Beyond agency and passivity: Situating a gendered articulation of urban violence in Brazil and El Salvador
Beyond agency and passivity: Situating a gendered articulation of urban violence in Brazil and El Salvador
Latin America has the highest rates of gender-based violence in the world. Many countries have instituted specialised and often progressive legislation to ensure that women and girls are protected. However, gaps in the application of the law mean institutions continue to fail women. The normalisation of gender-based violence and the perception of it as a lesser problem than other crimes still prevail in societies. Women are therefore forced to find ways to negotiate the gap between legal frameworks and the realities of the legal system, sexist cultural norms, and poor service provision. Women’s actions are not passive or small although they may not follow the pathway provided by legal systems. Their actions are shaped by the gendered obstacles and the inadequacy of institutions that perpetuate gender inequality. This article draws on research in the urban peripheries of Rio de Janeiro and San Salvador to explore women’s agency in the context of gendered urban violence and social relations.
Citation
Hume M, Wilding P. Beyond agency and passivity: Situating a gendered articulation of urban violence in Brazil and El Salvador. Urban Studies. 2020;57(2):249-266. doi:10.1177/0042098019829391