The director of Hogar Ruth gave a presentation on the 30th anniversary of the Violence Against Women Act, which urges men to be allies in preventing violence.
Group of women’s rights leaders during their visit to Washington.
Photo: Supplied
As Washington commemorates the 30th anniversary of the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA), Hogar Ruth director Lisdel Flores Barger participated in a panel yesterday highlighting the urgency of young people and men becoming allies in the fight against gender violence prevention.
Flores was also invited to the White House for an event with President Joe Biden, author of the VAWA Act, who for three decades has promoted women’s rights programs. The event was attended by a delegation from Puerto Rico consisting of representatives from Hogar Ruth, Taller Salud, the Women’s Foundation of Puerto Rico, and the Gender Equity Observatory, among others.
“VAWA has been a significant piece of legislation in the protection of victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, stalking, and other manifestations of gender-based violence. Since its enactment in 1994, VAWA has provided resources and protection to millions of people, becoming an indispensable tool to prevent and eradicate violence, not only against women, but against anyone who has suffered this type of violence,” said the director of Hogar Ruth.
At the event commemorating the VAWA Law, Flores Barger was part of the panel “Youth and men allies in the prevention of violence.” During her speech, she commented on how she has seen more and more men joining “the work of multiple organizations in Puerto Rico that are doing robust and hopeful work.” This is important, she indicated, because Puerto Rico has been under a state of emergency for several years due to the increase in femicides and cases of gender violence.
Among the initiatives that incorporate men, she highlighted Taller Salud, which for 45 years has been working to prevent violence in Loíza. “Taller Salud has initiatives aimed at men, where they work on stopping community violence and work on the topic of healthy masculinities, incorporating their anti-racist work as a central element,” said Flores Barger.
Other projects aimed at men that she mentioned were Building Gender Equity at the UPR campuses in Mayagüez and Carolina and Siempre Vivas Metro at the UPR in Río Piedras, where young men participate as peer educators. Likewise, the Caderamen organization works on the topic of active and healthy fatherhood in support of new fathers, she mentioned.
“Men must be a central part of the planning process. They must be part of our teams. Hogar Ruth is an organization led by survivors of violence. This gives us perspective and drive. We understand the challenges that survivors experience in Puerto Rico because we have lived them. When we work with specific communities, we need them to be a real part of the process, for their voices to be heard and for them to be part of our teams. Working with men is more effective when men are part of the process. Together we bring different perspectives to this work and, therefore, the work is more enriching,” said the director of Hogar Ruth.
Regarding the role of youth, Flores stated that young people are showing commitment and developing innovative strategies for this cause. “An example of this are the campaigns “Play for the Team” and “Love and Hang Out with Meaning,” developed by the Coordinadora Paz para las Mujeres, of which Hogar Ruth is a member organization and where it facilitated its coordinating committee. These prevention campaigns have effectively managed to reach youth, especially university and high school students, by addressing issues that are relevant to them, such as sexual violence in sports contexts and in socializing spaces, such as hanging out,” said Flores Barger.
She also mentioned as an encouraging example the creation of the Mariposa Montessori school within Hogar Ruth, a shelter for women survivors of domestic violence, stalking and/or sexual assault. “The Mariposa Montessori program focuses on working directly with the children in shelters, indirect or direct victims of violence. We work with a preventive and corrective approach, because when we intervene with a traumatized brain at an early age, the possibility of being able to recover, restructure and heal from the repercussions and effects of the trauma increases significantly,” she said.
Finally, Flores Barger raised the need for a generational change in the fight against violence against women, giving way to young leadership. “First, we must ensure that education on gender violence, masculinities and equality is transversal at all educational levels, from childhood to university. By educating, we will be sowing the seeds for youth to develop a critical awareness and become interested in careers related to this area. In addition, it is crucial to provide concrete opportunities for participation and leadership to youth within existing organizations and programs. Allowing them to get involved will empower them as agents of change. I bet on the creativity and energy of youth as generators of change,” she concluded.
© 360 TELECOM CORPORATION
