Exceptional Regime in El Salvador: This Is How State Violence Against Women Has Intensified

The National Health Forum (FNS) noted this week that the "systemic violence" of the State of El Salvador against women "has intensified" within the framework of the exception regime, in force since March 2022 to combat gangs and which has become the main security measure of the Government of President Nayib Bukele against these groups.

This statement was issued in a statement in which the FNS condemned the rape of a girl by a group of soldiers in the center of the country.

"This reprehensible act of sexual violence is not isolated, but an alarming manifestation of systemic violence inflicted on women from the same State institutions, a situation that has intensified within the framework of the emergency regime," it indicated.

The FNS "strongly condemned the sexual rape perpetrated by members of the Armed Forces against a 13-year-old girl in the municipality of Mizata."

What are the demands of the FNS regarding state violence against women?

The civil organization also demanded that the State "guarantee the safety, physical and emotional well-being of the victim, his family and the community."

It stressed that, "despite the social repression they experience daily and under the threat of being prosecuted under the figure of the Exception Regime, they bravely denounced this atrocious crime."

"Sexual abuse and violations perpetrated against girls, adolescents and women cannot be tolerated under any circumstances," it stressed.

He also asked that "other sexual crimes committed in many communities in the country in the hands of the Armed Forces and the National Civil Police be investigated."

The criminal case against the six soldiers linked to this case advanced to the investigation stage, so a court ordered that the accused remain in provisional prison.

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According to a report by three humanitarian organizations, Salvadoran security forces have surpassed gangs in generating internal forced displacement and sexual harassment and abuse are among the generating events.

Data from Cristosal, Passionist Social Service (SSPAS) and the Human Rights Institute of the Central American University (Idhuca) indicate that the 223 victims of displacement that they have assisted since 2022 have reported threats (18.4%), surveillance (17% ), arbitrary detention (16.6%) and ill-treatment and torture (14.8%) by police and soldiers.