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San Miguel Walk Against Domestic Violence

What is the San Miguel Walk?

The San Miguel Walk is a one-day event held on January every year, is an annual
walk CASA organizes to increase awareness on the issue of domestic violence
in Mexico and to raise funds for its Violence Prevention Program.

Every January 24, CASA staff and supporters join forces with tens of thousands
of pilgrims, on the centuries-old Caminata de San Juan de los Lagos, one of Mexico’s most significant and physically grueling pilgrimages. Participants of the walk depart the central square in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico to join with the pilgrims and help carry the message: "No More Violence" this year. CASA will be walking with them for 3 days arriving at Mt. Cristo Rey in Silao, Gto.

Domestic Violence in Mexico

The rate of violence among youth and women has increased in the past decade. Today in Guanajuato, 59 of every 100 women 15 or older have suffered some type of violence in their home, community, work, family or school; 12.6% of women have suffered physical violence, and 7.6% have suffered some form of sexual violence (INEGI). 75% of relationships among youth include some form of violence. Further, women suffer more than men: for every 100 male victims, there are 545 female victims*1; 2 out of 10 victims are between the ages of 20 to 24, making this the age group with the highest rates of violence.*2

At the Oct. 2010 Sexual Assault Conference, Dr. Aurora Del Rio, the Gender Equity Director for Mexico’s Health Ministry explained the following:

• 33% of patients in health clinics waiting rooms report living with violence.
• 13% of Mexican women have been sexually abused as a child.
• 22% have experienced sexual abuse in their lifetimes.
• 6% of women have been raped.
• 5% have been beaten in the abdomen while pregnant.
• 3% of women who experience violence receive help.

CASA’s Domestic Violence Prevention Program

Violence prevention has always been a part of CASA’s work, but in 2005 a separate department was formed. The psychologist and lawyer on staff and medical team provide free counseling, legal and medical attention, and an emergency shelter. There is also a 24-hour hotline and numerous educational programs to prevent violence in schools and local churches. In 2010, a total of 616 women received services.

From January to June 2011, the program has provided 212 consultations to 48 patients; provided psychological counseling to 36 domestic violence victims, sheltering 7 people temporarily; and channeled 55 clients to CASA's free legal counseling services.

Advances

In early 2011, professional psychologists working with the CASA Domestic Violence Prevention Program conducted a survey in 7 schools in rural communities; 642 adolescents, 25 teachers, and 37 parents completed the survey. The vast majority of the youth participants said that violence and unplanned pregnancies are among their four major concerns! More results from survey:

1. 80% of adolescents surveyed said that their main social problem is teenage pregnancy, followed by dropping out of school, violence, drugs, vandalism, and discrimination.
2. Participating schools do seek to address the aforementioned social problem; however, they do not use long-term or preventative strategies.

Based on the survey results, the violence prevention team developed a series of workshops that it is currently piloting in 5 of the 7 schools with an average of 14 participants in each school. These workshops have a focus on prevention, are designed to be a permanent program within the school and require the school to give access to the students to family planning methods. The program is under constant, ongoing evaluation and will be implemented in all 7 schools before the end of 2011.

It is imperative that violence and the rising teenage pregnancy rate in the state of Guanajuato be stopped. From 2006-2010 there were 53, 400 unplanned teenage pregnancies in the state.3 According to the national census, 5.8% of girls 12-19 in Guanajuato have at least one child, meaning there are 25,210 adolescent mothers4. In the municipality where CASA is located, 6.2% adolescents have at least one child, higher average than the state average.

Join us in the walk or sponsor a walker

Thanks to your donations last year we were able to hire a new team member for the violence prevention program, as well as expand our work inside surrounding schools and communities. However the issues of domestic violence is still strong, because of this we invite you to participate with us, walking for three days and with us, carry the message: No more violence!

Please support the 2012 San Miguel Walk. 100% of your tax-deductible contribution will go directly to the Domestic Violence Program that provides services to those most in need. Last year, the walk raised $31,252 to benefit CASA's violence prevention programs. Help us beat this goal, and join us in the 9th annual San Miguel Walk Against Domestic Violence on January 24, 2012.

If you would like to join us for the three day walk, make a donation now by click on the donation butotn at the top of this page.

For more information about the three day walk contact Dulce (Coordinator of the violence prevention program.)

1.

“Guanajuato, el reino de la intolerancia”. El Universal. 2010. http://www.eluniversal.com.mx/notas/696127.html

2.

Lara, Cristina. Violencia Social y de Género. Desafío de las Cifras. 2009. www.ovsg-guanajuato.org.mx/seminario_sesion5.html