Living in Argentina for a little over two months has taught me a lot about subcultures within Argentine society, and most importantly has opened my eyes to the culture of machismo that dominates the daily interactions between men and women. In a country where one woman is killed every 36 hours, according to the NY Times, the underlying male dominance in Argentine society has taken its toll not only on women but also on families around the country.
A few weeks ago, I first learned the word “triple crimen” and “femicidio.” I was watching TV with my host family at dinner when I heard the news that one man murdered his ex-girlfriend, her aunt, and her great-grandmother, all in one night. This was one of the darkest news stories I have heard since I got here, and I was not the only one outraged. Apparently this is a huge problem in Argentina, and protestors flooded the city streets days following the attack to put an end to such harsh violence against women.
“Femicidio,” or the murder of women by domestic violence, is part of everyday language in Argentina. This triple crimen happened about twenty minutes away from me and was uncomfortably close to home. However, this happens almost everyday throughout the entire country. It has essentially become a norm for men to assert their dominance over women through abuse and even murder.
In the triple crimen, the ex-girlfriend’s daughter of eight years actually escaped death and after more than four hours locked in the trunk of a car, she called her grandma to tell her that her mother was dead. “Father killed mom!” she said. I couldn’t believe what I had heard.
Argentina’s machista culture has contributed to the increase in deadly violence against women and has also promoted public catcalling in the streets. Argentine men actually feel entitled to deliver a “piropo,” which is a whistle or holler at any woman. They have a “right” to sexually or flirtatiously comment on women and this has been a tradition for years. On my walks to school with a group of girls, we consistently get honked at or shouted at by groups of men. Even a young child stuck his head out the window and shouted at us!
The nature of catcalling is so embedded in Argentine culture and it, unfortunately, reinforces male dominance and the idea that women are property. According to this NY Times article, even the current president, Mauricio Macri, said last year before his presidency that every woman secretly enjoys being catcalled. His statements barely had an impact on the public eye, which only goes to show just how much Argentine culture is intertwined with this machista culture.
Unfortunately, the government is still struggling to deal with the epidemic of violence. However, protests are increasing in size and impact and it is definitely an issue that many Argentines feel needs to be addressed. Personally, I think changing the machista culture and the nature of catcalling requires a culture change. It’s absolutely fascinating to think that men here perceive catcalling as their duty, their right, as the norm. They don’t see it any other way; they are simply the dominant figures in society and if they so choose to abuse, or even murder, their female partners, they do so.
