Femicide, the deliberate killing of females - Speech or Presentation Example

Full Number &/or Femicide – (Gender and Sexual Studies) 03 April (estimated word count =1,009) Introduction Femicide is the deliberate killing of females, also alternatively termed as gynecide. It means all human beings who belong to the weaker sex are intentionally massacred for various reasons, and this includes adult women, young girls, or even female babies, infants or fetuses. There is an inherent bias by the killer or killers against the female gender which predisposes him to kill females, for various reasons such as an intense hatred of women (misogyny), in the cases of domestic violence (against a spouse or against the cruel or overly strict mother), war situations where an invading or a victorious army targets women and girls only, or in criminal syndicates or organizations where women are considered as potential informants to the police, and therefore need to be silenced permanently and killed to prevent them from snitching. The common thread in femicide is the killing of females by males simply because they are female. Femicide is better understood under the context of gender politics (Radford & Russell 7). Discussion Beside misogyny, there can be other motives for the killing of females which include pleasure, anger, revenge, malice, jealousy, arguments, separation, sexual assault, robbery, and the exuberant feeling of finally being dominant and triumphant over a female. In terms of the perpetrator, it could be any male such as the father, the husband, a boyfriend, a close friend, an acquaintance, a brother, a lover, or even a complete stranger. In almost all cases, there is a gender-related issue behind the killing and usually accompanied by a victim-perpetrator type of relationship and a prior history of either verbal, psychological, or physical violence. This is a gender-selective violence that often includes the rape, torture, and mutilation of victims. Femicide can be viewed within the larger context of the gender wars as manifestation of a stringent form of anti-feminism, designed to terrorize women into submission. It is also a part of the larger cultural context where women are expected to be pure, submissive, always ready to obey the wishes of the men, and especially in the Chicano culture, to adhere to three Marias concept and avoid being labeled into the third Maria category. What is happening at the Ciudad Juarez in Mexico is a very visible form of this bias against the female gender. As stated earlier in the previous page, there are many motivations in femicide. In the global context where religious and social norms can take a jaundiced view of female killings such as honor killings in many under-developed countries, a female who committed a sin that is seen to dishonor the family can redeem such honor by becoming the ultimate sacrifice. The male family members will even do the actual killing or consent to it if perpetrated by another person, as family honor is the paramount consideration only and not suffer from shame. The problem of femicide is a global phenomenon, although world attentions is much focused on what is presently happening in Ciudad Juarez due to the activists and feminists. It forms a part of the larger problem of human rights violations, and in particular, the violations of women's rights and the curtailment of those rights by whatever means necessary. Femicide can be seen as social prejudice against females, going back to antiquity when monarchies are passed down from generation to the next generation by primogeniture, or right of a first male offspring to inherit the kingdom through the divine right to rule. This bias also manifests in a lot of modern institutions, where previously only males were qualified and accepted, such as the military organizations in prior years which barred all women from combat roles or assuming command positions. The Catholic Church is example of this gender discrimination, not allowing women priests to be ordained and serve. India and China both have a strong cultural preference for male offspring, resulting in gendercide. Femicide can be rightly considered as the greatest form of silent genocide today. It is largely not noticed until feminists raised this issue in public awareness through forums, article writings, books, and on-line discussion sites. Culture is a big factor, such as in India where the birth of a baby girl is considered as a handicap that brings added financial burden to a family, because of the anticipated dowry costs when she will marry, to be paid to the groom's family. In China, efforts to control its huge population through its state-sanctioned one-child policy is contributory to the sex-selective abortions and female infanticides, while male offspring is to preferred, as the boys will carry the family name or patriarchal lineage and heritage. The overarching theme of all the readings is the apathy, silence, tolerance, lack of a sense of urgency, and the lack of righteous indignation against this cruel form of human rights violations, abetted by cultural practices, official state policies, and family or community faiths and beliefs in antiquated or anachronistic norms no longer suitable for modern times. Further, the abominable practice of femicide is aided by a culture of impunity and violence that will be encouraging to the perpetrators as the state is not doing enough against it. There is no political will to fully prosecute the criminals, with a very dismal conviction rate (Alba 73). Conclusion The fight against femicide is a struggle for equality in human rights. Women deaths should be given enough importance so state agencies and other concerned stakeholders will do their utmost to prevent it from happening and finally eradicate it from society. It is a fight similar to the struggle for women suffrage in the previous century, equal pay for equal work, and it can even be compared to the Civil Rights Movement, when a critical mass is reached to force politicians to take strong action against femicide and not merely ignore it or tolerate it. All people should speak loudly out against it, and only then can their voices be heard. “It's a girl” should not be a dreaded phrase anymore (Mashru para. 1). What can you do to help? Works Cited Alba, Alicia Gaspar de. “Poor Brown Female: The Miller's Compensation for Free Trade.” Desert Blood: The Juarez Murders. Ed. Alicia Gaspar de Alba. Houston, TX, USA: Arte Publico Press, 2005. 63-93. Print. Mashru, Ram. “It's a girl: the three deadliest words in the world.” The Independent. 16 Jan. 2012. Web. 03 Apr. 2013. . Radford, Jill, and Diana E. H. Russell. Femicide: The Politics of Woman Killing. Independence, KY, USA: Twayne Publishers, 1992. Print. Read More