LAS QUEREMOS VIVAS (WE WANT THEM ALIVE) tells the story of the epidemic of violence against women in Puerto Rico through the stories of women who were murdered.
Context: The Why?
According to The Cut “[i]n the aftermath of Hurricane Maria, the intimate-partner murder rate in Puerto Rico spiked to 1.77 out of 100,000 — more than double that of the entire U.S.” Violence against women has increased so much that the community has called a state of emergency. The trans community has also been severely targeted by the transphobia and “machismo” in our culture. Although activists and community members have worked towards making change, very little has been done by lawmakers and government officials to stop the murders, rape, disappearances and other forms of violence from happening. Over a year after the Puerto Rican government called a state of emergency, femicides continue.
Connections to Colonialism
In an article, Women and Gender Studies professor Heather Montes Ireland explained that “[i]t becomes a cultural issue where men feel entitled to women’s bodies.” Montes Ireland continued stating “[t]his is happening particularly in a Puerto Rican sense here, but these themes are very much linked [to] Western patriarchy that is spread throughout the world through colonialism.” The documentary will take a deeper look into how being a US colony has perpetuated violence against women and the trans community in Puerto Rico.
