My mother was 12 years old when the UN held the first Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women. I was born when the UN recognized gender-based violence as a structural and universal issue.

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It wasn’t until I turned 14 that the law was enacted in Mexico that laid the foundation to combat violence against women. By then, I had already experienced uncomfortable situations walking alone on the street, received comments or obscene catcalls, and more than once was told “don’t be a girl” for not wanting to do something. Now that I think about it, at least by that age, I no longer received Barbies for my birthday (I never liked them). My cousins, on the other hand, boasted about getting into clubs for free, about drinks their friends or flings bought them. Other girls in my circle had probably already received unsolicited intimate photos or had been touched without consent. This, and many other forms of violence, were and sadly still are part of our daily lives.

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In Spain, the law against gender-based violence wasn’t implemented much earlier; it was in 2005 (2 years before Mexico), when the Organic Law was approved, establishing protective measures against violence.

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It’s been 19 years since then... Why are we still afraid to report it? Do we really know how to identify when we’re facing an assault?

In November 2024, I collaborated on a survey conducted by the Federation of Progressive Women - @fmujeresprogresistas, where young migrant women were surveyed about their situation in Spain and their knowledge of gender-based violence. Analyzing the data, it is clear that there are many doubts, myths, misconceptions, and little knowledge about the resources and rights we have.

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Did you know that in Spain, if you’re in a situation of violence, you can access support services, receive advice, file a report, and even go to shelters and specialized courts that guarantee your protection?

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We shouldn’t wait to find ourselves in a vulnerable situation to learn about the resources and rights that protect us <3

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