Public policies and domestic violence in rural contexts in Argentina: contributions from the perspective of female civil servants

Abstract

Argentina, based on international commitments and the sanction of various laws, has public policies aimed at comprehensively addressing women in situations of gender-based violence. However, we observe that interpretations and interventions often focus on the reality of people in urban settings. Rural, peasant, and indigenous women face serious obstacles in accessing counseling and assistance. For this reason, we conducted a study that specifically seeks to understand the characteristics of domestic violence against rural women and the paths they must take to escape from this situation of violence. In this article, we analyze the results of interviews and surveys conducted with fifteen female civil servants who are/were directly/indirectly involved in the prevention/assistance of cases of domestic violence. The workers identified vast geographical distances, a lack of economic autonomy, and cultural norms rooted in sexist and patriarchal practices as common aspects of rural areas that characterize the spread of domestic violence and hinder its escape. The presence of the State in rural areas, with trained teams that coordinate with other institutions and organizations in the region, in addition to programs that promote women's economic independence, are the most notable proposals the workers put forward to improve interventions. We conclude that it is necessary to have knowledge about domestic violence in rural areas from an intersectional perspective that enables the development of effective interventions.