Patriarchy In Latin America

In the last couple of weeks, the readings in this class have helped me to challenge the established notions of domestic violence that were imparted in me at a very young age. Growing up in a Latin American society meant that domestic violence issues were usually swept under the rug, and victims were usually silenced not only by authorities but also by their family members and peers. The past few weeks, I have learned that not only is this the established norm for Latin American countries, but also for other countries such as the United States in which patriarchic norms have been sowed into the fabrics of this society. This response paper will discuss the different wrongful notions that the readings from the past few weeks have helped me shatter about domestic violence and patriarchy in the United States and in the rest of the world. One of the notions that the readings have helped me shatter was in regards to the role of …show more content…
In Latin America, communist women, and especially those involved with guerrilla groups and the militia, are viewed as liberal, non-conforming, social reformers who usually do not adhere traditional patriarchal standards. Therefore, it was eye-opening to learn that the communist party had not usually been so forward-thinking about women’s issues. In the timeline for the “History of Battered Women,” the author recounts that as the reform by the Bolsheviks begin to crumble in 1936, the Communist party in Russia launches a campaign to remind women about traditional family standards and their place at home (California Department of Health Services, Maternal and Child Health Branch, Domestic Violence Section, and Intervace Children Family Services, 1999). This timeline made me realize that communist women have not always been the warriors that were are now accustomed to see in their