could potentially be a resource for students who may want to help those in that situation.
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