Patriarchal violence causes once again a victim in Altamira

The Movement of People Affected by Dams (MAB) publicly denounce the murder of activist Maria do Socorro, in Altamira, Pará. Maria 22 years old, was killed by her husband on the night of Wednesday, August 2. The attacker, known as Souza, is a fugitive.

Maria lived in the Seis Metros street, sitated in a region of thousands of families threatened by construction of the Belo Monte dam. In September 2011, in that same street, Frances was killed also by her husband which is released until today.

MAB believes that violence against women is the result of a patriarchal model of society in which personal relationships are not based on affection, but on power and property. In this model, the woman is seen as an object that belongs to the man and she has an obligation to serve and give pleasure.

Violence against women in our country shows alarming figures. Every 24 seconds a woman suffers physical violence. Over 40% of Brazilian women have suffered domestic violence. Between 1997 and 2007, 10 women were killed per day in Brazil.

This situation of violence and domination, structural in our society, is exacerbated in areas where dams are built. According to the Council for the Defense of Human Rights, the construction of dams cause systematic violations of human rights. Relating to their position of submission and vulnerability, women are the most disadvantaged in this process.

In Altamira, cases of murdering and situations of violence in general has become increasingly frequent since the beginning of the construction of Belo Monte. In less than one year, the population of Altamira rose from 100,000 inhabitants to 145,000. Only on the plant are currently about 8,000 people working. Of this total, 75% men and 40% women came from other states. In 2013, during the peak year of work, the number of workers expected to reach 23,000.

The infrastructure of the city is not prepared to receive that number of people. The results are increased violence, drug trafficking and prostitution, including the exploitation of children and adolescents. This scenario of degradation primarily affects women and aggravates the problem of violence and family breakdown.

MAB is supportive with the family of Socorro and will continue making every effort to organize the people to fight for their rights. We reject the construction of the Belo Monte dam, one of the main vectors of violence throughout the region.
We also believe in the importance of strengthening increasingly women’s participation in the struggles and insert them into the diferent instances of the Movement. We strive for overcoming patriarchy and capitalism and strive to build an egalitarian society.