b'DOING: WOMENS JUSTICE INITIATIVEMAKING AN IMPRESSIONElvia Raquec, the program director at Womens Justice Initiative (WHI) in Guatemala, recalls one womans story that made a great impression. A program participant was doing all the housework and also working in the field. She realized she was doing so much more than her husband and pointed this out to him. Later, she noticedThe Womens Justice Initiative travels to he was getting up earlier to help herIndigenous communities to teach their gather firewood. Then he startedwomen about their basic human rightsdoing his own laundry. Their children (including their sons) noticed, and alsoSPECIAL CHALLENGES When asked to explain how impunity started to help out.In its fight against violence directedcomes into play, Raquec points to yet During the WJI workshops she alsoat Indigenous women and girls, WJIanother institution that has failed to learned that she was suffering in otherhas chosen to focus on rural areas,support women and girlsthe police ways. Her husband would often yell atrecognizing that women in those areasforce.There are already strong social her or dismiss her thoughts and ideas.are more easily targeted. They tend todisincentives for rural women to report She told him, I dont want you to treatexperience more violence because ofviolence, especially sexual violence. me this way, because this is violence. the context of their communities (givenThere is also very little police presence colonization), and because these arein rural areas to begin with, and even if Now they live a very different lifevery religious areas, Raquec says. Thewomen do pluck up the courage to go to in which he actually takes care ofreligious element believes that womenthe authorities, the case usually doesnt their grandkids, shares Raquec. Hedont have the same rights and value asprogress further. Rural women have changes diapers and helps with themen. And people in the communitiesless opportunity and less knowledge housework. Thats very impressivereally believe that because they areabout their rights and how to proceed because that is an example for theirvery religious.when theyre victims of sexual violence. kids, their sons, and for other men inThats why WJI works on empowering the community. Intergenerational trauma from coloniza- women, providing knowledge about tion is compounded by past and presentwomens rights, and training community Christian beliefs. Here in Guatemala,leaders, says Raquec.most people are Christian. It is thought that sexual abuse (or any abuse) against beliefs about everything. Its very hard towomen is a challenge from God, says educate them because theres no will forRaquec. She notes further that women change from men, notes Raquec. Theyare expected to live through abuse and reestablish these attitudes in which womensurvive it. Youre not supposed to go to are treated differently. Men think thatthe authorities. These ideas usually come their actions are fine. Machismo culturefrom religious leaders, no matter which encourages men to seek dominance overchurch. Thats the biggest impact of others, which often results in violence andcolonization that we still live with today. overbearing attitudes towards people they see as inferior. The Guatemalan military further perpetuates violence against women, Contributing to the issue is a lack ofagain particularly towards women from organizational support for combattingrural areas. Women in the rural areas violence against women in the govern- suffered the most during the internal ment sector. Government institutionsarmed conflict. Sexual abuse was used often dont have the budget for ongoingas a weapon of war. Many girls and work in the community, and the work thatwomen suffered sexual violence from the they do isnt sustainable, explains Raquec.army. But a lot of the army was also part They dont work on prevention, becauseIndigenous, Raquec notes. Women are they dont have enough staff. They dontsuffering the consequences of years of provide many services because there arepain, sadness and tragedy. These days in very few offices. And the ones that do existGuatemala, there is still a lot of militariza-are understaffed.tion and impunity.Ontario Native Womens Association39'