Christmas Time

I think there aren't many people who don't dig Christmas (in Christian world) and it seems that this festival is celebrated in the same way, but appearances can be deceptive. I'm going to tell about some Christmas traditions.

In Spain, Santa Claus doesn't bright the present, but the Three Wise Men on January (6th of January). In this country is quite celebrated Christmas lottery (22 of December) and the main award is called gordo (fat). During the Christmas Eve, the Spanish eat turkey (pavo relleno), shellfishes and a large number of sweets, like turrón. It's common knowledge that the world Spanish-speaking is quite diversified, I can quote a Costa Rican tradition which consists in visit a theme park and play darts and "raise the roof" on toboggans or carousels.

In he Netherlands there is one tradition which I find interesting and it´s connected with Spain: Santa Claus arrives in Holland in the night of 5 of December and coming back carries evil children.

There are many customs in common, like eat some sweets, but I've observed that more important is spend time with our relatives that stoke up at the table and c more and more people are getting out, they still spend time with other: at home, in cabin or on the beach in some tropical country.

This post wouldn't be  hopeful at all. The politicians boast about achievements in a field of women's rights or avoid this topic. The average European believes the violence towards women is declining nowadays due to developing sensibleness. There is nothing more deceptive.

Have you heard about femicide? The term says it all. It's about the killing of women. However, the killing normally is accompanied by other brutality, like torture, mutilation, rape... It's connected, but not necessarily, with domestic violence, psychological or economic abuse. What is it the reason to commit crime? In short, the cause of femicide is misogyny and sexism. The problem reflect that women still are under male control. It's worth underlining that the killing will be denominate femicide if women´s gender is one of reason of it. Femicide embraces not only violence toward women but also abortion which is practised by selection of unborn girls (it's called selective abortion) or infanticide. In same cases, the jealousy is a reason to commit this crime.

Statistics are frightening. Ciudad Juárez (Mexico) registered 887 victims over the course of seventeen years (1993-2010). The situation is alarming because the digits aren't decreasing at present. It´s only one city in Mexico and all country doesn´t head this infamous list. According to report which presents average femicide in the course of years 2004-2009 El Salvador takes up the first position. I will enumerate a few countries in order: Jamaica, Guatemala, South Africa, Russian Federation. (You can find more information clicking on this link: http://www.comunicarigualdad.com.ar/el-mapa-de-feminicidios-en-el-mundo/)

The other disturbing fact is that the majority of guilty are still unpunished. In Latin American countries femicide is frequently connected with drug trafficking and with politics thus in many case the service presents a scapegoat who in reality is guiltless.

The tragedy touches not only a victim but also her family, friends and local community. The term derives from genocide and can take shape like fratricide, uxorcide, infanticide...For me, it doesn´t matter how form it take, but the violence contra other human being.

P.S. I haven´t load any picture because maybe someone couldn´t read this post. Nevertheless, I recommend you see some photos because words not always can describe all.