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The Inquiry

Why is Argentina Still so Sexist?

The Inquiry

BBC

News Commentary, News

4.61.7K Ratings

🗓️ 15 September 2015

⏱️ 23 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

Tens of thousands of people have marched in Buenos Aires and elsewhere in outrage at the astonishing frequency with which women are being killed in Argentina - the vast majority at the hands of their partners or former partners. Violence directed at women and girls is at the extreme end of the scale. But the protesters believe it grows out of the 'machista' culture - where men have to be macho, and women have to do as they are told.

In many ways, Argentina is not a special case - we could, perhaps, ask the same question of many nations. But this week The Inquiry is focusing on Argentina because the protests started an urgent debate inside the country about why women are seen as disposable. And, also because the most powerful office in the land is held by a woman - Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner - twice elected president. Why is this power not trickling down? Why is Argentina still so sexist?

(Photo: Argentina Femicide Demo. Credit: Getty Images)

Transcript

Click on a timestamp to play from that location

0:00.0

You're listening to the BBC World Service, this is Joe Fijon, with the inquiry.

0:05.0

Today, why is Argentina still so sexist? Not one less woman, tens of thousands, tens of thousands of people have marched in Buenos Aires and elsewhere, in outrage at the astonishing frequency

0:25.6

with which women are being killed in Argentina, one every 31 hours, the vast majority at the hands of their partners or former partners.

0:37.8

So many murders could have sparked this protest.

0:41.2

It could have been that of 19- old Diana Garcia found by the roadside in a

0:46.0

rubbish bag or Angela's Rausen aged 16 discovered inside a rubbish compacting

0:52.4

machine or a kindergarten teacher discovered inside a rubbish compacting machine,

0:53.0

or a kindergarten teacher whose husband cut her throat in front of her class.

0:58.0

But it was this one that brought so many out onto the streets.

1:02.0

Kyara Pius was just 14 years. that brought so many out onto the streets.

1:02.8

Kiyara Pius was just 14 years old and a few weeks pregnant.

1:07.6

Her body was found in May after a three day search,

1:11.1

buried in the garden at her boyfriend's house. He was 16. He confessed to the crime.

1:17.0

His mother has been accused of helping him.

1:20.0

Chiara had been beaten to death after taking drugs to abort her baby.

1:25.0

A female journalist tweeted,

1:27.0

They are killing us.

1:29.0

Aren't we going to do something? thing.

1:37.0

Violence directed at women and girls is at the extreme end of the scale, but the protesters believe it grows out of the machista culture,

1:45.0

where men have to be macho, and women have to do as they're told.

1:50.0

In many ways, Argentina isn't a special case.

1:52.9

We could ask the same question of pretty much any nation on earth,

...

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